With the winter months now behind us, and colds, flu and covid 19 cases on the decline, the need for a respiratory-based clinic has steadily decreased. Over recent weeks the team have only been seeing between 6-12 cars a day during the week and as little as 2 cars on the weekend, so it has been decided the Mauri Ora Clinic will close its doors at the end of business on Monday 24th October 2022 (Labour Day).
The closure of the Mauri Ora Clinic means the removal of the ‘drive-thru’ aspect of a respiratory clinic, however, WAM will still be available to provide respiratory support to whānau who don’t have a GP or who need support during the week and throughout the weekend. Whānau enrolled with a local general practice are encouraged to contact their general practice teams for support with colds, flu, and covid-19 who will guide and support them on their journey to wellness.
The Mauri Ora Clinic was initially set up as a covid clinic to provide relief to general practice teams while the number of covid-19 cases was increasing. When the cases began to subside, a sudden increase in winter illnesses began and our community was hit hard as whānau struggled to manage colds and influenza on top of the covid-19 outbreak. The outcome of this resulted in the reassessment of the clinic to include respiratory illnesses such as colds and flu.
The initial uptake was slow however it didn’t take long for our Mauri Ora Clinic team to start seeing upwards of 30-40 cars per day with the community appreciating a drive-thru clinic where they could remain in the warmth of their cars during consultation. The team have worked hard to meet the needs of the community during a very busy time and the clinic has served its purpose well. With the warmer months approaching it is timely that it now closes and those seeking medical help utilise general practice and WAM as per normal.
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