Go well this winter
Winter is creeping in! Here are some simple tips to prepare for the ills and chills of the cooler months…
- Gather your winter kete (basket) and stock up on essentials like RATs, masks, regular prescriptions, cold and flu medications, and anything else you might need to stay well or manage symptoms.
- Book your immunisations to help protect against flu and COVID-19 – if you haven’t already.
- Check if you’re eligible for Healthy Homes support. Healthy Homes initiative providers can help ensure your whare (home) is warm and dry during the chilly season.
- Embrace the power of rest if you’re feeling under the weather. Staying home helps you recover faster and prevents you from spreading germs to others.
- Don your mask like a superhero cape when visiting healthcare places, hopping on public transport, or navigating crowded spaces. It’s your shield against catching or spreading winter bugs!
- Need advice? Healthline (0800 611 116) is your 24/7 hotline. Māori clinicians are available and ready to assist from 8am to 8pm.
- Pharmacists are your allies! They provide advice on medicines, vaccinations, and minor illnesses. Swing by for over-the-counter treatments and expert guidance.
Keep up those healthy habits
Our experience with COVID-19 has taught us a lot about how to protect ourselves and others from all airborne viruses, such as the flu. Let’s keep practising these throughout winter to keep us and our communities safe:
- Wear a face mask. We still need to wear face masks with visiting most healthcare services. It’s also a good idea to wear a mask when on public transport, in taxis, in indoor settings like retail stores and supermarkets, in poorly ventilated spaces, or when it is hard to physically distance from other people.
- Maintain good hand hygiene by washing and drying your hands thoroughly or using alcohol-based hand sanitiser.
- Sneeze or cough into your elbow or a tissue. Avoid touching your face, dispose of tissues in a waste bin immediately and wash or sanitise your hands. This will prevent the risk of spreading COVID-19 and other viruses such as colds or flu.
- Keep shared surfaces clean such as door handles, bench tops and tables or desks.
Get winter-ready
- Develop a winter plan for your whānau so family members know what to do if people become unwell.
- Familiarise yourself with what is expected of you by your employer if you become sick.
- Gather your winter kete (basket) and stock up on essentials like RATs, masks, regular prescriptions, cold and flu medications, and anything else you might need to stay well or manage symptoms (such as tissues, and enough food and household items for a few days).
Stay home if you’re unwell and get a COVID-19 test
Stay home if you feel unwell or have any cold or flu symptoms such as sore throat, cough, fever, aches, runny nose or congestion.
The symptoms of flu can be the same as, or similar to, the symptoms of COVID-19. Both are highly contagious so if you feel sick, stay home and take a rapid antigen test (RAT) for COVID-19.
If someone in your whānau gets sick, it’s a good idea for them to stay in one room or area until they are well.
- Wear a mask to care for them, and if possible, get them to wear a mask as well.
- Regularly ventilate or air your home by opening windows and doors.
- Be sure to wipe clean any surfaces around the house that are frequently touched such as door handles, bench tops, and tables.
Getting support over the phone or virtually
Seek help if your flu or COVID-19 symptoms get worse or you are concerned about someone you care for. Call Healthline on 0800 611 116. It’s free and you can call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Call your general practice team to discuss your situation and symptoms if you feel unwell – rather than visiting in person. This means that you can get appropriate treatment and medication to help you stay well – even if you are at home isolating.
You can book a virtual consultation with a clinician if your usual general practice isn’t available to see you in-person.
There are a number of apps and online tools available that allow you to consult with a health professional from the comfort of your own home (Health Navigator).
You can phone your GP team any time day or night if you need urgent medical attention. A team of nurses is available to answer your call. The nurses provide free health advice, and they can tell you what to do and the best place to go if you need to be seen urgently by a doctor.
Always call 111 for an ambulance if you or someone else needs life-saving emergency medical attention.
Call the dedicated COVID-19 Healthline for information and advice – 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for free on 0800 358 5453 or +64 9 358 5453 if you have an international SIM.
Respiratory illnesses in young children this winter
This winter we are likely to see more respiratory (breathing) illnesses in children. If you have a sick child with breathing difficulties, seek medical care from your doctor immediately.
You can call PlunketLine on 0800 933 922 or Healthline on 0800 611 116 for free 24/7 advice if your infant or child is unwell.
A baby that has difficulty breathing could have flu, whooping cough or another illness which can make them sick very quickly.
Symptoms can also include fever, cough (which can turn into a coughing attack, with vomiting and sometimes has a whoop sound) and a runny nose. Please seek medical advice if your child has any of these symptoms or has had a cough for two weeks or more.
Keep your child at home if they are sick or awaiting whooping cough test results.
Please don’t visit young babies if you are sick this winter. Flu and whooping cough are very infectious, and babies can get very sick from them quickly.
Look after your mental wellbeing
The change of seasons can also be hard on our mental health. As we head into winter, it is important to look after our wairua (spirit), hinengaro (mind), relationships and overall wellbeing.
There are a number of simple things you can do every day to support your mental wellbeing:
- Stay connected with friends and whānau.
- Stick to a schedule or routine as best you can.
- Move your body daily.
- Get outside and spend time in nature.
- Limit your time online and the amount of news you follow.
- Notice and appreciate small moments of joy.
- Avoid alcohol and drugs as these can make things worse.
You can call or text 1737 for wellbeing support or advice.
Get more information and advice on mental health services (Health NZ).
Source: Adapted from Health NZ.
