Covid-19 Resources page

Our offices are open to the public and all support services have resumed. To protect our people, please stay home if you are unwell and call us on 0800 22 77 44.

The Lodge remains open to guests, with precautions in place to protect vulnerable guests and our staff. Guests and support people will be tested for Covid-19 prior to their arrival and during their stay at the Lodge. Masks and physical distancing are required in all shared areas, like the lounge and dining room. Visitors are welcome but must wear a mask and show a negative rapid antigen test before entering the Lodge. Please contact the Lodge on 07 834 2351 for more information.

Transport to treatment is available with precautions in place to protect vulnerable clients and our volunteers. Masks must be worn during drives.

Home visits, support groups and massage therapy are available to clients. Your nurse will wear a mask during the visit. If you feel unwell, please stay home and contact us on 0800 22 77 44 to arrange another time for your appointment.

As we move into a world without the mandates and other Covid-19 restrictions, clients and any other visitors to our centres will not need to wear a mask.  Although, if you would like to wear one then you are welcome to.

We understand that those affected by cancer may still feel vulnerable and prefer to either wear a mask or have us wear a mask if our Supportive Care team visit them at home.  We understand this and our friendly team will check with clients which they would prefer before visiting. Masks are still required in a hospital or health provider setting. 

Our Supportive Care team will not need to be tested for Covid-19 if they come into contact with another person who has Covid-19, however, if they become unwell and show symptoms then they are required to do a test before they come into work and if they test positive isolate in line with the government guidelines.

As always, we are here for anyone with any cancer regardless of everything else, so please do connect with your local centre should you or a loved one need support.

Clients and any other visitors will not need to wear a mask to use a Cancer Society shuttle or our Volunteer Driving Service or to visit our centre.  Although, if you would like to wear one then you are welcome to.

Group sessions have now resumed. Massage and other therapy continues. Please check with us for details and availability.

As of 11.59pm on Monday 12 September 2022, the Government has eased restrictions around mask use. However, for healthcare organisations mask use is still required. Masks will still be required for clients/visitors to enter Cancer Society offices.  Staff/volunteers are still required to wear masks when entering the building and when in and around our reception areas.

Volunteer/Client lounge (Wellington) – masks are not required to be worn in the lounge.  However, clients and volunteers should be encouraged to do so. Covid is still in the community, and so it is important that staff continue to monitor their health and if unwell staff should stay at home. Staff are also encouraged to have their Covid vaccine booster shots when eligible and available.

From today, we will not be requiring our fundraisers to wear face masks but do require them to have one on their person until further notice. Naturally, should a fundraiser wish to wear a face mask whilst fundraising we fully support this option. We will continue to encourage anyone that is displaying cold or flu like symptoms to complete a Rapid Antigen Test. Until they are well again we encourage them to stay clear of the office and follow the government guidelines should they test positive for Covid-19. Lastly, we will remind fundraisers to wash their hands regularly and continue good hygiene practices.

Margaret Stewart House is open for those who need to travel to Wellington for treatment. There is currently no change on mask requirements.  We are seeking further advice from Regional Public Health.

At this stage, for the safety of our clients (patients) masks should continue be worn by drivers and clients in the car.

Cancer Society Wellington Division will continue to provide clients with support and information. Our Cancer Support Nurses will be available for face-to-face appointments, on our Cancer Information Helpline 0800 CANCER (226 237) and by email at info@cancersoc.org.nz. Groups and programmes are running as normal.

The Government’s COVID-19 Protection Framework ended at 11:59pm on 12 September. This enables New Zealand, and the health and disability system, to move into a new phase for Covid-19, where the response will remain active and operating in the background, with fewer restrictions on individuals. The Government has eased restrictions around mask use.

While restrictions have eased it is important to keep protecting our vulnerable community members.

Visitors to our facilities are encouraged to wear facemasks and to observe physical distancing. Hand sanitiser is available in our centres. If you are unwell with cold or flu-like symptoms, please do not visit our centres. You can contact our team on 0800 226 237 and we will be happy to assist you over the phone.

To protect our immuno-compromised guests, clients and their support person will be pre-screened before arrival at Daffodil House or Daffodil Lodge, including undertaking a RAT test 24 hours prior to arrival. Regardless of the RAT test result, you will be able to access our accommodation facilities but with restrictions should your test be positive.

Visitors are allowed during office hours. Mask wearing is no longer compulsory but is encouraged when in close proximity to others.  Rooms are professionally cleaned between guests and our guests have access to the communal laundry. A reminder that masks are still required when in the hospital or other healthcare facilities.

If you become unwell during your stay, please let our Accommodation Manager Hannah Godfrey or another Accommodation team member know. If you have any questions about Accommodation Services, please contact Hannah at hannah.godfrey@cancercwc.org.nz.

The Cancer Society provides a volunteer driving service to cancer related treatment. Mask wearing is required for both drivers and patients while using our driving service.  If you have questions about the Driving Service, please contact Anita Albert at anita.albert@cancercwc.org.nz.

Our Supportive Care team are available for face-to-face appointments, or you can contact then on our Cancer Information Helpline (0800 226 237). Masks are encouraged for clients and staff during face-to-face appointments.

Support groups and programmes are operating in our centres. Meals and baking services continue, with drop off to offices at front of house.

If you are experiencing cold or flu-like symptoms, please do not come into our centres. We can continue to support you over the phone until you are symptom-free.

Please contact Anita Albert at Anita.Albert@cancercwc.org.nz if you have any questions about Supportive Care.

The Governments COVID-19 Protection Framework ended at 11:50pm on 12^th of September 2022. Whilst the government response continues to remain active and operating in the background any requirements to wear masks have now been lifted.

However, as seasonal illnesses (that may include COVID-19 or Influenza) can have serious impacts on those most vulnerable in our communities, if you do have upper respiratory infection symptoms or feel more comfortable wearing a mask whilst out in public, we would encourage you to do so. Unfortunately, the reality is that we will have COVID-19 in our community for some time to come; it is important that we continue to monitor our health, and if unwell we should stay at home.

Currently, we are still restricting Daffodil House access to residents and their accompanying support person only. Hygiene practices are strongly encouraged including mask-wearing outside of your room, social distancing, and hand sanitising. We provide resources such as masks, hand sanitiser and an antiseptic spray for your use, whilst staying at the House. The communal lounge is open. However, social distancing and mask-wearing are encouraged in these areas. Daffodil House staff are required to wear masks and use hand sanitiser in all shared spaces. Rooms are professionally cleaned between guests and laundry is self-supporting, with masks encouraged in the laundry. Please contact 03 477 7447 if you have questions about Accommodation Services.

The Cancer Society provides transport for clients to cancer related medical appointments. For the safety of our clients (patients) masks will continue to be worn by drivers and clients.

Our Supportive Care staff will be available for face-to-face appointments, on the Cancer Information Helpline 0800 CANCER (226 237), and by email at supportivecare@cansoc.org.nz. Groups and programmes are running. We encourage mask-wearing through and around the centre or venue.  Attendees may remove masks while seated, for example, to have a refreshment.

Please contact one of our team if you have any questions about our support services: 

• Southland 03 218 4108
• Coastal Otago 03 477 7447
• Central Otago 021 465 746

or by email supportivecare@cansoc.org.nz