Used to being isolated, Ranfurly’s farmers are following the covid-19 isolation rules according to a local practice nurse.

Ranfurly Medical Centre nurse and practice manager Dianne Byrne said covid-19 cases were trickling along quietly for her practice.

“Numbers are up and down, but it is pretty rampant here. Today I only had two new cases, but yesterday it was six. 

“It seems to be mild symptoms, a really sore throat now, when it had been a cough and runny nose previously for people.”

Dianne said it seemed to be luck of the draw if you get covid or not.

“It’s like a spinning dice… I’ve seen whole families catch it, but not mum.”

After working on covid-19 solidly for the past nine months Dianne said she felt really tired over the Easter break.

“Vaccines, calls – all covid stuff, solely covid everyday… you come to work and do what you have to.”

Unbelievably none of the staff at the Ranfurly Medical Centre have had covid-19 yet. 

Dianne said she was off to ‘touch wood’ and that covid-19 would probably get them at some point.

 “A lot of people are not reporting their cases… this is concerning because we want to know.”

Dianne said that if a fourth vaccination dose does eventuate, knowing when you were last infected with covid-19 is crucial, as the dose will need to occur three months after the person was covid positive.

She said that covid-19 first came to Ranfurly with some boarding school kids and it had progressed from there through other siblings and families.

“There have been no cases of reinfection yet…when the second wave comes with a new variant that’s when people might get it again.”

Due to most symptoms being mild she said the broader community was coping well. 

“Everyone is trying to do what’s right and staying home…. [we’ve] had not too many cases that have been serious.”

After two years without influenza, Dianne said she was worried it might be a problem this winter.

The practice has already given 500 influenza vaccinations and is giving about another 10 each day.

Dianne said if you were tired, run down or vulnerable it was important than ever to get your flu jab. 

Southern District Health Board (SDHB) numbers for the past day were 49 new cases in Central, and 382 total active cases in the area.

There were 23 people in hospital in Southern. Fifteen were in Dunedin, eight in Southland and one in Dunstan hospital. None were ventilated or in ICU.

For all of Southern there were 781 new covid-19 cases and a total of 4885 active cases. Three of today's eight deaths were from the Southern region, the Ministry of Health said.

Southern case map May 16. PHOTO: Southern District Health Board

Invercargill's Southland hospital has closed three wards to visitors after covid-19 cases were discovered among patients on these wards. See this story for more: Changes to visiting at Southland hospital

How is your community getting on as covid-19 cases continue to crop up? Share your story with our reporters by getting in touch: [email protected]