SIT has been working closely with New Zealand Health Authorities since becoming aware of this issue. There are still no known cases of the coronavirus in New Zealand, including at SIT, neither with staff nor students.
SIT has a plan in place for anyone presenting with symptoms consistent with the virus. Please contact our SIT nurses during work hours if you have a concern (032144977 Ext. 8874). Out of working hours please phone the Free Healthline
on 0800 611 116
General advice in the event of an illness outbreak or isolation being required or advised.
Build up your emergency supplies kit
- Have a supply of food and drinks to last for at least a week to 14 days. Choose long-lasting foods in cans and packets, and dried foods.
- Paracetamol and Ibuprofen are good for bringing down a fever and reducing aches and pains you can buy these from the supermarket. Do not use anything else for children unless you talk to your doctor or pharmacist first.
- Masks worn by sick people can help stop the spread of germs. You can buy masks from a pharmacy (or from a hardware store). If there is a pandemic, people will be told how and when to use their masks. A mask can be worn only for a short time, and needs changing when wet from sneezing and coughing.
- Have tissues (or toilet paper) and plastic bags for used tissues.
- Think about things to do, if you and your family have to stay home for more than a week (eg, books, games and videos).
Ministry of Health general public health advice on novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV)
29 January 2020
What are the symptoms of 2019-nCoV?
Symptoms of 2019-nCoV are similar to a range of other illnesses such as influenza and do not necessarily mean that you have 2019-nCoV. Symptoms include fever, coughing and difficulty breathing. Difficulty breathing can be a sign of pneumonia and requires immediate medical attention. We don’t yet know how long symptoms take to show after a person has been infected, but current WHO assessments suggest that it is 2-10 days.
Health advice
Everybody should follow the basic principles of hygiene and cough etiquette to reduce the risk of getting an acute respiratory infection or passing it onto others. This includes:
- regularly washing hands (for at least 20 seconds with warm water and soap and dry thoroughly)
- covering your mouth and nose when you sneeze, cough / sneeze into your elbow not your hands.
- staying home if you are sick
- avoiding close contact with anyone with cold or flu-like symptoms
- if you feel unwell you should avoid public gatherings and events.
People who have recently been to Wuhan or Hubei province, or have been in close contact with someone diagnosed with the virus, are at risk of contracting 2019-nCoV. If this applies to you, consider self-isolating for 14 days.
What do I do if I am sick right now?
If you have a fever, cough or difficulty breathing please telephone Healthline (for free) on 0800 611 116.
Where can I get more information about 2019-nCoV?
Visit the Ministry of Health’s website at health.govt.nz/coronavirus