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Your email address will not be published.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

Government too late providing ‘surge staffing’ to nursing home during COVID-19 outbreak

The federal government has stepped in to support Sydney’s Newmarch House during a COVID-19 outbreak that yesterday resulted in the death of a third resident. A total of 42 staff and residents of the Penrith nursing home have now tested positive to the virus after a staff member came to work while infected. As a... Read More

Control of three aged care facilities assumed by Victorian Government as care workers are brought in from SA, WA and Qld

The Victorian government announced that it has assumed control of three aged care facilities in Melbourne's west as 86 new cases connected to aged care were recorded today. There are now a total of 2018 cases across the sector in residents and workers. Premier Daniel Andrews confirmed state health services have now assumed operations of the Glenlyn, Florence and Kalyna aged care centres in Melbourne’s west. Read More

Government accepts all 6 royal commission recommendations on aged care’s responses to COVID-19

    The federal government has accepted all six of the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety’s recommendations for aged care’s responses to COVID-19. The government will invest $132.2 million on a raft of measures related to the recommendations, including $63.3 million for mental and allied health support, $57.8 million for infection prevention... Read More
Advertisement