Central Otago’s rest homes are coping well and maintaining public health measures to protect residents from the Omicron outbreak, as case numbers in Southern continue to increase.

Ministry of Health figures show there were 1454 new positive cases in the Southern region yesterday, bringing the total number of cases to 7988.

In Central Otago there were 97 new cases and 551 in total.

Of those with Covid-19, 15 are being cared for in Dunedin Hospital, 12 in Southland Hospital and one in Lakes District Hospital. One person in Dunedin Hospital was in ICU.

Rest homes across Central Otago are working hard to keep their residents safe, including Ripponburn Home manager Julia Russell.

Julia said she had a great diligent team of staff who were used to dealing with pressure, but the tight labour market was an extra challenge.

“We’ve had a very small number of staff affected by Covid. Only three have had it, so not a lot.

“We are struggling to recruit into roles that our international visitors would normally fill.”

She said her team all pitched in when required to do what was needed, if they were short staffed.

“I did the payslips [recently] and a couple of people are working upwards of a hundred hours in a fortnight.

“Every health professional that I know would say we are tired and overworked.

“Staff here are well used to dealing with pressure. We’re fortunate, we’ll deal with whatever comes next . . . flu might be an event this year.”

Her team were all rapid antigen testing (RAT) everyday and also making sure they did not go to places where they could possibly be exposed to Covid-19.

“I don’t want to be the one that brings it back into the building,” Julia said. 

Ripponburn Home, which has 40 residents, was moving in two new people this week, so the workload for the team remains steady. 

Teviot Valley Rest Home manager Robyn Niederer said everyone was doing well and that her team was using rapid antigen tests everyday before they came to work.

“We’re all good, no one has covid. The team are all well.

“We’ve had a couple of mums who’ve been off with sick kids . . . they’ve completed isolation and then come back.”

She said visiting families had been understanding of the higher screening requirements in place when coming into the home.

“The families are very supportive and being extra cautious, only immediate family can visit," she said.

Visitors to the home must still scan in, show their vaccine pass and undertake a wellness check.

“We are now more vigilant when the community is possibly becoming less,” Robyn said. 

Teviot Valley Rest Home, in the old Roxburgh Hospital, has 14 beds and is a purpose built facility which opened in April 2004. PHOTO: Supplied

Cromwell’s Golden View Care manager Juliette Towers said it was important for visitors to ring ahead to book a time for their visit.

“We’ve been doing this for two years . . . we’re all good. 

“Don’t be complacent and don’t come in if you're sick,” Juliette said.

“We go by the Ministry of Health and the Aged Care Association guidelines.

“Please remember to be nice to our staff . . . our measures are in place for good reason and they will stay for a reason, until it will be safe for them to be dropped.”

Visits to Golden View care are for 30 minutes and only two people can visit a resident at a time. Visitors' vaccine passes must be shown and the QR code must be scanned upon arrival, health screening is also carried out including a temperature check.

Golden View Care has 48 (dual purpose) rest home/hospital rooms, a specialist and secure 11 room dementia unit.

Read more about what you can do if you are visiting someone at higher risk on the unite against covid-19 website.