The Southern region’s primary health network, WellSouth, is providing advice on how to stay well, support family and plan ahead this festive season, as Covid-19 cases rise.

New Zealand is entering its ‘fifth wave’ of Covid-19 and related deaths are increasing, WellSouth clinical director Dr Carol Atmore said.

“Many of these people who catch Covid-19 are much more likely to become very unwell, or suffer from Long Covid,” she said.

“We have seen increasing numbers of deaths in the last three weeks as a consequence of this.”

She is encouraging people to think about the timing of this wave with the impending festival season, where families, friends and workmates will be getting together.

“Think about how you hold your end-of-year parties, so you don’t give your team Covid-19 as a pre-Christmas present, and how to keep well and support loved ones during this time,” she said.

She said people should also be considering whether they should be getting another Covid-19 booster.

If it is more than six months since your last booster or last Covid-19 infection and you meet any of the criteria listed below, an additional booster should be considered, Carol said.

The other criteria are if you are aged 65 or older; of Māori or Pacific ethnicity and 50 or older; aged 50 or older and have not had a primary course of vaccination; immunocompromised; or have a pre-existing risk due to a health condition.

She explains that if it is more than six months since your last booster or your last Covid infection, and you are on the list above, please think about getting a further Covid-19 booster vaccination to protect yourself and the community.

Carol also recommends the following steps to stay well and look after the people around you:

• If you are feeling unwell, please stay at home.
• If you are visiting people in hospital or in rest homes, please wear a mask and don’t stay too long. If you are sick, please delay your visit.
• Think about your end of year party, and wearing a mask when you are indoors in crowded, poorly ventilated places.

 PHOTO: Supplied