Jul 31, 2020

NSW strengthens visitor and PPE guidance as COVID-19 risk escalates

Given the current risk of COVID-19 now in the community, NSW Health has extended requirements for face masks and visitation restrictions across new local government areas.

The state’s Chief Health Officer has added the local government areas of Waverley, Woollahra, Randwick and the eastern part of City of Sydney to the list of regions required to implement the following measures:

  • Any visitors to any residential aged care facility who have been in the following local government areas in the previous 14 days should be excluded from the facility: Waverley, Woollahra, Randwick, eastern part of City of Sydney, Parramatta, Fairfield, Liverpool, Campbelltown, Camden, Wingecarribee and Wollondilly.
  • All aged care staff who reside in the above local government areas or a NSW/VIC border community must wear a surgical mask while in the facility.
  • Staff and visitors who have visited any of the locations on the same date as a COVID-19 case (see updated list of venues and dates) should be excluded for a period of 14 days since their visit to the listed location.
  • All residential aged care staff who work in residential aged care facilities located within the above LGAs and in communities along the NSW/VIC border must wear a surgical mask while in the facility.
  • Residential aged care facilities in the above local government areas should not allow any visitors (visitors performing essential caring functions may be allowed but must wear a mask). In exceptional circumstances, seek advice from your local NSW Health public health unit on 1300 066 055.

The extension of these local government area restrictions will be in place until further notice.

Home Care Service providers who either live or work in any of these designated local government areas must also wear face masks while providing services.

Read the NSW Chief Health Officer’s letters to home care providers and residential providers.

This information was provided by the Department of Health.

Image: RyanJLane, iStock.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

Eldercare and COVID: Living with the virus

In a world of different perspectives, living with COVID has different realities for each of us it affects. Read More

I’m over 50 and can now get my COVID vaccine. Can I talk to the GP first? Do I need a painkiller? What else do I need to know?

People aged 50 and over are now officially eligible to receive the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine from selected GPs. Here are some practical things to think about when booking an appointment. Read More

Where’s my retention bonus? One in four aged care homes have failed to apply

  The government’s aged care ‘retention bonus’ has been plagued by controversy from the outset, and is widely seen to have been bungled by the government. The Minister for Aged Care, Richard Colbeck, announced the aged care worker retention bonus back in March: a $800 payment for residential aged care staff and $600 for home... Read More
Advertisement