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Coronavirus Update 1/10/21

Good afternoon all,

Please find the following information providing staff with an update on the COVID-19 pandemic.

Cowra

Cowra remains under Accommodation / Day Program lock-down restrictions, until further notice.

Albury Wodonga, Wagga Wagga, and Orange

In line with the easing of regional restrictions within certain LGAs please be aware of the following changes / updates:

Accommodation:

  • Mercy Connect owned / managed homes remain open to the public, however, there are conditions which include:
    • Two visitors (from the same family / guardian group) per day are allowed in residential disability care facilities for areas not currently under stay-at-home orders, provided that they have not been to any stay at home area in the last 14 days.
      • Please note, only one group of visitors (from the same family / guardian group) will be permitted entry at a time e.g. two different participant visitor groups cannot enter the accommodation at the same time.
      • Visitors must not enter the facility at all if they:
        • have been to any close, casual or monitor for symptoms locations in NSW in the last 14 days.
        • have been in a stay-at-home area in the last 14 days and are not an essential visitor.
        • have been to Victoria (outside of the current Border Bubble) or the Australian Capital Territory in the past 14 days (unless providing essential caring functions).
        • have been to any close and casual contact places of high concern in Victoria, Queensland or the Australian Capital Territory.
        • have been in New Zealand in the last 14 days.
        • have COVID-19 symptoms.
        • are a close contact of a person with confirmed COVID-19 and are within their self-isolation period.
        • live in a household with a person who is currently self-isolating.
        • are waiting for a COVID-19 test result.
      • Visitors must sign a COVID-19 free declaration (which will be valid for one week, unless the signing visitor has changes in their circumstances that invalidates their earlier declaration).
  • Participants are permitted to have overnight visits at family / guardian homes, subject to the following requirements:
    • The family / guardian home is not in an LGA of concern or currently in lockdown; and,
    • COVID declaration completed by family prior to the visit; and,
    • If a government ordered lockdown commences during the visit, then participant(s) will be required to remain at that home / residence until the lockdown is over; or if exposed to Tier 1 or 2 exposure site, then normal testing and isolation requirements are to be followed before participant(s) can return e.g. Tier 1 test and isolate for 14 days irrespective of the result, then test again, and receive a negative test result before returning; Tier 2 isolate and receive a negative test result before returning.

Day Programs:

  • Mercy Connect’s normal, structured Day Program services in Albury Wodonga continue as normal.
  • Mercy Connect’s normal, structured Day Program services in Orange will recommence on Thursday, 7 October 2021.
  • Day Program services are still being delivered with COVID-19 restrictions (including any group size / space limitations) and may require different cohorts of participants to be supported separately i.e. those living in shared / group homes; those living separately and not in shared / group homes.

Corporate Office (Albury):

  • Albury (St John’s / Thurgoona) office remains open to the public.
  • All visitors must complete the Mercy Connect ‘COVID-19 Declaration’ form prior to entering our premises. All completed forms must be provided to Debbie White at reception@mercyconnect.org.au
  • Corporate Office staff are permitted to attend external meetings (as required, and in line with COVID-19 safe requirements), however, they are still strongly encouraged to utilise video / phone conferencing for such purposes, wherever possible.

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
A reminder, that all staff (and any approved external visitors) are required to wear appropriate PPE at all times when with participants.

Facemasks
You must wear a face mask:

  • When you are outside in a public place including;
    • on a street or at a park.
    • queuing outside a cafe or shop to collect take away food or drink.
    • walking on a street near shop fronts.
  • In all indoor areas of non-residential premises, including workplaces
  • When working in an outdoor area.

You may only remove your mask for the following reasons:

  1. Eating or drinking.
  2. Working alone in an office (until another person enters).
  3. You have documented evidence of a medical exemption to not wear a mask.

Please note that reusable / cloth masks (including the recently available ‘Mercy Connect’ branded mask) can be worn (subject to regular cleaning and washing) for outside activities; however, disposable surgical masks must be worn at all other times when with participants.

For more information on face masks https://www.health.gov.au/sites/default/files/documents/2020/07/coronavirus-covid-19-are-cloth-face-masks-likely-to-provide-protection-against-covid-19_0.pdf

QR Code
All staff (and approved external visitors) must continue to check-in using the Service NSW QR code, which is located at all Mercy Connect locations.

Whilst it is encouraging that our regional locations are starting to re-open, the risk of COVID-19 infection still remains. Mercy Connect will continue to monitor government announcements and restrictions / orders that affect Mercy Connect’s locations, and will if required, revert back to earlier COVID-19 restrictions.

As such, I kindly remind everyone within the Mercy Connect family to remain vigilant and follow all COVID-19 requirements, which are in place for the safety of participants, staff and our wider community.

Please note that all family / guardian communications are available on our website https://mercyconnect.org.au/  and through Mercy Connect social media pages i.e. Facebook and Instagram.

If you have any concerns or questions, please contact us on 02 60433 500 or enquiries@mercyconnect.org.au

Together we grow.

Trent Dean                                                               
Chief Executive Officer