Following yesterday’s NSW Government announcements relating to the easing of Albury ‘stay at home’ orders, and Orange coming out of lockdown at midnight tonight (i.e. 12.01am 24 September 2021), I would like to provide everyone within our Mercy Connect family with the following updates to our programs and services:
Cowra
Following the recently announced ‘stay at home’ orders, Cowra will remain 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 will again be 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 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 since in the past 14 days (unless providing essential caring functions).
- have been to any close and casual contact places of high concern in Victorian, 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.
- 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 they have not been to any stay at home area in the last 14 days.
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- live in a household with a person who is currently self-isolating.
- are waiting for a COVID-19 test result.
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- 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 still not permitted to have overnight visits at family / guardian homes, until further notice.
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Day Programs:
- Mercy Connect’s normal, structured Day Program services in Albury Wodonga will recommence from 27 September 2021, with Day Program activities only to be offered within Mercy Connect owned / operated homes until that date.
- However, recommencement of Day Program services will be in line 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.
- Mercy Connect’s normal, structured Day Program services in Orange will not be commencing yet, until further notice.
- Participants will be permitted to attend their normal external Day Program facilities / activities from 27 September 2021.
Corporate Office (Albury):
- Albury (St John’s / Thurgoona) office will again be 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:
- Eating or drinking.
- Working alone in an office (until another person enters).
- 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 checking-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 reopen, 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 staff and 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