Author: Belinda Howell

7 February 2022

It is great to welcome back visitors to Whiddon Beaudesert Star.

We wanted to remind you of our visitation guidelines at this time and advise you that due to the recent COVID-19 outbreak at our care home, the local Public Health Unit has recommended follow-up testing of all residents at Whiddon Beaudesert Star tomorrow, 8 February. Please note that we have not had any further residents test positive to COVID-19, this testing is routine “day 14” testing that is in line with the local Public Health Unit’s guidelines. Please call us on 07 5542 4700 if you wish to discuss any concerns or if you have any questions.

Visits must be pre-booked through our administration team on the phone number above.

Please note that we have implemented a number of important precautionary measures for visiting at this time. Please note the current visitation guidelines below.

• For now, residents are permitted to have two fully vaccinated visitors aged 12 years and over per day. We will review this during the week.
• There will be limits to the numbers of visitors who can book in at each time to enable management of capacity limits
• All visits must be pre-booked
• Where possible, outdoor visits will be encouraged
• Visits cannot not take place in communal areas
• All visitors must wear an N95 mask – this will be provided to visitors
• Grandchildren are welcome to attend window visits at this time. Please note that these must also be booked in with our team
• Visitors may be asked to complete a rapid antigen test as a condition of entry
• Visitors will be escorted to and from the resident’s room

Please ensure that you:

• Refrain from visiting if you are unwell or have been diagnosed with COVID-19
• Refrain from visiting if you have returned from overseas in the last 14 days (excluding safe travel zone countries) unless an exemption has been granted
• Refrain from visiting if you are in home quarantine, unless an exemption has been granted
• Refrain from visiting if you are a close or secondary contact of a person with COVID-19 in the last 14 days, unless their quarantine period has ended
• Refrain from visiting if you have had a COVID-19 PCR test and are awaiting for the result (except for tests due to surveillance testing obligations)
• Refrain from visiting if you have any COVID-19 symptoms of fever (37.5 degrees or more), cough, shortness of breath, sore throat, loss of smell or taste, runny nose, diarrhoea, nausea, vomiting or fatigue
• Practice good hand hygiene and socially distance
• Please check in to Whiddon’s check-in system and the Check In Queensland app

We thank you for your support and understanding.

7 February 2022

Since our last update, we have had a further employee test positive to COVID-19. We have not had any residents test positive to the virus.

Visitation remains limited to compassionate grounds or for essential caring only, as a precaution at this time. Please speak to the Director Care Services directly to gain the necessary approval to visit.

As mentioned previously, we have activated our COVID-19 Management Outbreak Plan and our employees are wearing full personal protective equipment (PPE). Our robust COVID-19 management plan means that we have strict protocols in place to avoid potential spread of the virus across our care home. We also continue to work closely with the local Public Health Unit.

Our team is committed to keeping you connected with your loved ones wherever possible, via video and phone calls at this time. Please talk to our team if you would like to book in a phone or video call with your loved one.

We will provide a further update to you soon and we thank you for your ongoing support and understanding.

6 February 2022

A resident at Whiddon Hornsby has tested positive to COVID-19 via a rapid antigen test this morning. The resident will now undertake a PCR test. As a precaution, we are asking families to delay visiting at this time, until we know more. If you wish to visit under compassionate grounds, please speak to the Care Manager.

We have activated our COVID-19 response plan to ensure all necessary precautionary measures are implemented. Our robust COVID-19 management plan means that we have strict protocols in place to avoid potential spread of the virus across our care home.

We understand that this is a challenging time for everyone, but we want you to know that it is our highest priority to keep everyone in our family safe and well, and we are doing everything we can to achieve this.

We will provide a further update to you within the next few days and thank you for your cooperation and understanding.

4 February 2022

Further to our update to you earlier in the week, we have not had any further employees test positive to COVID-19 at Whiddon Kyogle. We have not had any residents at Whiddon Kyogle test positive to COVID-19.

Visitation remains limited to compassionate grounds or for essential caring only at this time. Please speak to the Director Care Services directly to gain the necessary approval to visit. Residents are strongly encouraged to not leave the care home for now, as a precautionary measure.

Our employees are wearing full personal protective equipment (PPE) and our robust COVID-19 management plan means that we have strict protocols in place to avoid potential spread of the virus across our care home. We are continuing to work with the local Public Health Unit at this time and are conducting regular COVID-19 testing of residents and employees.

Please talk to our team if you would like to book in a phone or video call with your loved one. Our team are working hard to keep residents connected with loved ones wherever possible as we know this is important.

We understand that this is a difficult time and we thank you for your patience, understanding and support. We want you to know that it is our highest priority to keep everyone in our family safe and well, and we are doing everything we can to achieve this.

We will provide a further update next week.

4 February 2022

It is wonderful to see visitors returning to Whiddon Easton Park.

With the risk of COVID-19 remaining high in our local communities, it is important that we all take steps to help keep everyone safe, so we ask that you follow our visitation guidelines. Please also note that we are encouraging visitors to get their booster vaccine if they are eligible to do so.

As we are now able to welcome visitors back, we will provide any further updates to you if there are any changes to visitation or the situation at Whiddon Easton Park. We thank you for your ongoing understanding and support.

Please be reminded of the current visitation guidelines for visiting Whiddon Easton Park:

• One fully vaccinated visitor, per resident, per day, is permitted
• Visits are to occur between 9am and 12pm and 1pm and 4pm on weekdays (visits outside of these hours will be at the discretion of management and only when there is employee capacity to do so)
• There will be limits to the numbers of visitors who can book in at each time to enable management of capacity limits
• All visits must be pre-booked
• Where possible, outdoor visits will be encouraged
• Visits cannot not take place in communal areas
• All visitors must wear PPE, including an N95 mask and a face shield, this will be provided to visitors (visitors can re-use the face shield provided on their next visit)
• Only visitors over 12 years old are permitted and all visitors must have received a second dose of a COVID vaccination at least 14 days prior to their visit
• Visitors will be asked to complete a rapid antigen test as a condition of entry
• Unvaccinated visitors can only undertake a window visit (which must be pre-booked) and must not enter the home, except when the residents is at the end of life. Please speak to your loved one’s Care Manager directly to gain the necessary approval to visit

Please ensure that you:

• Refrain from visiting if you have COVID-19 symptoms
• Refrain from visiting if you are a close or casual contact of a person with confirmed COVID-19, unless they have completed their isolation and testing requirements.
• Close contacts should not enter high risk settings for at least 14 days since their exposure to a COVID-positive person
• Refrain from visiting if you have been overseas in the previous 14 days, unless you are fully vaccinated and have received a negative PCR test 7 days or later after arrival in NSW
• Refrain from visiting if you are waiting for a COVID-19 test result
• Practice good hand hygiene and socially distance
• Check in to the Service NSW app AND Whiddon’s check-in system when you visit

4 February 2022

We are pleased to confirm that we are now in the position to welcome back visitors to most areas of Whiddon Beaudesert Star as of today. Please note that we do have one resident who is currently isolating and they are progressing well.

While this is welcome news, we do ask that you follow our visitation guidelines and remain vigilant at this time. As the risk of COVID-19 remains high in our local communities, it is important that we all take steps to help keep everyone safe. Please also note that we are also encouraging visitors to get their booster vaccine if they are eligible to do so.

We continue to work with the local Public Health Unit and follow their advice.

Visits must be pre-booked through our administration team on 07 5542 4700.

We thank you for your ongoing understanding, support and patience. We genuinely understand that this has been a challenging time and we look forward to seeing you soon.

Please note that as our visitor restrictions are relaxed, we have implemented a number of important precautionary measures for visiting at this time. Please note the current visitation guidelines below.

• For now, residents are permitted to have two fully vaccinated visitors aged 12 years and over per day. We will review this next week.
• There will be limits to the numbers of visitors who can book in at each time to enable management of capacity limits
• All visits must be pre-booked
• Where possible, outdoor visits will be encouraged
• Visits cannot not take place in communal areas
• All visitors must wear an N95 mask – this will be provided to visitors
• Grandchildren are welcome to attend window visits at this time. Please note that these must also be booked in with our team
• Visitors may be asked to complete a rapid antigen test as a condition of entry
• Visitors will be escorted to and from the resident’s room

Please ensure that you:

• Refrain from visiting if you are unwell or have been diagnosed with COVID-19
• Refrain from visiting if you have returned from overseas in the last 14 days (excluding safe travel zone countries) unless an exemption has been granted
• Refrain from visiting if you are in home quarantine, unless an exemption has been granted
• Refrain from visiting if you are a close or secondary contact of a person with COVID-19 in the last 14 days, unless their quarantine period has ended
  Refrain from visiting if you have had a COVID-19 PCR test and are awaiting for the result (except for tests due to surveillance testing obligations)
• Refrain from visiting if you have any COVID-19 symptoms of fever (37.5 degrees or more), cough, shortness of breath, sore throat, loss of smell or taste, runny nose, diarrhoea, nausea, vomiting or fatigue
• Practice good hand hygiene and socially distance
• Please check in to Whiddon’s check-in system and the Check In Queensland app

4 February 2022

An employee at Whiddon Moree has tested positive to COVID-19 via rapid antigen testing this morning. While the risk is considered low, for now, visitation will remain limited to compassionate grounds, or for essential caring only. We will provide a further update on this early next week.

Our COVID-19 response plan is in place to ensure all necessary precautionary measures are implemented. Our employees are wearing relevant PPE and we held an onsite COVID-19 booster clinic yesterday for employees.

We understand that this is a challenging time for everyone, but we want you to know that it is our highest priority to keep everyone in our family safe and well, and we are doing everything we can to achieve this.

We thank you for your understanding and support.

4 February 2022

Since our last update to you, we have had a further three residents test positive to COVID-19. These residents are doing well and are located in the Cedar (West) wing.

Residents on the first floor of Whiddon Casino (Lindwall Wing) are now able to leave their rooms. From tomorrow, they will also be able to enjoy the garden area on the ground floor. Also from tomorrow, residents in Cedar (East) will be able to leave their rooms, which is welcome news. Residents in Cedar (West) will be required to continue to isolate at this time, on the advice of the local Public Health Unit.

We do ask that visits are limited to compassionate grounds for now, however, we hope to be in the position to welcome visitors back to Lindwall Wing and Cedar Wing (East) next week. We expect to receive advice in regards to this on Tuesday from the local Public Health Unit.

When we are able to welcome visitors back, visitors will be required to complete a rapid antigen test as a condition of entry. Visitors must have received a second dose of a COVID vaccination at least 14 days prior to their visit and be 12 years of age or over. Visits must also be pre-booked.

We thank you for your patience and understanding at this time.

3 February 2022

Further to our last update, and following COVID-19 testing undertaken yesterday, we are pleased to advise you that we have not had any further residents or employees test positive to COVID-19. The two residents who had tested positive to COVID-19 are doing well.

We are currently awaiting advice from the local Public Health Unit as to when we may be able to welcome back visitors to Whiddon Beaudesert Star. We will provide a further update once we receive this advice. We hope at the very least, that we will be in the position to re-introduce window visits from this weekend.

We thank you once again for your understanding and support.

3 February 2022

We are pleased to confirm that we are now in the position to welcome back visitors to Whiddon Moree as of tomorrow, Friday 4 February.

Please note that visits must be pre-booked through our administration team.

We will be asking visitors to wear an N95 mask and a face shield and complete a rapid antigen test when visiting Please also note that we are encouraging visitors to get their booster vaccine if they are eligible to do so.

Please be reminded of the current visitation guidelines:

• Residents are permitted to have two fully vaccinated visitors aged 12 years and over only, per day
• Visitors must have received a second dose of a COVID vaccination at least 14 days prior to their visit
• Visits must not take place in communal areas and must take place in residents’ rooms
• All visitors must wear a N95 mask and face shield when visiting
• Visitors will be asked to complete a rapid antigen test as a condition of entry
• Unvaccinated visitors are only permitted to visit a resident who is at the end of life. Please speak to your loved one’s Care Manager directly to gain the necessary approval to visit

Please ensure that you:

• pre-book your visits. Please note that the number of visitors allowed at any one time may be restricted to enable management of capacity limits refrain from visiting if you have COVID-19 symptoms
• refrain from visiting if you are a close or casual contact of a person with confirmed COVID-19, unless they have completed their isolation and testing requirements. Close contacts should not enter high risk settings for at least 14 days since their exposure to a COVID-positive person
• do not visit if you have been overseas in the previous 14 days, unless you are fully vaccinated and have received a negative PCR test 7 days or later after arrival in NSW
• refrain from visiting if you are waiting for a COVID-19 test result
• practice good hand hygiene and socially distance
• check in to the Service NSW app AND Whiddon’s check-in system when you visit

We thank you for your continued support and look forward to seeing you soon.