COVID, World Haemophilia Day, Ageing with bleeding disorders project, Women and bleeding disorders project, WFH 2022 World Congress, Upcoming events, and all the Latest News from HFNZ... |
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The latest from the Haemophilia Foundation of New Zealand - March 2022 |
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At the media briefing on Wednesday 23 March, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said New Zealand's successful management of the Omicron outbreak and high rates of vaccination mean it is now safe to ease the restrictions that have helped prevent widespread harm to people's health. New Zealanders have worked incredibly hard to get through this pandemic and as a result of those efforts we are now in a position to move forward and change the way we do things.
Traffic light setting:
- The traffic light system will be retained, in part to deal with possible new variants
- The country remains at the red light setting which will be reviewed on 4 April and regularly after that
- The isolation period remains at seven days
- Gathering limits indoors will be lifted from 100 people to 200 with the rules on seating and separation to be retained
- All outdoor gathering limits will be axed - affecting sports and concerts
Outdoor face mask requirements will be removed
- Scanning of QR codes will end
- Businesses no longer need to display the code for scanning in.
The above changes took effect from 11.59pm on Friday 25 March.
The Prime Minister appealed to people not to delete the QR code from their phones in case it needs to be reintroduced in future.
The traffic light framework is being retained in order to offer ongoing protections in the event of a new variant or in cases of future surges, however, the Government plans to move down to Orange and then ultimately Green once it is safe to do so.
Vaccine mandates and vaccine passes:
- Businesses will no longer need to inspect vaccine passes
- All vaccine mandates will be removed, except for those working in the health and disability sector, aged care facilities, Corrections staff, and border and MIQ workers
- The decision means education, police and Defence Force will no longer need to mandate their workforces.
The decisions above will take effect from 11.59pm on Monday 4 April.
There will be a review of the mandate in the health sector, so that the requirement for vaccinations may be narrowed to a smaller part of the workforce.
The Prime Minister said this is not the beginning of the end of Covid-19. It remains with us and will be for some time to come. She reiterated that the best protection from COVID-19 remains vaccination and mask wearing.
People who test positive for COVID-19 should call Healthline on 0800 358 5453 for advice.
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Image courtesy of Ngāi Tahu, from: https://ngaitahu.iwi.nz/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Web-version-Kowheori-19.pdf |
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As you all will know, 17 April, 2022 is World Hemophilia Day. The theme of the event this year is “
Access for All: Partnership. Policy. Progress. Engaging your government, integrating inherited bleeding disorders into national policy“.
By raising awareness and bringing hemophilia and other inherited bleeding disorders to the attention of policymakers, we can increase sustainable and equitable access to care and treatment.
HFNZ is again working on getting local landmarks lit up red for WHD. So far we have a number of places in Auckland, Wellington, and Christchurch committed to lighting up red on this special day:
Christchurch
- Airport tower/terminal
- Airport Arch sculpture
Auckland
Wellington
- Michael Fowler Centre
- Majestic Theatre
- Carter fountain
- Kelburn Fountain
Other venues we have lined up but not confirmed are:
- Palmerston Nth Clock tower
- Wellington Cable car tunnels
- Not yet specified Christchurch City Council properties
We're also in discussion with other councils around the motu. We'll publish a final list before the big day, so that you can go out and get some good photos.
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Ageing with bleeding disorders |
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As bleeding disorder treatment and care gets better, people with bleeding disorders are living longer. That means that common age-related issues are affecting them more and more. HFNZ offers many services and supports to older people with bleeding disorders. But do we do enough?
This year HFNZ are looking at how we support our older members, and whether we can change or improve what we do.
In the first instance we are surveying members aged 55 or over, who have a diagnosed bleeding disorder. Former Outreach Worker Sarah Elliott is the lead researcher. Sarah is very qualified for this due to her past work for HFNZ and her Masters research on aging with haemophilia.
Questionnaires will go out to eligible members soon, via email or by post. There will also be an opportunity to be part of a focus group, for those who are interested.
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HFNZ National Family Camp |
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Due to the ongoing development of the current COVID-19 Omicron outbreak, the decision has been made to postpone the National Family Camp scheduled for 19 - 22 April, 2022.
We are pleased to say that we have been able to negotiate resheduling the camp without losing our $5000 deposit. We are committed to proceeding with the National Family Camp, and we are now looking at possible dates in April 2023.
This is a very important event for HFNZ families where a child aged 0 - 10 has a newly-diagnosed bleeding disorder. These families often need support and information to manage the impact of the disorder. The National Family Camp enables parents to access education in a supportive environment, while their children are enjoying their own recreational programmes.
Planning is well-advanced for the camp, and will remain in place pending a new date. In the meantime, if you have any questions contact us at info@haemophilia.org.nz, or keep an eye on your inbox for further updates. |
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Women and Bleeding Disorders |
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This year HFNZ are undertaking a project to develop NZ-based resources about bleeding disorders in women, and to support women and girls who are burdened by the high cost of sanitary products. We are looking to provide updated resources and information to schools and GPs, and are approaching companies that produce period products to find ways for members to access reduced-cost products, and underwear.
In 2017 HFNZ undertook a survey to find out how women with bleeding disorders were affected during menstruation. The data showed that 87% of women reported excessive bleeding during their period, 82% used more than one sanitary product at a time, and 46% faced financial hardship due to the cost of purchasing sanitary products.
If you have concerns about your bleeding, your Outreach Worker is a great place to start. If you're interested in self-assessment, check out letstalkperiod.ca, which has a number of resources and a specific self-assessment tool. |
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Registration is now open for the WFH 2022 World Congress. This important event will take place from 8 to 11 May, 2022.
While we will not be sending anyone in person this year, HFNZ will pay the registration fee for any HFNZ member who would like to attend World Congress virtually. As HFNZ President Deon Yorks says, "it’s a great opportunity for people to learn what’s happening without leaving the house". Also, if you can get yourself to Montreal, we will pay your in-person registration.
Early-bird registration rates are no longer available. Virtual registration is now $70usd.
Just click the button below, register and pay, then send us the reciept for reimbursement. |
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The full program is now available for the WFH 2022 World Congress! With many educational sessions to choose from, participants will have the opportunity to update their skills and learn from our global leaders in the bleeding disorders community.
This year, virtual participants will have the opportunity to attend selected live-streamed and virtual-only sessions.
On-demand recordings will also be offered after Congress for participants who would like to further enrich their knowledge and skills.
Click below to see the full program. |
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On Anzac weekend 2022 Gwyn Upritchard will be walking 57km, doing circuits around the Appleby sports grounds in Invercargill. The purpose of this is to raise awareness of the NZ Blood Service and to fundraise for HFNZ.
Gwyn will be walking from 7am on Saturday 23 April, weather permitting, with Sunday and Monday as alternate days.
For some fun after making a donation, guess the time to do the walk and put it on Facebook. Then, challenge someone else to do the same and see who can get the closest. Time will be put on the Facebook group page after the walk.
This is a great initiative, and we really appreciate the support. Thanks Gwyn! |
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Keep your member details up to date |
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In order to get the most out of your membership, it's important to keep your details up to date. The key details are email address and date of birth.
Posting invitations and information to members is an expensive business, and where possible we would prefer to make contact electronically. If you have an email address, but you're not sure that we have it, please let us know.
If we have no DOB for you we can't filter you in to age-based mailing lists, like Adult Weekend, Youth Camp, and Women's Weekend. Again, if you're not sure that we have your DOB, please let us know. |
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Here's what HFNZ have lined up for members in the coming months:
Women's Weekend
10-12 June, 2022. Dunedin.
National Family Camp
Postponed. New dates in April 2023 tbc.
If you have any questions about any of these events, please don't hesitate to drop us a line at info@haemophilia.org.nz. |
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