Ka Ora, Ka Ako programme a big hit in Whanganui

Ka Ora, Ka Ako - Free & Healthy School Lunches

26 October 2021

Ka Ora, Ka Ako - Free & Healthy School Lunch Programme is an initiative created by The Ministry of Education. The first schools coming onboard in Hawkes Bay, to address food insecurity in our children. The programme has expanded and now ensures over 200,000 children in New Zealand are fed a nutritious lunch every day at school.

Grace Putan, Healthy Active Learning Advisor for WDHB, offers support to schools within our rohe who are enrolled in the programme with the goal of making the healthy choice an easy choice for children.

There are three options that schools can chose from. There has been great success with schools who chose to supply the kai internally. This is fast becoming the gold standard of the programme as it can be tailored to suit the individual cultural needs of each school. As Covid lockdowns and level restrictions came into force, this option has allowed the schools involved to use their resources to continue to help the communities they serve. Food is prepared and supplied as food parcels and prepaed, nutritious meals. 

Ka Ora, Ka Ako offers so much more than simply a meal. Regular, nutritious food is essential for our children’s physical, mental and educational development. Their ability to focus, concentrate and learn all see great gains. Additionally, the programme has seen a rise in community engagement from whānau, active participation from the children as they prepare spaces for kai, learn to clean those spaces and are involved in growing some of the food that they will then eat.

A remarkable achievement that is setting our children up for successful eating habits in the future.

You can learn more about this programme here.

COVID alert: Check out these locations of interest

12 October 2021

An Auckland-based truck driver who travelled to Palmerston North for work purposes has tested positive for COVID-19.

 
They visited these locations of interest in the Whanganui District Health Board region:

*BP 2GO Hunterville – 3625 State Highway 1, Hunterville 4730

Saturday 2 October between 7.10am and 8.30am

*BP Connect Taihape – 80 Hautapu Street, Taihape 4720

Thursday 30 September between 6.37am and 7.45am

If you were at one of these locations at the specified times, you must stay at home, get tested for COVID-19 as soon as possible and get tested again five days after you were at the location. Continue to stay at home until you get a negative result from the five-day test.

And please contact Healthline on 0800 358 5453 to register that you were at a location of interest.

Testing available

COVID-19 testing is available at primary care practices -- Taihape Health, Bulls Medical Centre and, by appointment, Stewart Street Surgery in Marton.

The testing centre at the Whanganui Hospital campus is open from 8am to 3pm Monday to Friday.

Even if you were not at a location of interest, if you have any cold, flu or COVID-like symptoms, call your doctor or Healthline on 0800 358 5453 to get advice about being tested. 

Vaccination campaign

To protect yourself, your whanau and your community from COVID-19 and to see an end to lockdowns, it is important that everyone gets the free, safe and efficient vaccine.

The vaccination campaign in Whanganui, Rangitikei and south Ruapehu is now open for everyone aged 12 years and above.

You can book your appointment by going online at BookMyVaccine.nz or by calling the COVID Vaccination Healthline 0800 28 29 26 (this is open from 8am to 8pm, seven days a week).

We are at Alert Level 2

Whanganui and all areas apart from Auckland and parts of Waikato are at Alert Level 2. Auckland and parts of Waikato are now at Alert Level 3.

What you should do:

• At Alert Level 2, there are no restrictions on who can be included in your household bubble.
• You can go to work, and all businesses and services can open but legally must follow public health rules, including providing QR codes for scanning.
• Early learning services, schools, kura and tertiary education facilities are open.
• You legally must wear a face covering if you are aged 12 or over when in indoor public places such as retail stores, supermarkets, libraries, museums, shopping malls, takeaway shops, government agency offices, social services providers etc.
• Customer-facing staff must also wear a face covering, as must those working in close-contact businesses such as barbers, beauticians and hairdressers.
• Face coverings are mandatory on public transport and at departure points — for example, airports, train stations and bus stops - and in taxis and on flights.
• Everyone aged 12 and over must legally keep a record of where they have been when visiting places such as restaurants, cinemas, concerts, churches, bars, hairdressers etc. Scan the QR code at these facilities.
• Physical distancing remains important, so keep two metres apart in public and in places like stores, gyms, libraries etc.
• Travel is restricted -- you can travel freely in Alert Level 2 areas, but need special permission to cross boundaries between Alert Levels.
• Sport and recreation is allowed under specific Alert Level 2 rules, and playgrounds are open.

If you have cold, flu or COVID-19 symptoms or generally feel unwell, call your doctor or call Healthline on 0800 358 5453 and get advice about being tested.

For more information go to the Unite Against COVID-19 website.

Whanganui Hospital and other services at Alert Level 2

• Whanganui Hospital resumes its normal services at Alert Level 2.
• Visitor requirements for those coming to the hospital can be found here.
• Vaccination clinics are operating for booked appointments, but are being run under strict Alert Level 2 safety protocols. 

Community testing

The COVID-19 community testing station at Whanganui Hospital is open from 8am to 3pm seven days a week.

If you have cold or flu-like symptoms, have been at a location of interest or have been in contact with a positive case, please get tested immediately. Locations of interest are posted on the Ministry of Health website --www.health.govt.nz

 Anyone unsure of what to do should call Healthline on 0800 358 5453.

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Visit our COVID-19 vaccine rollout page

Visit our COVID-19 update page for case numbers and more

How does the vaccine work? | Ministry of Health NZ

Learn more below about how the Pfizer mRNA vaccine teaches your body to recognize the COVID-19 virus, and what happens to the mRNA once it's done its job.

Unite Against Covid website

Ministry of Health website

www.immune.org.nz

• The total number of people who have had Covid-19 in the Whanganui Region is nine (9). 
• All confirmed have now recovered. There have been no cases since April 2020.
• Please visit Unite Against Covid or the Ministry of Health website for national information about Covid-19.