COVID-19 Information
COVID Vaccination
We are currently not offering the COVID vaccination at Tawa Medical Centre or Linden Surgery. You can book your vaccine at other locations, most days of the week by visiting the link below:
You can now book your booster vaccination 6months after your 2nd dose of Pfizer COVID vaccination. Patients eligible for a 3rd primary dose have been contacted by the clinic directly. If you believe you should be eligible and have not been contacted, please call the clinic.
If you have any questions about vaccination please book either a phone or face to face appointment with your doctor who would be happy to discuss.
You may also wish to visit https://www.health.govt.nz/our-work/diseases-and-conditions/covid-19-novel-coronavirus/covid-19-vaccines for more information or call 0800
Vaccination after COVID infection – the duration between doses is slightly different if you have had a COVID infection. Guidance can be found by clicking HERE
COVID Testing
Updated 2/3/22.
COVID testing can be carried out at both Tawa Medical Centre and Linden Surgery. Both Rapid Antigen Tests and PCR tests are able to be carried out.
The primary test being carried out during the current outbreak of COVID will be RAT tests. If you require testing as a household contact, or if you have any symptoms that could be COVID related please contact the clinic to arrange collection of these.
If you are not requiring assessment by a doctor at the same time and PCR swabbing is required this will be booked at Tawa Medical Centre where a nurse will see you either in your car or in a dedicated cabin to undertake the test.
If you are unwell and need assessment by a doctor you will be asked to speak to a nurse or doctor on the phone first. You can then be seen at either Tawa Medical Centre or Linden Surgery where you will be seen in a dedicated cabin to reduce spread of any respiratory illnesses. Please let the clinic team know when you arrive by calling, or having a well family member alert reception staff. A doctor or nurse will then escort you from your car to the cabin.
At this point we are not able to offer salivary testing. Where a nasopharyngeal test in not able to be performed a double anterior nose and throat swab may be preferable. In adults and older children the preferred swab remains the nasopharyngeal swab but for young children the front part of the nose and throat is recommended. RAT testing is suitable for children and adults.
Negative results will be notified by text or Manage My Health as soon as possible. This is typically within 48 hours.
Pre-Travel / Screening COVID Testing.
Pre travel testing can be arranged for any day of the week through the Wellington SCL travel center. https://travelcentre.mytests.co.nz/
During the week we are able to offer limited travel related and mandated screening swabs, however please discuss this with a nurse or doctor first as results may not be available over the weekend.
COVID Treatment
If you are diagnosed with COVID 19 your care will be determined by the symptoms you are experiencing. Most people do not require hospitalization and will be cared for at home. The Regional Public Health team, alongside Tawa Medical Centre and Linden Surgery will be involved in your care and will contact you once your result has been received. When case numbers are very high this may be just via a text message if you are normally well. If you feel increasingly unwell or are becoming sicker please contact the clinic or after hours call the COVID healthline on 0800 358 5453.
You can expect to feel like you have a bad “flu like illness” and should be prepared to care for yourself in a similar way – keeping well hydrated, taking paracetamol if needed for headaches and fever. Many people also experience a sore throat, so having throat lozenges at home may also be worthwhile.
If you are more unwell an oxygen saturation monitor can be provided to you to help make a decision about whether you need care in hospital.
If at any time you are concerned that you are becoming more unwell or your pulse oximeter shows your oxygen levels are dropping call Tawa Medical Centre / Linden Surgery for a phone consultation, or an ambulance if it more urgent.
COVID response level changes on visiting the clinic.
While we are operating under the COVID response levels Tawa Medical Centre and Linden Surgery will continue to provide the best care that we can to all of our patients – vaccinated or unvaccinated.
At GREEN and ORANGE levels we will continue to ask all patients with any respiratory symptoms to remain in their car / outside of the clinic until they are called in to a dedicated area to be seen. This is to prevent spread of any respiratory illnesses, not just COVID. If your nurse or doctor catches a common cold from you they will be off work and unable to see patients for several days while they are tested for COVID.
Please inform staff when booking an appointment if you have a cough, runny nose, fever or feel like it’s difficult to breathe.
At RED we will need to minimize the number of people in the building and will use phone consultations where possible, along with reducing the number of people in the waiting room. Please be patient during these times while we try and respect everyone’s needs alongside Ministry of Health guidelines for care.
During an outbreak of COVID we will try to speak to all patients via phone prior to coming into the clinic to minimize any risk of your being infected or infecting other patients and staff. Please do not be offended if we ask you to wait in your car until you are seen.
