Aug 03, 2021

Christmas in July party at aged care home turns into “superspreading event”

Christmas in July

All 32 residents of the home’s top floor have been taken to hospital, including those who have not tested positive, as a precautionary measure. No ground floor residents have tested positive to the virus.

Only 50 of the 61 residents at Wyoming Nursing Home in Summer Hill were vaccinated. Of the 11 unvaccinated, seven have tested positive.

The outbreak again demonstrates how extremely important it is that aged care residents are vaccinated.

Teams have been sent to the home to vaccinate any remaining residents who have not yet received the jab, according to the ABC.

Three-quarters of the home’s staff have been vaccinated.

She said authorities are putting measures in place to prevent staff from working across multiple facilities. 

Health Minister Brad Hazzard told a press conference the outbreak is the result of a Christmas in July celebration that became a “superspreading event”.

“Sometimes it is not a good idea to have a Christmas in July right in the middle of a pandemic,” he said. 

“But I do understand that it is an effort to try and provide entertainment and support to residents and those things have to be decided by the aged care facilities.”

However, a spokesperson for Hardi Aged Care, which owns the home, said the event was a regular monthly lunch with a Christmas theme, according to the ABC.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.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

  1. The age care worker should be punished if they were working at more than one place during a bad period.

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

Customer Experience in the Ageing Sector

No matter what we’re buying, we all want a good customer experience – we want to think ‘wow’. In the increasingly competitive ageing sector, consumers are looking for tailored services with a personalised and seamless experience in an environment where they feel respected and engaged. Our research reveals a sector still grappling with a shift... Read More

Violence Against Nurses in Aged Care: Lack of Reporting

One would never imagine that working in aged care puts a person at risk of violent assaults and verbal attacks. But for some aged care workers, this is a reality that comes with the job – something that no one should ever have to face. In Australia, up to 95% of healthcare workers have experienced... Read More

Moments of clarity in those with dementia may be a sign death is near

  People living even with advanced dementia can have periods of remarkable clarity, often to the astonishment of carers and loved ones.  But researchers have found that rather than being an encouraging sign, a return of clarity – a phenomenon that has been reported for thousands of years – can be a sign that death... Read More
Advertisement