With winter illnesses sweeping the motu and filling hospital wards, it’s not too late to get your vaccination – and pop on a mask in crowded places – that’s the message from Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora clinicians.

The call comes as ESR data for the Auckland metropolitan area shows that its hospitals recently experienced their biggest weekly spike in hospitalisations since 2015 from severe acute respiratory illnesses (or SARI). SARI includes a range of symptoms like cough, fever, runny nose and sore throat, usually caused by viral infections such as influenza, COVID-19 and the common cold. 

Dr Susan Jack, National Clinical Director, Protection: National Public Health Service, says while SARI hospitalisation data is only available for the Auckland metropolitan area, it’s a good barometer of illness levels likely being experienced by hospitals across the country.

“We know that through our other reporting anecdotally, and from past experience, that people across the motu are presenting with a range of winter illnesses, such as influenza, Covid-19 and respiratory ailments.

“That’s why it’s so important that we protect ourselves, our friends and our whānau from being hit hard by illnesses like the flu and COVID-19 and ending up in hospital by getting vaccinated – and it’s never too late to get your jab,” Dr Jack says.

“Getting immunised against influenza, which remains free for everyone aged 65 and over, pregnant people and many others, provides good protection against various strains of flu that are currently circulating. Annual influenza vaccination is recommended for everyone over 6 months of age.

“COVID-19 is also still very much circulating in our communities, so that’s why we encourage those who are eligible to keep up to date with their vaccinations. It’s recommended that you wait at least six months since you had COVID-19, and at least six months since you had a COVID-19 vaccine.”

“There’s also lots of other things we can do to help keep ourselves and others well this winter,” says Dr Jack.

“This includes staying home if you’re sick, wearing a mask while in closed or crowded spaces, such as on public transport – and either avoiding, or masking up around other people who could get really sick from respiratory illness, including babies, children and older people.”

To book a vaccine or for general information about vaccination, people can call the Vaccination Helpline on 0800 28 29 26 (8.30am to 5pm, Monday to Friday, except public holidays). Interpreters are available and you can choose to speak with a Māori advisor, a disability advisor, or use NZ Relay.

If you are worried about your health and wellbeing, or are concerned about someone, contact your doctor or healthcare provider, or pharmacy.  If you can’t access a doctor or don’t have one, you can call Healthline on 0800 611 116 anytime 24/7 for free, for advice. If it is an emergency, or you are severely unwell, call 111.

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For more information on SARI rates, visit: https://www.esr.cri.nz/digital-library/respiratory-illness-dashboard/

Media contact: hnzmedia@tewhatuora.govt.nz