COVID-19: Protecting yourself and others

If you have flu like symptoms or feel unwell, or if you have been in contact with anyone who is unwell you should not visit an IRT Aged Care Centre.

You should also follow the government guidelines and get a COVID-19 test.

The most important thing you can do to protect yourself is to wash your hands regularly with soap and water.

This is important because washing your hands kills viruses that may be on your hands.

Click on the image for handrub instructions.

Avoid touching your face as much as possible.

This is important because droplets containing the virus may be on your hands and can be transferred to your eyes, mouth or nose where they can infect you.

Most of us touch our face many times per hour without realising.

Try to stop yourself touching your face, and encourage others to do the same.

Maintain at least 1.5 metres distance between yourself and others, regardless of whether they are coughing or sneezing.

This is important because if you are too close to someone you might breathe in droplets expelled by others.

If you are at least 1.5 metres away it is unlikely you will breathe in droplets that might contain COVID-19.

Help those that you care for by keeping 1.5 metres between them and others.

This is especially important if you’re out and about.

Respiratory hygiene is important because droplets spread the virus.

Make sure you and the people around you cover the mouth and nose when coughing and/or sneezing with:

• a tissue that is placed in the bin straight after use
• your bent elbow

By following good respiratory hygiene you are more likely to ‘catch’ any droplets that might be produced, and this further protects the people around you from viruses including COVID-19.

Remind those in your care to use good respiratory hygiene and to clean their hands after coughing or sneezing.

Make sure that when you are out and about you carry tissues for yourself and those in your care to use.

Wearing a mask helps to reduce community transmission.

One way COVID-19 is spread is when an infected person coughs, sneezes or speaks near another person.

The person infected with COVID-19 can be:

• asymptomatic (doesn’t show symptoms at all)
• pre symptomatic (not yet showing symptoms)
• minimally symptomatic (showing mild symptoms).

If a person is infected with COVID-19, a face mask helps to stop them spreading COVID-19 when they cough, sneeze or speak.