Kia ora koutou members,

The College wants to sincerely thank and acknowledge our Auckland based colleagues, their whānau and communities who are working and living under ongoing Alert Level 4 restrictions, in order to keep the rest of the country safe from the spread of this current outbreak.

1. Ministry of Health updated Alert Level 2 advice. The Ministry of Health has updated its Alert Level 2 advice for PPE use in maternity and care under Alert Level 2 for community based midwifery care
2. The National Screening Unit message:
   A big THANK YOU to all New Zealand Midwives
   Kia ora koutou,
   The National Screening Unit (NSU) has been working very closely with the New Zealand College of Midwives (the College) and LabPlus throughout the latest COVID-19 outbreak to ensure the safe delivery of antenatal and newborn screening programmes. We owe a debt of gratitude to all midwives and the College. THANK YOU for all your effort and the effort to come.
   Ngā mihi nui, from the National Screening Unit and all the babies and parents who receive your care.
3. Fit-testing N95 masks
   Fit-testing for N95 masks is recommended for all midwives – employed and self-employed, and is offered by DHBs. Whether you are in alert level 4 or alert level 2, please take up the opportunity to be fit-tested when this is offered – we need to be prepared in the current outbreak and for future outbreaks. Midwives in Auckland: please check your emails from the College region and DHBs for information about appointments.
4. Border issues
   The College continues to receive a number of enquiries from midwives who need to cross the Auckland border as essential workers and/or whose clients need to cross the border to access midwifery care. We have worked with the Ministry of Health and Midwifery Leaders and can provide the following information:

• Mandatory weekly Covid tests for essential workers crossing the border

Whether employed or self-employed, any midwives who need to cross the border are now required to have a weekly Covid test. This can be done at a DHB testing centre, community testing centre or GP. Contact your DHB midwifery leader to request a code for rapid access to results.

Spot-checks for proof of a test within the last 7 days will begin at the border on 16 September. Midwives can produce a text or paper confirmation of their test as proof.

• Women crossing the border to access midwifery and maternity care

Travelling to access health care is a permitted reason for crossing the border. Travel is also permitted for urgent child care, such as care for older children when a woman is in labour. Women who need to cross the border to access midwifery and maternity care are not currently required to have weekly surveillance testing for Covid. If this changes, we will communicate with members.

To ensure there are no difficulties at the checkpoints, it is recommended that women carry a letter from their midwife or DHB to indicate their reasons for travel. The College has developed a letter template for midwives to provide in these circumstances – if you need to access this template please contact Delia Sang at the Auckland Midwifery Resource Centre: auckadmin@nzcom.org.nz