Good afternoon all,
Please find the following information providing you with an update on the COVID-19 pandemic.
Lifting of Stay-at-home Orders
I am pleased to note that all Mercy Connect locations (Albury Wodonga, Wagga Wagga, Cowra and Orange) are now out of lockdown, with the official lifting of remaining Stay-at-home Orders. This is inline with NSW Government directions and advice.
Roadmap for easing COVID-19 restrictions
From 11 October 2021, NSW has reopened, with the State passing its 70% double vaccination target. Current restrictions will be further eased at the 80% double-dose milestone (not yet reached). You can read about this here: https://www.nsw.gov.au/covid-19/easing-covid-19-restrictions
Changes to Mercy Connect services and programs
Effective from 11 October, a number of restrictions have changed with the reopening of NSW, which impact Mercy Connect staff, participants, families, guardians, and external services / providers.
Please find the following list of key changes:
Day Programs:
All participants attending day program activities should be fully vaccinated (except where a medical exemption applies).
Some activities may not be possible for unvaccinated staff and clients attending day programs. This advice is in line with the Reopening NSW Roadmap which only permits vaccinated people to participate in the easing of restrictions.
Where participants are not fully vaccinated, Mercy Connect will aim to provide flexible options, including the provision of individual activities and avoiding group interactions, unless the participants are from the same household.
Indoors:
- Up to 10 participants (not including staff) may attend an indoor setting. The indoor venue must comply with the 4 square metre rule.
- Masks are required for participants and staff in all indoor settings.
Outdoors:
- Up to 30 participants, including staff, are permitted to attend outdoor settings.
- Masks are no longer required when outdoors.
- Mercy Connect is required to have COVID-19 safety plans in place, including:
- encouraging all residents and volunteers to be fully vaccinated;
- ensuring everyone wears a mask when indoors unless they have an exemption;
- encouraging regular use of alcohol-based hand sanitiser;
- maintaining a distance of at least 1.5 metres from other people.
Staff and participants should not attend a day program if they have any COVID-like symptoms.
You can read about these updated requirements here: https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/Infectious/covid-19/Pages/disability-support.aspx
Accommodation:
Visitation to any Mercy Connect accommodation will be permitted with the following conditions:
- Two visitors aged 16 years and over per resident (participants) per day;
- All visitors aged 16 years and over must be fully vaccinated (unless in exceptional circumstances i.e. on compassionate grounds (for example, the imminent death of a loved one);
- All residents (participants) (aged 16 years and over) receiving a visitor must be fully vaccinated.
Visitors must have proof of vaccination or a medical exemption which needs to be sighted before being permitted into the accommodation.
Visitors must not enter the accommodation at all if they:
- have been to any close or casual locations in NSW OR Victoria, Queensland, and the Australian Capital Territory OR 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;
- are a casual contact of a person with confirmed COVID-19 and have not yet received a negative day 6 test result;
- live in a household with a person who is currently self-isolating.
Residents (participants) are permitted to leave the accommodation to exercise, for recreational activities or to attend small family gatherings, provided that they adhere to the restrictions within the Public Health (COVID-19 General) Order 2021 (the Order).
There are directions in the Order relating to vaccination requirements including that all people aged 16 years and over must be fully vaccinated to visit:
- hospitality venues such as a café or restaurant;
- cinemas;
- group classes and activities at recreation facilities;
- retail outlets such as shopping centres (not including essential services such as a supermarket or pharmacy).
Residents (participants) must wear a mask at indoor venues and when on public transport.
All accommodation locations must ensure that residents (participants) are provided with appropriate PPE and infection control advice if they need to leave the accommodation. If a person cannot wear a face mask because of a disability, physical or mental health illness or condition, they must carry either:
- a medical certificate or letter signed by a registered health practitioner (such as a doctor) or a registered NDIS provider; or,
- a statutory declaration.
Residents (participants) who are fully vaccinated (or have a medical exemption) 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,
- A COVID declaration is completed by the family prior to 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 the 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.
All staff must wear a surgical mask when in Mercy Connect accommodation. However, a staff member or visitor may remove their mask: while communicating with another person who is deaf or hard of hearing; if wearing a mask creates a risk to health and safety; where clear enunciation or visibility of your mouth is essential; when the removal of a face mask is necessary for the provision of a good or service:
- Anyone removing a mask for one of these reasons should maintain a 1.5m distance from others wherever possible.
- A resident (participant) with a physical or mental health illness or condition, or disability, that makes wearing a mask unsuitable is not required to wear a mask. For example, someone with a skin condition, an intellectual disability, autism or trauma, is not required to wear a mask.
- If a person cannot wear a face mask because of a disability, physical or mental health illness or condition, they must carry either:
- a medical certificate or letter signed by a registered health practitioner (such as a doctor) or a registered NDIS provider; or,
- a statutory declaration.
Staff must not enter the accommodation at all if they:
- are a close or casual contact of COVID-19, prior to completing their isolation and testing requirements. (Staff who are casual contacts are no longer excluded from entry for 14 days from their date of exposure, however, should be risk assessed by the facility before returning to work;
- have been to any close or casual locations in NSW OR Victoria, Queensland, and the Australian Capital Territory OR New Zealand in the last 14 days;
- have COVID-19 symptoms;
- live in a household with a person who is currently self-isolating;
- are waiting for a COVID-19 test result (except for surveillance purposes).
You can read about these updated requirements here: https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/Infectious/covid-19/Pages/disability-latest-advice.aspx
Mercy Connect Offices / Administration Areas:
- All visitors aged 16 years and over must be fully vaccinated (or have a medical exemption).
- Visitors must have proof of vaccination or a medical exemption which needs to be sighted before being permitted into the Office or Administration Areas.
- 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
Face Masks
From 11 October 2021, face mask rules will change. Everyone in NSW will be required to wear a face mask:
- in an indoor area or premises other than a place of residence (this does not include Mercy Connect accommodation), or
- in an indoor area on common property for residential premises (this does not include Mercy Connect accommodation), or
- at a public transport waiting area or in a vehicle or vessel being used to provide:
- a public transport service, or
- when working at a hospitality venue and dealing directly with members of the public, or
- on a domestic commercial aircraft, including when the aircraft is flying above NSW.
You can remove your face mask if you are:
- eating or drinking
- communicating with another person who is deaf or hard of hearing
- at work, and:
- the nature of the work makes the wearing of a fitted face-covering risk to the person’s, or another persons’ health and safety,
- where clear enunciation or visibility of your mouth is essential
- where the work is in an indoor area and no other person is in the area
- asked to remove their mask for identity purposes
- in an emergency situation
- providing goods and services and you need to remove your mask to provide those goods or services properly
- doing exercise except in an indoor area as part of a gym class
- at a correctional centre, place of custody, or hospital
- a resident at an aged care facility
- a guest in a hotel/motel room and in your room
- in the process of getting married
- working alone in an office (until another person enters)
You need to wear your face mask again as soon as the reason for taking it off has ended.
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.
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 6043 3500 or enquiries@mercyconnect.org.au
Together we grow.
Trent Dean
Chief Executive Officer