What you need to know

• Enhanced restrictions and surveillance testing for staff living in Fairfield, and Canterbury-Bankstown.
• Visitor restrictions and mask-wearing required for residential facilities in Orange, Blaney and Cobonne

NSW Health has updated its advice to disability service providers.

Surveillance testing

Enhanced surveillance testing measures have been announced for some areas of Greater Sydney. Any staff impacted by these measures must carry evidence that a COVID-19 test has been undertaken within the timeframes noted below. (eg: SMS text message or email from the testing organisation). Providers will need to check testing before staff are permitted to work.

Residential Services

From 23 July 2021, workers who live in the City of Fairfield (Fairfield LGA) and Canterbury-Bankstown LGA are not permitted to enter a residential disability care facility outside of the Fairfield or the Canterbury-Bankstown LGA's unless they have been tested for COVID within the past 72 hours.

It is also recommended that services also consider regular COVID-19 testing every 3 days for staff who both live and work in residential services in the Fairfield and Canterbury-Bankstown LGA's.

Since 19 July 2021, workers who live in the Greater Sydney region and work in facilities more than 50km outside the Greater Sydney region have not been permitted to enter a facility unless they have had a COVID test within the preceding 7 days.

Home care or in-home support

From 23 July 2021, workers who live in the Fairfield and Canterbury-Bankstown LGA's are not permitted to work outside of the Fairfield or the Canterbury-Bankstown LGA's unless they have been tested for COVID within the past 72 hours.

Since 19 July 2021, workers who live in the Greater Sydney region and work more than 50km outside the Greater Sydney region have not been permitted to work unless they have had a COVID test within the preceding 7 days.

Only essential staff from Greater Sydney are allowed to work in areas outside of Greater Sydney.

Visitor restrictions and PPE

Greater Sydney

Residential services in this LGA must:

• Exclude all visitors, except those providing essential caring functions - these visits must be in the resident's room.
• Ensure all staff and essential care visitors wear a surgical mask (where exemptions don't apply). See additional advice for reasons when masks can be removed.
• Ensure residents are provided with appropriate PPE and infection control advice if they need to leave the facility for essential purposes.

Orange, Blayney and Cobonne

Residential services in these LGAs must:

• Allow just one visitor to provide essential caring functions
• Ensure all staff and essential care visitors wear a surgical mask (where exemptions don't apply)
• Ensure all essential visits take place in the resident's room
• Ensure that residents are provided with appropriate PPE and infection control advice if they need to leave the facility for essential purposes.

The situation with COVID-19 is changing rapidly and providers should continue to check the NSW Health website.

Further information about vaccinations and other measures can be found in the 19 July Disability Provider Alert from the Department of Health. 

Source article: National Disability Services