If you or someone in your whānau becomes ill over the Christmas period, it’s important to know where you can access healthcare when you need it. 

So make a list and check it twice these Christmas holidays by:

• Checking to see if your general practice is changing their opening hours by clicking here 
• Checking to see where your closest available pharmacy is located 
• Saving the number for Healthline into your phone: 0800 611 116 for free medical advice 24/7 including public holidays like Christmas Day. 
• Making sure you have enough supply of your regular medication and ensuring you request any due repeat prescriptions in advance. If you are going away on holiday and need more than two weeks’ worth of supply, have a chat to your general practice team about the best way to manage your medications. 
• For a list of up-to-date information about healthcare providers, referral expectations, services offered and common treatments, visit Healthpoint

If you have a life-threatening emergency, go to your nearest Emergency Department or call 111.  

COVID-19 Checklist  

Plan Ahead

It is important to understand the risks of how COVID- 19 might affect your holiday. Make sure you have a plan in place if you or any members of your family become infected with COVID-19 including how to get home safely to isolate. 

Contact your doctor, nurse, or pharmacy well in advance to ensure they can meet all your healthcare needs. Remember, opening hours for your doctor’s general practice and community pharmacy can vary over the break, and may be closed on some days over Christmas and New Year. 

Please check you have everything you need to stay well if you’re travelling into remote or rural areas where access to health services may be limited. Many general practices can register you with their Patient Portal. This allows you to book online appointments, order repeat prescriptions, and access your health records when you are on holiday, all from your phone. 

When you’re going to be away from home, consider taking a kit that contains rapid antigen tests (RATs), hand sanitiser, masks or face coverings, and your usual prescription and preventative medications. 

Keep up to date with your vaccinations 

Get up to date with your vaccinations, including any boosters before you go on holiday. This will reduce your chances of getting very sick from COVID-19 and ending up in hospital. 

If you have had COVID-19 and are eligible for a booster, you can get it 3 months after you tested positive. A second booster is recommended for those at increased risk of severe illness from COVID-19 a minimum of 6 months after a first booster. 

Antiviral medicines 

COVID-19 antiviral medicines can help you if you are at risk of becoming very sick with COVID-19. They reduce the amount of virus in your body to reduce the chance that you get sick enough that you need hospital treatment. 

Find out if you’re eligible for free COVID-19 antiviral medicines here or by talking to your healthcare provider now.

If you get COVID-19  

You could get COVID-19 while you are away from home on holiday or from work. Have a plan for what you need to do: 

• Plan how to get home safely to isolate — you can only return home if you or someone you are travelling with can drive there. 
• Talk through the plan with your travelling companions. 
• If you cannot drive home, it is likely you will need to stay where you are for your isolation period. 

Practice Opening Hours  

It’s important you are up to date with your local pharmacy, general practice and telehealth opening hours over the Christmas and holiday periods. 

1. Pharmacists can help you with a range of issues, from coughs and colds, conjunctivitis and hayfever to blood pressure checks and over the counter pain medication. Find your local pharmacy and check their Christmas opening hours here
   
   
2. If your General Practice is closed over the Christmas and holiday period, know where the nearest urgent care clinic is to you – you don’t need an appointment to use the urgent care clinic and they are there for if you suddenly become unwell, have a bad cut, burn, sprain or fracture. For a list of general practice and urgent care opening hours click here 
   
   
3. Have you heard of Practice Plus? This telehealth service is a same day, after hours virtual service in partnership with our GP network. Whether it’s for medical advice, repeat prescriptions, or health certificates for your mahi, register for Practice Plus to give you health care options over the Christmas holidays. For more information click here
   
   
4. For free medical advice 24/7 including public holidays like Christmas Day, you can also save the number for Healthline into your phone: 0800 611 116. 
   
   
5. For Medlab opening hours click here 
   
   
6. For a list of radiology opening hours click here