Southlanders have been making good use of a new support service to help them navigate the Level 4 COVID-19 restrictions.

Emergency Management Southland set up an 0800 number last week as part of a nationwide initiative that has ensured each region has a localised place to call for information pertaining to their region.

The Emergency Management Southland call centre team members Marcus Roy and Elaine Moriarty said that since it launched on Tuesday they had received between 50 and 60 calls. 

"We received about 20 calls yesterday and a bit less today.” 

They said their main concern was to make sure the vulnerable in the community could access the help they needed. 

Mr Roy said a big part of their job so far had been directing people to the appropriate services when they'd been confused about where to go for help amidst the chaos of COVID-19. 

"We've been directing to places like the Ministry of Social Development, the Ministry of Health or the Police," he said.

However, he said they were expecting more calls to come through from now as the country headed into the cooler autumn months, so they were ready for a potential influx. 

"If we get a week of rain or bad weather [where people can't go outside as much] then we are prepared to see more phone calls coming through.”

Dr Moriarty said they would like to thank local community groups that had been continuously supporting their communities, without whom they would be "completely lost".

She encouraged anyone in Southland who would like to reach out to get in touch via 0800 890 127.

Mr Roy said the service had been going well so far and the team was keeping a close eye on any potential problems or concerns that could be arising in the community in response to the COVID-19 outbreak. 

"We're happy with how we are going and are keeping an eye on trends and patterns emerging in the community," he said.