The Whanganui DHB does not yet have an official community isolation plan, as Covid continues it's journey down the country. Photo / NZME
The Whanganui DHB does not yet have an official community isolation plan, as Covid continues it's journey down the country. Photo / NZME
The Whanganui District Health Board doesn't yet have an official plan for how a local Covid-19 case would isolate in the community, despite the DHB boss warning Covid's arrival in the district is imminent.
In an Official Information Act response seen by the Chronicle, the District Health Board said that,as at November 8, no self-isolation or quarantine (SIQ) plan had yet been finalised.
The majority of active Covid-19 cases in New Zealand are currently isolating at home, including cases recently discovered in provincial areas such as Stratford and Woodville.
Whanganui DHB's Covid-19 response lead Louise Allsopp said while an official plan had not been finalised, the DHB was working around strategies established by other DHBs experienced in community isolation.
The delays in establishing a DHB-specific plan stemmed from the need to engage with local communities and organise facilities across the DHB region, she said.
Louise Allsopp, the Whanganui DHB"s Senior Responsible Officer for Covid-19 response. Photo / NZME
"The Ministry of Health put forward service specifications about the standards, but what actually happens at a local level involves working with partners and local communities. It has to be community-led," Allsopp said.
Allsopp said with the Government moving from an MIQ facility-based isolation strategy for confirmed cases to one where cases predominantly isolate at home, the game had changed.
Currently, the DHB has a drafted "high-level" plan on how to operate self-isolation, but it was still in the process of finalising details of 'SIQ hubs' in places like the Ruapehu and Rangitīkei districts, where people could be supported without having to travel to the city.
Part of that work was ensuring an isolation plan could meet the needs of those isolated, to ensure there wouldn't be any risk of them leaving and coming into contact with anyone else.
"We're working to be able to have that co-ordination between a primary health response to monitor and manage the health needs, and the welfare response, making sure people have got food and money and are not having to leave home to access those things," DHB chief executive Graham Dyer said.
Dyer said the DHB was "looking at a range of options" for isolation of cases outside of the home, with options such as a makeshift facility on the grounds of Whanganui Hospital or utilising motel rooms.
But National Party Covid-19 response spokesperson Chris Bishop said three months into a Delta outbreak and almost two years into the pandemic, the lack of a self-isolation plan was not good enough.
Bishop said other DHBs he had requested information from were further through their planning for home isolation, or already had plans established.
"It's very disappointing that the DHB has not finalised its plans for how community and home-based isolation will work."
Covid arrival imminent - DHB boss
As Covid-19 continues to spread across the North Island, Dyer said the discovery of a local case was only a matter of time.
In recent weeks, the Whanganui region has become almost encircled by cases of Covid-19.
To the west, the Taranaki town of Stratford has six active cases, while to the north, Lakes DHB is overseeing five cases and Waikato DHB is grappling with a larger outbreak that seemingly can't be stamped out.
The discovery of two cases in Woodville, just 30 kilometres from Palmerston North, also sparked concerns over the weekend, and a case was also discovered in Masterton yesterday.
Since the beginning of the Delta outbreak in August, just five North Island DHBs have yet to see a case - Bay of Plenty, Hawkes Bay, Tairawhiti, Hutt Valley and Whanganui.
"I think it has to be soon," Dyer said.
"We had the truck driver in Palmerston North a month or so ago, we've had Woodville, interest in Wairarapa, cases in Rotorua and Stratford. It will be here."
