prepared:

“If you have a long-term health condition, go to see your GP to make sure you have a plan in place for managing it, and have all the medication you need close by.

“For example, if you have asthma, know what you need to do in terms of increasing your preventative medication, and escalating the treatment if required so that you don’t end up in hospital.”

Dr Brebner says that vaccination is also a very really important part of looking after yourself and your whaanau.

“If you’re six months past your last booster or COVID infection, there is a new booster available for you. The thing that’s important about this one is that it’s a bivalent vaccine and it’s more effective against the new variants than the original vaccine.

“The flu vaccine is also important as it is deliberately targeted to address the strains we’re most likely to get here.”

This year the flu vaccine is free for children from 6-12 years, pacific people and anyone over 65 years with a long-term health condition.

“Many people would also benefit from a whooping cough booster, but certainly pregnant people should definitely get their boosters in the second trimester of their pregnancy.”

This winter, pharmacies can help you for free Over winter, Te Whatu Ora is funding participating community pharmacies in Counties Manukau to provide health advice, and if needed, free medication for minor health conditions.

Minor health conditions are things that can be managed with advice, self-care and in some cases over the counter medications.

The Minor Health Conditions Service is for:

• Maaori and Pacific people

• Children under 14 years of age, or whaanau members of a child with similar symptoms*

• Community Service Card (CSC) holders

*For example, if the pharmacist gives your child medicine for scabies and you, or brothers or sisters also have symptoms, they may give advice and medicine to all of you.

These are some of the minor health conditions that your pharmacy can help you with for free during winter:

• Acute diarrhoea

• Dehydration

• Eye inflammation and infections

• Scabies

• Headlice

• Pain and fever

• Eczema/Dermatitis

• Minor skin infections

This programme started Monday, 12 June and will run until Saturday, 30 September.

Extra tips for staying well over winter

Vitamin D:

This is really important for your immune system. If you don’t get a lot of sunshine or you have darker skin, then it may well be worth getting Vitamin D supplements.

Have a plan:

If you have a long-term condition, think about how you’ll manage it e.g see your GP early and make a plan.

Drink water:

Staying hydrated is really important, water is the best choice.

Get help early:

If you’re starting to feel unwell, call Healthline or talk to your pharmacist for some advice.

Got a fever:

Take Panadol and stay hydrated. Fever itself isn’t a worry but if you have long-term health conditions get advice early from Healthline, your pharmacy or GP.

Free vaccinations

Check your whaanau are up to date with all their immunisations by talking to your healthcare provider – flu, COVID, measles, mumps, rubella (MMR), whooping cough, Meningococcal B, and childhood immunisations.

COVID-19 is still circulating in our communities while the flu and other viruses such as measles and whooping cough are on the rise.

There are many things we can do to avoid these illnesses and keep ourselves and others well this winter:

• wear a mask in crowded spaces

• stay home if you’re feeling sick

• keep up to date with your vaccinations

• test for COVID if you have symptoms.