March 31, 2023
Masks back on agenda as winter looms
The Health Ministry’s senior Māori manager is urging whanau to look after their health going into winter to relieve pressure on the country’s hospitals.
John Whaanga says he finally succumbed to Covid-19 this month and it definitely wasn’t just like a case of the flu.
He recovered quickly – unlikely many – and says people need to be reminded it’s still out there and still killing people every day.
While it has become harder to enforce mask rules, he’s urging people to remember to keep themselves safe, especially when they’re moving round in crowded settings.
“We are still encouraging people, particularly on public transport, or you’re in confined spaces, to wear masks. You know, I know kuia and koroua who are worried about their health. They are immuno-compromised but they want to get out too. So let’s not beat up on people if they want to wear masks,” he says.
Mr Whaanga says current long wait times in emergency departments are a reflection of the challenges all health systems face in recruiting and training staff, so it’s a great help if people do what they can to take care of themselves.
there are multiple plans in place to train more local staff, recruit overseas, and shift service needs to wherever they are needed most – but admits the hours-long wait times at most Emergency Departments isn’t likely to change for many years.