NSW Health – visitors to return to RACFs
The screening advice for residential aged care facilities has been updated for 7 October 2021.
The key messages for this update include:
- From 11 October 2021 two visitors per day aged 12 years and over will be permitted to visit a resident in an aged care facility if they are fully vaccinated and their second dose was received at least 14 days prior to their visit. Children under 12 are not be permitted to enter an aged care facility.
Residents currently under stay at home Orders are permitted to leave the facility either by themselves or with a friend or relative to exercise (go for a walk) or for outdoor recreation provided they:
- remain within 5 km of the facility or within their LGA
- are vaccinated - residents who are vaccinated can attend an outdoor gathering in a public space of up to 5 people for outdoor recreation so long as all those at the gathering aged 16 years or over are fully vaccinated
- wear a facemask or carry a medical certificate or other written evidence signed by a registered health practitioner or a statutory declaration by the person saying they have a physical or mental health illness or condition which prohibits them from wearing a facemask.
By 31 October 2021 any health practitioners attending a residential aged care facility under arrangement by the resident must have at least 1 dose of a COVID-19 vaccination.
Please keep up to date with the latest information on the NSW Health website.
Updated COVID-19 fact sheets for Transition Care, Short-term Restorative Care & Residential Respite
To further assist providers, updated COVID 19 fact sheets for the following programs are now available:
- Transition Care: Coronavirus (COVID-19) – Information for transition care providers
- Short-Term Restorative Care: Coronavirus (COVID-19) – Information for short-term restorative care providers
- Residential Respite: Coronavirus (COVID-19) – Information for residential respite providers.
These fact sheets include current guidance on general program delivery during COVID-19.
Webinar on pregnancy, breastfeeding and COVID-19 vaccinations
A webinar on pregnancy, breastfeeding and COVID-19 vaccinations was recently co-hosted by the Migration Council of Australian, and the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RANZCOG).
The webinar featured leading experts from across Australia and New Zealand who addressed global evidence on the safety of COVID-19 vaccines for people who are pregnant, breastfeeding or planning a pregnancy, why vaccination is so important to protect against the impacts of COVID-19, and myths and misconceptions about how vaccines work.
You can watch the RANZCOG Pregnancy and COVID-19 Vaccination Webinar.
Further information including translated resources on pregnancy, breastfeeding and COVID-19 vaccines are available.