Pharmacies and GPs prepared

A109 Light Utility Helicopter flight with mayor Gisborne City from the air in November 2023.

Pharmacy 53 owner Nigel Campbell says staff feel “well-practised” at operating under Level 4 lockdown conditions,

“We all need to do what we are told to do and hopefully we get back to normal quickly. We've done it before.”

Pharmacy staff are triaging customers at the door and issuing masks,

Mr Campbell said the pharmacy was a large store, with four points of sale.

“We feel we can social distance.”

Sean Shivnan said his Gladstone Road pharmacy was allowing in one customer at a time. Customers were understanding.

“Hopefully the weather will play its part as people wait outside.”

Bramwells Unichem is operating a closed door policy at its main street premises, as it did during the previous Level 4 period, with customers served at the door.

Customer numbers were normal and there had been no huge lines,” owner Grant Bramwell said.

“We will do everything to keep staff and customers safe.”

GP centres have moved to phone consultations.

A spokeswoman at Puhi Kaiti Medical Centre said consultations would be held over the phone unless decided otherwise by the doctor.

A spokeswoman from De Lautour Medical said only “super-urgent” cases would meet a doctor face-to-face. Other consultations would be conducted over the phone or be postponed.

A spokeswoman at The Doctors Te Whare Te Hapara confirmed consultations would be by phone.