Finally, there is exciting news from DHHS to provide clear instructions to supporting safe visits to Residential aged care facilities including Elderly Chinese Home as per attached DHHS guidelines effective from 6PM Friday 29 October 2021.

Key changes will include:

• Visits will no longer be limited to specified reasons
• Each resident is allowed up to five visitors per day
• Visits by prospective residents are allowed
• Continue screening process include Victorian QR code and ECH EntryTrack system
• Practice social distancing where possible and appropriate
• Wear the same personal protective equipment (surgical mask) that staff are required to wear when caring for a resident
• Visitors are not required to be vaccinated while it is strongly encouraged and recommended
• Where visitors are not fully vaccinated, all visits should occur either outdoors or in the resident’s own room(s). Unvaccinated visitors should not remain in common areas.
• ECH screen visitors who are not fully vaccinated upon entry via rapid antigen testing.
• Please be patient with the waiting times for the RAT results and any precaution measures as instructed by DHHS.
• We seek your understanding and supports to make ECH a harassment free working environment for our staff.

Excluded Visitors

While visitors are allowed, under the Care Facilities Directions (DHHS), some people are not permitted to enter a care facility. This includes people who:

• have symptoms of COVID-19
• have had a COVID-19 test because they have symptoms or have attended an exposure site and are waiting for the result
• are required to isolate or quarantine
• have had contact with a COVID positive person in the past 14 days.

These changes reflect the advice from the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee about the importance of visits for the health and wellbeing of aged care residents and the need for restrictions in aged care to be eased.

Residents leave:

• Residents can leave ECH for any reason but must comply with current restrictions applicable to all Victorians.
• Enhanced screening and testing on admission or return to facility from leave. Residents found to have visited listed exposure sites – Case alerts – public exposure sites | Coronavirus Victoria, Current COVID-19 case locations | NSW Government to be covid swap tested and managed as at risk COVID (isolation at own bedroom) until negative results known.