Tēnā koutou

Due to the on-going risk of Covid 19 - Omicron infection we have reviewed our risk minimisation strategies.

All patients coming to Grace for a procedure should be fully vaccinated if eligible. Your surgeon’s consulting room staff will check your vaccination status and will inform us when booking your surgery.

Unvaccinated patients or those who have received only 1 vaccination will be assessed and managed according to transmission risk.

ALL patients are required to complete a Rapid Antigen Test on arrival for admission.

Please be aware that guidelines state that it is generally appropriate to have minor surgery 4 weeks after Covid infection, but for major surgery, it is recommended to wait for 8-12 weeks. Please advise your surgeon and your anaesthetist if you have had Covid (Omicron) in the last three months, so that your risk can be assessed.

Please also advise us if:

• you have any symptoms of Covid-19,
• you have been in close contact with a positive or suspected case in the last 10 days,
• you returned from overseas travel in the last 10 days,
• either you or a household member worked in a high risk workplace (border facility, MIQs, International shipping vessels, Covid ward in healthcare)

We are not allowing visitors into Grace Hospital, apart from one parent to accompany our paediatric patients, or for those patients requiring a carer to attend while in hospital. Parents and carers are also required to complete a rapid antigen test at admission.

Everyone entering the hospital must show their vaccine pass, be wearing a mask, and sanitise their hands before checking in at the main reception

We’re hopeful that with the above measures in place we can protect our patients, visitors and staff from being exposed to Covid19 whilst at Grace.