Protecting Older Australians – COVID-19 Update 6 March 2023

In this edition: Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Preparedness Packs.

Date published:
Type:
Subscriber announcement
Audience:
Health sector

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Preparedness Packs

The Australian Government is continuing to support the aged care sector to prepare and protect older Australians against COVID-19 and influenza ahead of winter by deploying bulk winter personal protective equipment (PPE) packs to all residential aged care homes.

Deliveries are expected to commence in late March 2023 starting with remote and rural facilities and be completed by late May 2023, ahead of winter.

From 10 March 2023, the National Medical Stockpile’s logistics provider, DHL, will be contacting each facility via phone call to confirm delivery arrangements. If you do not want this supply of PPE, let DHL know when they contact you and they will not proceed with the delivery.

If you are not contacted by DHL by 30 April 2023, please contact the Department by email at AgedCareCOVIDEnquiries@Health.gov.au. This may occur when we do not have up to date contact details for your facility.

What is included in the winter PPE pack?

The 2023 winter PPE pack will include a 3-day supply of all the PPE items listed below. The volume of PPE provided will depend on the number of residents at each home.

Expiry dates of PPE will be enough to cover the winter season until at least 31 August 2023.

Please ensure you have sufficient storage onsite to store your pack when it is delivered. These are smaller than what was sent last winter but the same size as to what was sent over summer.

Please note these are not bespoke emergency packs. Packs contain set quantities of PPE - facilities are not able to select specific products and must accept all items in the pack as delivered.

 

Extra small 

Small 

Medium 

Large 

Extra large 

Face shields 

 1,000 

1,000 

1,000 

1,200 

1,600 

Gloves (L) 

 1,000 

1,000 

1,000 

2,000 

2,000 

Gloves (M) 

 1,000 

1,000 

1,000 

2,000 

2,000 

Gloves (S) 

 1,000 

1,000 

1,000 

1,000 

1,000 

Gloves (XL) 

 1,000 

1,000 

1,000 

1,000 

1,000 

Gowns 

 640 

800 

1,040 

1,160 

1,440 

P2 N95 

 1,200 

1,200 

1,800 

1,800 

2,400 

Surgical Masks 

 2,000 

2,000 

2,000 

2,000 

2,000 

ESTIMATED PALLETS 

 2 

 2 

 3 

 3 

 4 

Numbers are an estimate only, actual quantities delivered vary as quantities are rounded to the nearest carton by the logistics provider and may change depending on availability.

It is important to note that providers are responsible for maintaining a standard PPE supply through existing commercial channels but can request emergency and outbreak packs during deployment as usual through the My Aged Care provider portal if required during an outbreak. 

Tags: