Main Navigation Links
A Pandemic Pictorial
Winter’s always a busy period at any hospital, and June 2009 was especially busy with the arrival of the “Swine Flu” pandemic adding further stresses and strains. The arrival of “Novel A H1N1” (to give the swine flu its proper name) required all hospital staff to rapidly adapt to the changing environment.
Otago University School of Medicine photographer Louise Goossens spent some time looking at the various roles C&C DHB staff played during the early stages of the swine flu pandemic.
Emergency Department
With the formal announcement of the influenza outbreak came increasing numbers of patients arriving in ED. In order to help protect against the further spread of flu frontline staff began taking added precautions when dealing with patients, including the wearing of masks.
Click on photos for a larger version.
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Flu Centre
A specialist Flu Assessment Centre opened on the Wellington Hospital site in June so that patients and staff who suspected they had swine flu could be swabbed in a neutral environment that moved suspected flu cases away from a busy ED department. The centre closed to the public once the government moved New Zealand to the “management” phase of swine flu.
Click on photos for a larger version.
 |
 |
 |
 |
Testing
With the swabbing of patients came a huge increase in the number of people requiring lab test results from infectious diseases and lab staff.
Click on photos for a larger version.
 |
 |
 |
 |
The Management Phase
The nationwide shift to a Management Phase meant most people were no longer routinely swabbed if they had flu-like symptoms (sneezing, coughing, or a high temperature). Meanwhile ongoing planning meetings looked at how best to utilise staff while everyone from ward staff to orderlies adapted to the changing influenza environment.
Click on photos for a larger version.
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |