In response to positive COVID-19 cases within Melbourne, the following restrictions have been imposed for all Victorian Residential Aged Care Facilities. These restrictions apply from 6PM, Tuesday the 25th of May 2021.
Enhanced visitor restrictions
End of life care visits
- Two visitors at
a time
- Do
not have to be from the same household.
- No
time limits.
- No
specified purpose required.
- No
daily limit.
- A group may exceed the “two visitors at
a time”
rule if dependents of a visitor are in the group and care for the
dependents cannot be arranged.
All other visits
- Two visitors at
one time
- Do
not have to be from the same household
- No
time limits.
- No
specified purpose required.
- No
more than five visitors
per day, including dependents.
- A group may exceed the “two visitors at
a time”
rule if dependents of a visitor (or patient in hospital) are in the group
and care for the dependents cannot be arranged.
Prospective residents
- Visits
from prospective residents are permitted with no more than one person accompanying
the prospective resident.
Enhanced face mask requirements
- All visitors
are required to wear face masks when in an indoor space or in any outdoor
space when a visitor cannot maintain 1.5m distance from all other persons
(except those with whom their ordinarily reside or an intimate partner).
- All workers
(including non-essential staff and contractors) are required to wear face
masks when in any indoor space (regardless of whether accessible to visitors or residents)
and in any outdoor space where the worker is engaged in face-to-face
contact with a resident or visitor.
Other measures
- Enhanced screening and
testing on admission or return to facility from leave residents found to
have visited listed exposure sites – linked here -to be tested and managed as at risk COVID-19
until results known.
- Enhanced
focus on screening visitors and staff (including non-essential staff and
contractors) and
continuing daily workforce attestations.
- Restricting
visitors and staff (including
non-essential staff and contractors) found to have visited exposure sites until
they have returned a negative test result.
- Tier 2 and 3 PPE for
low risk suspected COVID-19 (tier 2) and high-risk suspected COVID-19
residents (tier 3) as per PPE guidance Coronavirus (COVID-19) PPE
guidance for RACF Factsheet linked here.
- Where
practicable, care facility workers should be limited to working at one facility.
- Student
clinical placements permitted in all settings but restricted from
providing care/being exposed to high-risk COVID and confirmed COVID
patients.
It is anticipated geographic locations and exposure sites will be updated in coming days. Please monitor the department’s coronavirus website for the latest information.
