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Your email address will not be published.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

Is The Aged Care Workforce Headed For Burnout?

Australia’s health system has long been viewed as one of the best in the world, a reputation that is currently being cemented as it continues to adapt to the challenges of an ongoing pandemic. One of the key reasons for Australia having lower fatality and transmission rates than other infected countries stems from having a... Read More

Superheroes wear masks

As Australia enters into a second wave of COVID-19 infections, the prospect of mandatory face masks has become a reality for many. The World Health Organisation is now recommending that health workers, anyone with even the mildest symptom of COVID-19 or people caring for suspected or confirmed cases of COVID-19 should wear a mask.  The... Read More

Royal commission’s COVID-19 hearings will not cover Melbourne outbreaks

  The Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety will hold special hearings into the aged care sector’s response to COVID-19, but it will not investigate the situation in Victoria in order to avoid creating an unnecessary distraction while the crisis is still underway.  The hearings will be held from 10 to 13 August... Read More
Advertisement