The Sector Development Team (SDT) has been providing a consolidation of COVID-19 related emails, however with the current state, this will be our last edition. All links have been included for you to access updates relevant to your needs.
Should there be further restrictions imposed in the future, the SDT will revisit the need for this newsletter to resume.
This summary is to fortnight ending 29 January 2021.
In this edition: Department of Health
– Protecting Older Australians: COVID 19 Updates Department of Health and Human Services
– DHHS Coronavirus (COVID-19) Updates
Protecting Older Australians: Daily COVID 19 Updates – 22 January 2021
In this edition:
Resources
Updated: COVID-19 guidelines for infection prevention and control in residential care facilities
Report: Weekly data snapshot on COVID-19 outbreaks in Australian Residential Aged Care
Resources
-Health Minister Greg Hunt’s statement on the COVID-19 vaccine information campaign.
–Factsheet: The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) explains the TGA process for assessing and approving COVID-19 vaccines and how they make sure the vaccines are safe and effective.
-Report: Weekly data snapshot on COVID-19 outbreaks in Australian Residential Aged Care.
–Infographics: a collection of weekly infographics that provide a traffic light report of the coronavirus (COVID-19) situation across Australia
–First 24 hours – managing COVID-19 in a residential aged care facility check list
From 11.59pm, Sunday 17 January 2021, face masks will no longer be mandatory in all public indoor settings.
These requirements are in line with settings that were in place at Christmas time.
Face masks continue to be mandatory in the following locations:
on public transport
when riding in a ride share or taxi
inside shopping centres, including the retail stores inside shopping centres, such as clothing stores
inside indoor markets
in large retail stores (over 2000 sqm), such as department stores, electronics stores, furniture stores, hardware stores or supermarkets
on domestic flights to and from Victoria
at airports
in hospitals.
You must always carry a face mask with you when you leave home unless you have a lawful reason not to.
It is strongly recommended you wear one whenever you cannot keep 1.5 metres distance from others.
Update on office workers
From Monday 18 January 2021 more office workers will be able to make a partial return to the office.
In line with previous announcements, up to 50 per cent of office workers who are not in the public service will be able to return to on-site work as well as up to 25 per cent of public service workers.
Offices with fewer than 40 staff can have 20 staff on-site subject to density quotients.
Additionally, from Monday 18 January 2021 face masks will no longer be required to be worn in offices.
You must always carry a face mask with you when you leave home unless you have a lawful reason not to.
It is strongly recommended you wear one whenever you cannot keep 1.5 metres distance from others.
https://www.coronavirus.vic.gov.au/face-masks-and-office-workersUpdate on COVIDSafe Summer
Following reduced exposure risk and continued low community transmission, from 11:59pm on Friday 22 January the number of visitors to your home increases from 15 to 30.
This means that:
You must carry a face mask with you at all times when you leave home.
Fitted face masks must be worn in some public indoor spaces unless you have a lawful reason not to. Face masks continue to be mandatory on public transport and when in taxis or ride share vehicles.
Wearing a face mask is strongly recommended when you can’t keep 1.5 metres distance from other people.
You can have up to 30 visitors to your home per day. There is no limit on the number of households those people come from. Front and backyards are considered part of the home.
Up to 100 people can meet outdoors in a public place. There is no limit on the number of households those people come from.
Record keeping continues to be an important tool for helping Victoria to stay safe and stay open. Businesses that are required to record the details of visitors should use electronic record keeping or QR codes. The Victorian Government has a free QR code service.
Restaurants, cafes, bars and pubs can open for seated and unseated service. They must use electronic record keeping and apply the two square metre rule to ensure that customers have enough room to keep 1.5 metres between themselves and others. There are no other limits on the number of customers. Venues can have up to 25 people before the two square metre rule needs to be applied.
Weddings, funerals and religious gatherings can occur with no limits on the number of guests or attendees. To ensure people can keep 1.5 metres distance the venue must apply the two square metre rule. If a service is conducted in a private home, the private gathering limit applies (30 visitors).
Dance floors can reopen in bars and pubs as well as at weddings. The four-square metre rule must be applied to limit the number of people on the dance floor and there can only be up to 50 people on the dancefloor at one time, if space allows.
There are also changes to the number of people allowed at community facilities such as libraries, sporting facilities (such as gyms), and entertainment facilities (such as cinemas).
