Update on Christchurch Earthquake - message from Dr Amanda Lyver
02 Mar 2011
To our CHOC families,
I hope you have all managed to regroup as families over the weekend and find strength for the days and weeks ahead. I also hope that many more of you are now in accommodation with power and water.
If this is NOT the case can you please let CHOC know your situation by contacting them on 0800 CHOC 11 or 364-1821. When doing this please identify by using your child’s name.
Public Health Measures
Please ensure you follow the public health advisories to conserve water, and to boil any water from taps. If you boil water in a kettle, bring it to the boil twice. If you are using a pot, bring it to the boil. If you don’t have electricity, three drops of household bleach in a litre of water will make it safe for drinking.
If your toilet flushes, flush it. People who do not have a flushing toilet are advised to make a temporary toilet with a bin lined with two plastic bags. The bin should be covered between uses. The contents can be buried when the bin is no longer needed. Details of how to make a temporary toilet can be found at
http://www.moh.govt.nz/moh.nsf/indexmh/protecting-your-health-in-an-emergency
Please wash hands with water and soap or a hand sanitiser after using a toilet or changing your child’s nappies. Hands should also be washed before and after preparing food, after handling rubbish or waste, cleaning toilets, bathrooms, after handling soiled clothing or bed linen, handling cleaning equipment such as cloths, buckets and mops. Hand washing stops diseases spreading. Cold water is fine as long as soap is used and hands are thoroughly dried.
Make sure that when you are inside, wear shoes, due to broken glass.
CHOC
By the end of today CHOC will be back in its usual location. We have been assured by the structural engineers that the building is safe and that it is safe for your child and the staff to be there. We look forward to seeing our families again in familiar surroundings.
All our phones are back operating so please contact us
CHOC : 0800 CHOC 11 or 364-1821
CHOC Location: Ground Floor Parkside, Christchurch Hospital
Christchurch Hospital is functioning well and all services are back up and operating. We will be delivering planned chemotherapy next week and arrangements will be made with you and your family by our Nursing staff.
The Outpatient department will not be operating this week but will recommence next week. Appointments missed are currently being rescheduled.
Shared Care Centers
We send our thanks to these centers for continuing to take such good care of our joint patients. For patients needing to return to Christchurch in the near future for chemotherapy you will be updated individually but please be assured your child’s care will not be compromised.
Please take care of yourselves.
Dr Amanda Lyver
Acting Clinical director on behalf of all the CHOC staff
NOTE: To read information on coping with natural disasters please click
HERE