Following the Cabinet meeting yesterday the Prime Minister announced that Tāmaki Makaurau will go down to level 3 as of 11:59pm tonight, Tuesday 21 September. This is fantastic news, and well-deserved by all in Tāmaki Makaurau for going the distance for the rest of us in Aotearoa. Ka pai!
 
Meanwhile, all of Aotearoa south and north of Tāmaki Makaurau will remain at alert level 2. A further assessment for all of New Zealand will occur on Monday 04 October.
 
The exception to this is the Upper Hauraki area, where there have been some recent community cases. You can find out more about that here: https://covid19.govt.nz/alert-levels-and-updates/regional-advice/upper-hauraki/
 
Thank you all, particularly those in Tāmaki Makaurau, for doing the mahi and making sure friends and whānau are protected.
 
In Tāmaki Makaurau, only essential services remain open and movement is restricted. That means, unless you're in an essential occupation, you and your whānau should be at home in your bubble making sure you're not putting yourselves or others at risk of infection.
 
You can find out more about what the different alert levels mean here: https://covid19.govt.nz/alert-levels-and-updates/

What level 3 means for you 

At Alert Level 3, there is medium risk of community transmission with active, but managed, clusters. Make sure you follow all the public health rules to protect yourself, your whānau and our communities. Travel is restricted and only allowed for permitted movement in your local area — for example going to work or school if you need to, shopping or getting exercise. Some business travel is permitted.
 
At Alert Level 3:

• Stay at home as much as possible
• Keep your bubble small
• Book your free vaccination
• Wear a face covering
• Keep track of where you have been
• Get a test if you are unwell
• Maintain good hygiene
• Regularly check locations of interest

There are restrictions on what you can do and where you can go at Alert Level 3:

• You should work from home if you can.
• Children and young people should learn from home.
• You can go to supermarkets and some food retailers, banks, pharmacies, petrol stations and some other places.
• Other businesses can open if they can have contactless pick-up or delivery, including takeaways.
• You can exercise outdoors, but stay close to home.

Cafes, bars, restaurants and night clubs

At Alert Level 3, cafes, restaurants and takeaways can open, but only for contactless pick-up, delivery or drive through. You cannot go in to dine. Liquor stores can only offer contactless pick-up and delivery (if their liquor licence allows delivery). 
  
Food delivery services can also operate at Alert Level 3.
 
Events and entertainment

Events cannot go ahead. The only gatherings allowed are weddings, civil unions, funerals and tangihanga. All public facilities and venues such as museums, cinemas, libraries and swimming pools must close. 
 
Funerals, tangihanga and last rites

At Alert Level 3, up to 10 people can attend a funeral, tangihanga or burial. The 10 person limit includes kaikaranga, kaikōrero, members of the clergy or staff who are attending. Physical distancing and face coverings are recommended. Formal tangihanga involving large gatherings cannot take place at Alert Level 3.
 
Meeting friends and whānau

At Alert Level 3, you legally must stay in your household bubble. You can extend your household bubble to 2 or more homes to bring in close whānau, caregivers, or people who live alone or may be isolated. Private social gatherings with people outside your bubble cannot be held. The safest way to celebrate a special occasion with friend and whānau who are outside your bubble is to do it virtually.
 
Shopping and services

At Alert Level 3, supermarkets, dairies, butchers, fishmongers, greengrocers, petrol stations and pharmacies can have customers on their premises. You can go in-store to shop, but you will need to keep 2 metres apart from people outside your household and wear a face covering. This means some smaller stores like dairies may have a "one-in, one-out" policy.
 
Sports and recreation

At Alert Level 3, you can exercise in your local area on your own, or with people in your household bubble. If you are exercising outside, try to keep a 2 metre distance from people who are not in your bubble. Gyms and playgrounds are closed. 
 
Here's what the Prime Minister has to say about Tāmaki Makaurau's move to level 3: https://youtu.be/mkmFQyxnTxY
 
Find a full breakdown of alert level 3 rules here: https://covid19.govt.nz/alert-levels-and-updates/alert-level-3/
 
For a reminder of the level 2 rules, go here: https://covid19.govt.nz/alert-levels-and-updates/alert-level-2
 
We've all done really well, but it's not over yet. Please remember to follow the rules, so that our lives can return to normal again.

What we are doing

HNZ are closely monitoring the latest developments and will make sure all members are well informed. We are maintaining ongoing contact with key groups, including clinicians and pharmaceutical companies, and taking advice from the World Federation of Hemophilia and the NZ Ministry of Health.
 
Special Needs Grants are available to HNZ members where there is demonstrated hardship. Please contact your Outreach Worker to find out more.
 
For information about other support services offered by HNZ please visit our website: https://www.haemophilia.org.nz/
 
It's important that we all stay connected at this time. HNZ encourages you all to keep talking to one another, send aroha from afar, and above all, be kind to one another.
 
All HNZ communication channels remain open, so check out our website, follow us on Facebook, look out for our emails, and feel free to reach out to your Outreach Worker on 0508 FACTOR (0508 322 867) if you need support or information.

Bleeding disorder products

There is no concern over the availabilty of treatment in New Zealand; companies are required to have 3-6 months stock in the country at any time. However, while all freight supply routes remain open, there have been some delays moving treatment from the supplier to the HTCs.
 
It remains important that you don't wait until you are out of treatment before organising more. It is good practice to keep two weeks worth of treatment, at your normal level, on hand at all times.
 
A reminder that the World Federation of Hemophilia advises that there is currently no known risk to blood, blood treatment products, or plasma derived products. Furthermore, they emphasise that  " the benefits of COVID-19 vaccination outweigh the potential risk of adverse reactions".
 
For more information about the Covid-19 vaccine and bleeding disorders go to: https://www1.wfh.org/docs/website/en/News/WFH-EHC-Statement-on-EMA-April2021.pdf 

Haemophilia Treatment Centres

As essential services, all haemophilia treatment centres remain available. However, at the moment all contact is by phone or online.
 
Here's how you can connect with your local HTC:
 
Auckland - Contact Karen or Vanessa at akhaem@adhb.govt.nz or on 09 307 4949 ext 25285.
 
Waikato - Contact Maureen at Maureen.Campbell@waikatodhb.health.nz or on 021 846 920 or 07 839 8899 ext 23638.
 
Palmerston North - Contact Darryl at Daryl.Pollock@midcentraldhb.govt.nz or on her cell 027 240 8254 as she is working from home. If anyone needs to be seen, it can be sorted out at the time.
 
Wellington - Contact BJ as normal at Brian.Ramsay@ccdhb.org.nz or via the haemophilia phone on 027 334 5081.
 
Canterbury - Contact Kathy at kathryn.fawcett@cdhb.health.nz or 027 526 1574 during office hours.
 
Southern - Contact Val at Val.waugh@southerndhb.govt.nz or on 027 269 9383.

Need help?

Information
 
There are several useful sources of NZ-based information about the Covid-19 outbreak, including:
 
https://www.health.govt.nz/our-work/diseases-and-conditions/covid-19-novel-coronavirus
 
https://covid19.govt.nz/
 
The World Federation of Hemophilia has some excellent Covid-19 information for people with bleeding disorders:
 
https://www.wfh.org/en/covid-19-communications
 
Sponsored Data
 
The Sponsored Data initiative allows the public to access key health sector websites via mobile phone without incurring data use charges.
 
For some New Zealanders, the cost of mobile data can be a barrier to accessing essential health and wellbeing information and digital health services. Those who cannot access information and services are often those with the highest needs.
 
Sponsored Data removes this barrier by providing free access to key health sector websites for anyone using the Spark, Skinny, Vodafone, 2degrees, Slingshot or Orcon mobile networks. All mobile data charges for content hosted on these websites are automatically charged back to the Ministry of Health.
 
This ensures Kiwis won’t incur mobile data charges when they need essential information about COVID-19, health information and resources, or access to eligible GP portals.
 
Find out more here: https://www.health.govt.nz/our-work/digital-health/other-digital-health-initiatives/sponsored-data
 
Help and support
 
If you are worried about your or someone else’s mental health, the best place to get help is your GP or local mental health provider. 
 
Need to talk? Free call or text 1737 any time for support from a trained counsellor.
 
Or if you need to talk to someone else:
 
Alcohol Drug HelpLine – 0800 787 797
Asian Helpline – 0800 862 342 
Lifeline – 0800 543 354 
Suicide Crisis Helpline – 0508 828 865 (0508 TAUTOKO) 
Youthline – 0800 376 633 or free text 234 
Kidsline – 0800 54 37 54 (for under 18s) 
What’s Up – 0800 942 8787 (for 5–18-year-olds 1pm–10pm weekdays and 3pm–10pm weekends) 
Depression Helpline – 0800 111 757 or free text 4202 
Samaritans – 0800 726 666 
OUTLine NZ – 0800 688 5463 
Healthline – 0800 611 116
 
If your work has been impacted by the Covid-19 outbreak and your income is affected you may be able to get financial support from the government. To find out more about your options check out the dedicated Work and Income Covid-19 page: https://workandincome.govt.nz/covid-19/index.html
 
If you have any questions, please contact HNZ via the 0508 FACTOR number or at info@haemophilia.org.nz.