No face-to-face contact under Alert Level 4

The following is a special Covid-19 update from the New Zealand Association of Optometrists (NZAO) and the Optometrists and Dispensing Opticians Board (ODOB)

FROM THE NZAO and the ODOB BOARD (19 Aug 2021)

The Ministry of Health has just provided us further advice on restrictions to face to face consultations under Alert Level 4.

In summary: face to face consultation should not occur under Alert Level 4 unless it is to preserve life or limb, and in these crucial cases, patients should be referred to the DHB.

Emergency and acute eye care – new restrictions

As you are aware, optometrists are recognised as essential health services in the delivery of 'emergency and acute' eye care under Alert Level 4. However, due to the increased risk of the transmissibility of the Delta variant, the scope of provision is to preserve life or limb only.

Click here for the communication from the Chief Allied Health Professions Officer.

Therefore, if your patient needs are urgent/acute and cannot be assessed, or treated via telehealth, please contact your local DHB and refer them to these services. Face to face consultation should not occur under Alert Level 4 unless it is to preserve life or limb.

The Board has be in contact with RANZCO to ensure ophthalmology is aware of these changes and the subsequent impact on DHB eye departments around the country.

Provision of optical products and devices – new restrictions

As indicated earlier the provision of optical products could be considered an essential non-food product, if it is deemed by the practitioner that it is an essential good and meets the definitions set out by the Government.

However, this must be limited to instances where it is at a level of a “true emergency” only (using sound clinical judgement) and can only be done without any face to face contact. Optometry practices should remained closed and patients should not be invited to attend the practice. Delivery of goods should be done adhering to all strict COVID-19 protocols specified by the Government. Sales and commercial gain should not influence any clinical decision making.

We understand that this change is frustrating, however, we simply cannot underestimate the danger of this new variant of the Covid-19 virus. We must not underestimate the transmissibility of the Delta variant; this is significantly different to the last outbreak.

The NZAO and the ODOB Board are in continual contact with the other professional bodies (ADONZ and RANZCO) as well as the Ministry of Health, and will provide further updates when they become available.

There are schemes to help businesses with financial aid during COVID-19: