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Your email address will not be published.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

Are they useful? Combination Flu and COVID-19 RATs now Available

Combination Rapid Antigen Tests (RATs) that detect COVID-19 and influenza A and B are now available in pharmacies across Australia, but how useful are they?  Read More

Why vaccines are less effective in the elderly, and what it means for COVID-19

With COVID-19 placing a spotlight on the elderly as the age demographic most in need of a vaccine, we have felt compelled to evaluate how well scientists are doing at tailoring immunization strategies for this population Read More

Aged care needs a lot more than ADF support to address staff shortages

News of a one-month extension of Australian Defence Force (ADF) workforce support has been welcomed by the aged care sector, but providers and unions warn that solutions to staff shortages currently being put forward by Government are simply not enough to make a significant impact on the aged care workforce crisis. Read More
Advertisement
Exit mobile version