IRT’S RESPONSE TO COVID-19 – UPDATE

Revised visiting arrangements – 21 January 2021

IRT Aged Care Centres in Wollongong and IRT Berala on the Park – restricted visiting

The NSW Chief Health Officer has updated the directions for aged care centres in NSW.

Until further notice aged care centres in Cumberland City Council and Wollongong City Council Local Government areas remain closed to all visitors. This includes all IRT’s aged care centres in the City of Wollongong local government area and IRT Berala on the Park.

The only exception to this direction is for visits by those performing essential caring functions such as for end of life care. Arrangements for these visits will be assessed on a case by case basis and only by appointment in advance with the Care Manager.

Please note that we may ask IRT Berala on the Park visitors to provide evidence of a negative COVID-19 test result before their next visit to the aged care centre if there are concerns about the risk surrounding the visit.

It is also a direction of the Chief Health Officer that nobody may visit an aged care centre in NSW if in the past 14 days they have been in the following areas:

• Wollongong LGA – NSW
• Cumberland LGA – NSW
• Canterbury Ward of Canterbury Bankstown LGA – NSW
• Mt Druitt (suburb) – NSW
• Rooty Hill (suburb) – NSW
• Brisbane City LGA – Qld
• Logan City LGA – Qld
• City of Ipswich LGA – Qld
• Moreton Bay region – Qld
• Redland City LGA – Qld
• Lockyer Valley Region – Qld
• Scenic Rim Region – Qld
• Somerset Region – Qld

Resident outings – Wollongong aged care centres and Berala on the Park aged care centre

The public health orders are still clear in their directions that residents should not leave an aged care centre to attend family gatherings or group excursions. Outings for essential purposes such as for a medical appointment are permitted.

If a resident chooses to leave an aged care centre to attend a family gathering or excursion we are advised by Public Health that if appropriate from a risk perspective they may be asked to go into 14-day self-isolation on return.

All other IRT Aged Care Centres

Visits by two people at a time may continue by appointment between 10am and 5pm each day.

All visitors must wear a mask when visiting and staff are also wearing masks.

Visits are not permitted from those who live in or have visited in the past 14 days locations, venues or areas of geographical risk as identified by ACT Health, NSW Health and Qld Health.

All other conditions of visiting apply including the requirement to complete a wellness check. These details can be found here.

Resident outings – for NSW Aged Care Centres (excluding Wollongong Aged Care Centres and IRT Berala on the Park)

• Residents should not visit the Wollongong City Council Local Government Area, Cumberland City Council Local Government Area, the Northern area of The Northern Beaches, the Canterbury ward of Canterbury Bankstown City Council Local Government Area, or the suburbs of Rooty Hill or Mt Druitt.

Residents may leave the aged care centre to attend family gatherings of fewer than 5 people if there will be no person at the gathering who in the last 14 days has been:

• a close contact of a person confirmed with COVID-19 and are within their self-isolation period
• in, or resides in

– Wollongong LGA – NSW
– Cumberland LGA – NSW
– Canterbury Ward of Canterbury Bankstown LGA – NSW
– Mt Druitt (suburb) – NSW
– Rooty Hill (suburb) – NSW
-Brisbane City LGA – Qld
– Logan City LGA – Qld
– City of Ipswich LGA – Qld
– Moreton Bay region – Qld
– Redland City LGA – Qld
– Lockyer Valley Region – Qld
– Scenic Rim Region – Qld
– Somerset Region – Qld

• in any of the locations listed on this list COVID-19 locations in NSW at the times and dates listed, excluding those listed as ‘monitor for symptoms’
• living in a household with a person who is a close contact or otherwise currently self-isolating.

Resident outings – IRT Woodlands and IRT Kangara Waters

Please check NSW Health, ACT Health, or Queensland Health to ensure you aren’t planning to take your resident to an identified case location, hotspot or geographical area of risk.

Residents may leave the aged care centre to attend small family outdoor gatherings (where possible) if there will be no person at the gathering who in the last 14 days has been:

• a close contact of a person confirmed with COVID-19 and are within their self-isolation period
• to a location identified as a case location on the ACT Health, Qld Health or NSW Health websites
• in, or resides in a geographical area or risk as identified by ACT Health or Qld Health
• living in a household with a person who is a close contact or otherwise currently self-isolating.

These arrangements are subject to change at short notice pending directions for state and federal public health advice; should there be a group of unwell residents; or if there is a local COVID-19 outbreak is identified.