We are here for clients and their pets and that will never change. However, even keeping our clinic open in the face of this pandemic may be a struggle in the future. In order to minimise the Covid-19 risk to our clients, our staff, and ultimately our ability to treat and care for animals we continue to welcome all clients regardless of vaccination status into our clinic, retail and reception areas. We reluctantly request that only well, vaccinated clients accompany their pets in a consultation.
With the new ‘New Zealand Covid-19 Protection Framework’ (A.K.A. the ‘Traffic Light System’) due to take effect on the 3rd of December, we would like to keep you informed around how this will operate in our clinics and how we visit your farms. Please note, this information may change as the most current guidelines change.
Firstly, we would like to reassure you that the New Plymouth Veterinary Group and St Aubyn practice’s commitment to animal health and welfare has and will always be our priority, and this will not change.
Our business has many different areas that these changes will affect. We appreciate your understanding as we work within these regulations to keep both you and our staff as safe and compliant as possible.
It has been indicated that Taranaki will begin in the Orange category:
“ORANGE”
SHOP/RETAIL SPACE
- Everyone is welcome into our shop/retail space
- Scan in/sign in when entering our clinic – QR codes and a manual registration book are at the main entrance. Additional QR codes are at the counter, waiting area and each consultation room.
- Face coverings/masks MUST be worn into and within the clinic. If you do not have a face mask, masks are available at the entranceway to the clinic.
- Numbers within the retail space will be monitored to ensure 1m social distancing can be maintained. Please stand on the cross marks (on the floor) while waiting to be served at reception.
- Reception and “front of house” staff will all be wearing masks and are all vaccinated.
SMALL ANIMAL CONSULTS IN CLINIC
- Consults are conducted in small consult rooms, making this a close contact point for our business. Therefore, for us to be able to continue with this service as outlined by the government, ANYONE OVER 12 YEARS OLD ENTERING THE CONSULT ROOM MUST BE VACCINATED.
- Your “My Vaccine Pass” will be checked either visually or by using the “NZ Pass Verifier”. Here’s a link to the official website to obtain your My Vaccine Pass: https://covid19.govt.nz/covid-19-vaccines/covid-19-vaccination-certificates/my-vaccine-pass/
- All staff within these close contact spaces will be vaccinated.
- For now, we request only ONE person to be with their pet in the consult room. Exceptions to this include children under 12 years old who are with their parent/caregiver.
- Our staff will continue to wear masks in the consult room, and we ask you to do the same.
- To help reduce numbers in our waiting areas, we ask that only the person who is accompanying the pet to their consult to come into the clinic with them. Also please maintain social distancing in the waiting area – you may choose to wait in the retail area, outside or in your vehicle (please let staff know in these cases)
We will still offer a service to our UNVACCINATED clients; however we are unable to invite you into our consult rooms during this time. We operated a similar service under level 3 and 4 lockdowns. When coming into the clinic, your pet can be handed off at the consult room door to your veterinarian or attending veterinary nurse. We ask for you to remain in the retail space or outside/in your car. All communication can happen either in our retail space, outside or over the phone with the vet. Please let us know at time of booking if you are unvaccinated so we can accommodate you accordingly and make your pets visit as smooth as possible.
IF YOU ARE ILL OR AWAITING A COVID TEST:
We can still see your pet
- Please inform our receptionist on booking if you are unwell or are awaiting a covid test result so we can make additional arrangements.
- Arrangements can be made for a contactless service (much like in how we operated in level 4), with communication happening over the phone.
- We will ask that you stay in your vehicle and that you contact the clinic upon your arrival. Your pet will be collected from the car by a “masked” vaccinated staff member. Please ensure that you are wearing a mask at the time of this collection.
SMALL ANIMAL HOUSE CALLS
- For the vet/nurse to enter the home, all people must be vaccinated. This will need to be confirmed at time of booking.
- Masks will be worn by the staff, and we ask you to also wear masks while we are in your home.
- If you are unvaccinated, please advise us of this when booking and we will try and work within requirements to allow a visit, however this may not be possible in all circumstances.
- If you are unwell or are awaiting a COVID test result, house calls will only be available in extreme circumstances with additional precautions in place.
Change of “Traffic Light” status.
If we are to change to “RED” or “Green”, our practices will change in accordance with public health requirements and advice. We will inform you at this time, how this may affect how we operate.
We really appreciate how all our clients have adapted to the changes we have had to make over the past year to keep our staff and everyone in our community safe. This has been especially important in ensuring that our clinics can still operate and be available to continue to maintain the health and welfare of our animals and pets in the New Plymouth District.
For now, take care and have a safe and happy summer.