The Sector Development Team is providing a consolidation of COVID-19 related emails. This summary is to fortnight ending 18 December 2020.
In this edition: Department of Health
– Protecting Older Australians: COVID 19 Updates Department of Health and Human Services
– DHHS Coronavirus (COVID-19) Updates 2020 in review…
– 2020 – the year that was
The Protecting Older Australians: COVID-19 Update is now a weekly newsletter and will be released towards the end of the week.
Protecting Older Australians: Daily COVID 19 Updates – 11 December 2020
In this edition:
As restrictions ease, it’s important that we act to keep ourselves and others safe. These actions below can help protect you from coronavirus (COVID-19).
Stay safe by washing your hands regularly, having a face mask with you and wearing it when required, coughing and sneezing into your elbow, and keeping at least 1.5 metres from others.
Keep your friends and family safe by meeting outdoors. There is a lower risk of spreading coronavirus (COVID-19) between people if you are outdoors.
Face masks must be worn on public transport, when in taxis or rideshare vehicles, or when going to shopping centres, indoor markets and some large retail stores such as supermarkets and department stores, unless you have a lawful reason not to. You must carry a face mask with you when you leave home. It is strongly recommended that you wear a face mask when you can’t maintain 1.5 metres distance from other people in all other situations.
Venues and facilities have specific requirements such as operating with a COVIDSafe Plan, density limits (maximum numbers of people allowed in a space), cleaning and record keeping – please respect these.
If you have symptoms of coronavirus (COVID-19) get tested and stay home. Stay at home if you feel unwell.
More information can be viewed at the department’s website.
The site also contains a page of frequently asked questions providing further guidance on the directions.
NSW – Border closures – 11.59pm 20 December 2020It’s why from 11:59pm tonight, the Greater Sydney area and the Central Coast will be designated as a ‘red zone’. That means people who live in these communities, or have visited these communities since 11 December 2020, cannot enter Victoria. Anyone from this zone found trying to enter Victoria in breach of this order will be subject to 14-day mandatory hotel quarantine.
Victorians who have recently visited or are currently in Greater Sydney and the Central Coast, other than those in the Northern Beaches area, will be given until 11:59 Monday 21 December to return home.
Those returning must register for an exemption on the Service Victoria website and then get tested within 24 hours of returning to our state. They must then self-quarantine for 14 days at home. Follow up checks will be undertaken.
The Northern Beaches area will also be elevated to a ‘hot zone’. Victorians in the Northern Beaches area remain subject to the NSW’s Chief Health Officer’s stay at home orders and will not be permitted to enter Victoria.
The rest of regional New South Wales remains a green zone, but residents in these areas will still need to apply for and receive a valid permit to enter Victoria.
Those living in local government areas along the border will not need a permit but will instead be able to use their driver’s license as a passport to travel between Victoria and New South Wales.
The local government areas in the border zone on the Victorian side are: Alpine, Benalla, Bendigo, Buloke, Campaspe, East Gippsland, Gannawarra, Indigo, Loddon, Mildura, Moira, Shepparton, Swan Hill, Towong, Wangaratta, Wodonga and Yarriambiack.
https://www.premier.vic.gov.au/further-measures-protect-victoriaFor Service Providershttps://www.dhhs.vic.gov.au/service-providers-coronavirus-disease-covid-19Information for community serviceshttps://www.dhhs.vic.gov.au/community-services-all-sector-coronavirus-covid-19
