Aerial checks spot water pollution on West Coast stuff.co.nz - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from stuff.co.nz Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
While being distracted by Haast Beach, Jack said he could “barely tell” when the injection was happening and would recommend the app to anyone with a needle phobia. Dr Pleayo Tovaranonte, of Doctors on Cashel, said the app would be useful for general vaccines, minor procedures and any interaction that caused anxiety, particularly for children. “Some people just don’t like to come and see a doctor in the first place,” he said.
STACY SQUIRES/Stuff
Dr Pleayo Tovaranonte gives Jack a flu vaccine while he is distracted by a virtual reality scene of Haast Beach. The Distraction app was created by company oVRcome, and drew on the principles of exposure therapy. It could be used by people with phobias or anxiety over things like flying, heights, spiders and social situations.
The worlds rarest kiwi – the rowi – is found in Okarito forest on the West Coast. “Dogs are fine around Okarito village, we have a green area for them to play and enjoy some exercise, but we ve had reports of dogs being taken on forest walking tracks and they are a risk to our rowi (Okarito kiwi).” The rarest brown kiwi is found only in Okarito forest and conservation efforts have grown the population from just 165 birds in the 1990s, to about 600. “We are grateful to see more New Zealand tourists, and it’s natural they will want to travel with their pets, but we re surrounded by kiwi territory and national park where dogs are prohibited.”