While we are sure you have been keeping yourselves updated about COVID-19 (coronavirus), we thought it would be timely to share some advice from the Ministry of Health (MoH) around keeping you and your whānau safe, as well as address some concerns raised by our local communities.

You can take some simple steps as outlined in the poster above, or click here to see the latest updates, information and advice on COVID-19.

“From a council perspective, our Pandemic Plan has been updated so staff are prepared and ready to adapt if we need to look at how public facing services are delivered,” says Thames-Coromandel Mayor Sandra Goudie.

“We’re also being asked about whether large gatherings and events on the Coromandel are going to be cancelled, like the upcoming Repco Beach Hop in Whangamata (25- 29 March)," says Mayor Sandra. "Beach Hop is a privately run event, and the organisers (Noddy Watts and his team) have been fantastic about keeping across the evolving situation around the coronavirus, and checking in with MoH.”

"We know Noddy and the team have plans in place to provide visitors and participants with a safe environment in which to enjoy the event,” Mayor Sandra says.

The process for the official cancellation of large events is:

• MoH works with the Government to assess the risk.
• If required, MoH could announce that all major events nationwide be postponed or cancelled.
• In that event, regional District Health Boards would then coordinate with councils like ours and event organisers to act accordingly.
• The latest advice from the MoH is that, with continued vigilance, the chance of widespread community outbreak is expected to remain low.

One private event on the Coromandel that has decided to cancel is the PlaceMakers One Base Fishing competition in Whitianga (4-5 April) who had over 450 pre-registered participants.

“From a domestic visitor perspective, we want people to remember the Coromandel is still a safe place for people in the country to come and visit,” says Destination Coromandel Marketing Manager Hadley Dryden.

“We know that there will be people here in New Zealand who may have booked trips overseas that are now being cancelled,” says Mr Dryden. “So why not come and have an amazing holiday experience instead here in your own backyard on the Coromandel.”

To find out more about things to do in the Coromandel check out Destination Coromandel's website here.

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