An update about IRT Tarrawanna Aged Care Centre

24 August 2022

Dear family member/resident representative,

Thank you for your patience as we’ve managed the risk of COVID-19 at your loved one’s aged care centre.

Since writing to you last week, our two residents who were transferred to our COVID-19 unit in Kirrawee have both returned home after reaching their full recovery criteria and being cleared of the virus.

I’m also glad to share that we have received the results of our last round of PCR tests and all were negative.

With this pleasing news, the local public health unit has officially closed the outbreak at our care centre and provided us with guidance to begin our transition back to regular operations, including a resumption of regular visiting arrangements from today.

Visiting arrangements

With the outbreak now officially resolved, visiting arrangements can resume as follows:

• There is no limit to the number of visitors (of any age) that a resident can have at any one time. I do ask that you be mindful of the surrounding environment and size of your loved one’s room.
• All visitors are asked to complete their own rapid antigen test at home or on arrival at the centre and provide proof of the negative result (photo or actual test). The stations at the care centre are self-serve so our staff can be more available to residents in their roles as carers.
• If a visitor is unable to complete their own rapid antigen test they will need to make an appointment at the care centre for the test to be conducted by staff prior to entry. Contact numbers for staff to assist are displayed at self-serve rapid antigen testing stations.
• Unless, as above, assistance is required with rapid antigen testing on entry appointments for visits are no longer required.
• All visitors are to complete the wellness questionnaire on arrival. This includes confirmation that they have had at least 2 doses of a COVID-19 vaccine and the 2022 influenza vaccine.
• All visitors must wear surgical masks when visiting a resident in their room or a P2N95 mask if visiting a resident in common areas (in this case, the Care Centre will provide visitors with the P2N95 mask).
• No cloth masks are permitted.

As always please do not visit your loved one if you are experiencing any symptoms or are feeling unwell, even if the symptoms are mild. Even if you have a negative COVID-19 test result you may still have influenza or another virus which is highly contagious.

Please pass this message on to others as you consider appropriate and if you have any questions please contact your Care Manager.

Thank you for your support.

Yours sincerely

Nia Briguglio
EGM – Aged Care Centres