25 January 2021
We would like to provide you with a further update on Whiddon Easton Park.
Sir David Martin
Sir David Martin currently has two residents with COVID-19, who remain in isolation on the advice of the local Public Health Unit. Residents located close by are isolating within their areas. This means that they may exit their rooms, however they must stay in close vicinity to where their room is located. These residents have access to a common area and can enjoy interacting with other non-affected residents.
As per the local Public Health Unit’s advice, we will re-test all residents in this area again this coming Saturday. If all results are negative, this area will be out of lockdown on Sunday morning. This is welcome news.
General update
Pleasingly, all other residents at Whiddon Easton Park who have tested positive to COVID-19 are now considered recovered. Employees continue to wear face masks and eye protection as a precaution, however, they are no longer required to wear gowns and gloves in areas where residents are not required to isolate.
Over the past month, we have seen a number of our employees test positive to Covid-19, resulting in the need for them to isolate at home whilst recovering. We have 25 employees that are currently affected by COVID-19 and we have five employees that are due to return to work tomorrow.
Resident vaccination booster rates across the campus are high and we will continue, where appropriate, to facilitate further booster vaccine clinics onsite. We are strongly encouraging our employees and visitors to have their booster dose also, if they are eligible. It is likely that this will become compulsory for employees in the coming weeks.
We will continue to be see some visitor restrictions across Easton Park, which are in line with advice from the local Public Health Unit. We do ask that you follow our visitation guidelines below in the interest of everyone’s safety, and to ensure that our employees can remain focussed on resident care.
Please note the current visitation guidelines:
- 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
With cases of COVID-19 remaining high in our communities, we do ask that you follow these guidelines and remain vigilant.
We thank you for your ongoing understanding and support. We genuinely understand that this has been a challenging time.
We will provide a further update to you next Monday if there are no further changes.