Hospital visit rules to be relaxed at alert level three

Palmerston North Hospital patients can be reunited with their loved ones when lockdown restrictions ease.

New Zealand’s coronavirus lockdown dropped to alert level three today, prompting MidCentral DHB to ease visitor rules.

One designated visitor aged over 16 from a patient’s bubble will be allowed in between 10am and 8pm. They must sign in and provide contacta¯ details. The policy does not extend to outpatient appointments, radiology, or laboratory, unless accompanying a child. It applies to visitors to Palmerston North Hospital, Horowhenua Health Centre and Te Papaioea Birthing Centre.

A mother giving birth can have one support person throughout her labour and postnatal stay.

Patients under 16 can have one parent for their entire stay.

Visitors from the same bubble for terminally ill patients will be at the discretion of their nurse.

Midcentral DHB acting chief executive Jeff Brown encouraged people to find alternative ways of contacting their loved ones while they were in hospital. ‘‘We know how important it is ... to remain in contact with their friends and wha¯nau, so we are encouraging the use of cellphones and tablets.’’

The Palmerston North City Council has said the city’s recycling, e-waste and green waste services would resume under alert level three.

Despite guidelines allowing people to travel up to 45 minutes for exercise, the council will keep the Gordon Kear Forest and Arapuke Mountain Bike Park and the Sledge Track closed because it cannot stop inexperienced cyclists using them.

Horizons Regional Council’s Regional House in Palmerston North and service centres throughout the region remain closed but its call centre still operates on 0508 800 800.

‘‘Level three will now enable us to complete inspections and preparation of our flood protection and data monitoring networks,’’ Horizons chief executive Michaelmccartney said.

Biosecurity programmes, water quality monitoring and consents processing will resume.

‘‘Horizons Regional Park, To¯tara Reserve, remains closed,’’ he said.

‘‘Te piti – Manawatu¯ Gorge tracks will open.’’