The Bay’s COVID-19 assessment centres will be changing their operating times starting this Thursday (16 April).

From Thursday the Tauranga Community Based Assessment Centre (CBAC) located at the Trustpower Baypark Stadium will be moving to new weekday and weekend opening hours. These are as follows:

Weekdays            9am-4pm

Weekend              9am-2pm

Bay of Plenty Community Based Health Services Lead Dr Joe Bourne said the move was a response to the numbers presenting at the CBACs, allied to the constant drive to utilise resources as efficiently as possible.

“We’re taking an approach where we will increase and decrease the capacity at the CBACs depending on the need in the population at the time,” said Dr Bourne.

“I would like to acknowledge how well our community is doing at the moment with both isolation and physical distancing. People are following the advice that has been given which is reducing the amount of respiratory infections in our community allowing us to reduce the capacity we’ve got at the moment.

“Should the number of people requiring assessment increase again, we do have the ability to move with that and increase the hours should that be necessary.”

While CBACs continue to support our healthcare system by assessing and treating people with, for example, coughs, colds and sore throat, general practice remains open and able to assess all other types of health issues.

The operating hours for the Bay’s other static sites (at Whakatāne, Kawerau and Ōpōtiki) have also been reduced.

For the coming week the operating times are as follows:

Whakatāne (at Whakatāne War Memorial Hall)

Thursday 16April Closed

Friday 17April                  9am-12.30pm

Saturday 18 April 10am-4pm

Sunday 19 April                Closed

Monday 20April               9am-12.30pm

Ōpōtiki (at Ōpōtiki Senior Citizens Hall)

Thursday 16 April             10am-2pm

Kawerau (at the Ron Hardie Recreation Centre Car Park)

Thursday 16 April             10am-2pm

Tauranga (at Trustpower Baypark Stadium)

Thursday 16April 9am-4pm

Friday 17 April                  9am-4pm

Saturday 18 April 9am-2pm

Sunday 19 April                9am-2pm

Monday 20 April               9am-4pm

For information on CBACs, the latest health updates relating to COVID-19, plus answers to frequently asked questions, a new website has been created by BOP and Lakes DHBs. You can find it at: covid19.bopdhb.govt.nz Enquiries to the BOP HEALTH COVID-19 response team can be emailed to: bopcovid19@bopdhb.govt.nz