Dear Relatives
We have received updated advice from NSW Health which is also available at the following link for you to view https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/Infectious/covid-19/Pages/racf-latest-advice.aspx
The key points from the advice are:
Until further notice all residential aged care facilities must:
- ensure all staff and visitors wear a surgical mask within the facility
- ensure residents have a maximum of only two visitors each day. They may have different visitors each day provided they are not from the Northern Area of the Northern Beaches, City of Wollongong, Cumberland City Council or the Canterbury Ward of Canterbury Bankstown Council.
- exclude staff and visitors who:
- live in a household with a person who is currently self-isolating
- have been to any of the latest COVID-19 locations in NSW at the times and dates listed, excluding the monitor for symptoms list
- have a fever (37. 5°C or higher) or symptoms of COVID-19 (acute blocked nose congestion has been added to the list of symptoms)
- are a close contact of a person with confirmed COVID-19 and are within their self-isolation period.
- exclude visitors from the Northern Area of the Northern Beaches, City of Wollongong, Cumberland City Council or the Canterbury Ward of Canterbury Bankstown Council.
- regularly visit the NSW COVID-19 website on areas of active community transmission
- ensure that legible records are kept of visitor and staff entry and exit into the facility for contact tracing purposes
- other ways to connect with family and friends will remain important. Refer to the Industry Code for Visiting Residential Aged Care Homes during COVID-19 for alternative ways of communicating between residents and their families.
What does this mean for visiting at BCAC sites?
If you live in the following locations you cannot visit:
Cumberland City Council which includes the following suburbs:
Auburn
Berala
Chester Hill (not whole suburb is affected – Please contact Facility Manager)
Fairfield
Girraween
Granville
Greystanes
Guildford
Guildford West
Holroyd
Homebush West
Lidcombe
Mays Hill
Merrylands
Merrylands West
Pemulwuy
Pendle Hill
Prospect
Regents Park
Rookwood
Smithfield
South Granville
South Wentworthville
Toongabbie
Wentworthville
Westmead
Woodpark
Yennora
Canterbury Ward of Canterbury Bankstown which includes:
Croydon Park
Belfield
Campsie
Clemton Park
Ashbury
Canterbury
Hurlstone Park
Earlwood
Wollongong Local Government area which includes the following suburbs:
Helensburg
Otford
Stanwell park
Çoalcliff
Scarborough
Womberra
Coledale
Austinmer
Thirroul
Bulli
Bellambi
Toworadgi
Fairy meadow
North wollongong
Corrimal
Balgownie
Mt kembla
Figtree
Unanderra
Berkeley
Pt kembla
Prombee
Windang
Lake illawarra
Dapto
Wongawilli
Yallah
Northern area of the Northern Beaches – this region is currently subject to stay at home orders so would not be able to leave the local area.
Visiting days/times
Two visitors can visit one resident once per day on the following days/times.
- Saturday 9 January 9am – 3pm
- Monday 11 January 9am – 3pm
- Wednesday 13 January 9am – 3pm
This means if a resident has one visitor in the morning they can have a second visitor later in the day.
You can enter the village during the hours 9am-3pm on the days listed above. We request that all visitors please leave the facility prior to 4pm to allow adequate time for the required additional COVID cleaning to take place.
We will need to prescreen visitors prior to entering our sites for their home suburb location so all visits will need to be pre booked through reception during office hours. This will also assist us manage the numbers of people on site at any one time.
As the restrictions ease in NSW we will review the visiting hours and days, and unless the advice changes from NSW Health in the next 7 days, we will issue further advice on visiting hours/days next WEDNESDAY 13 January via email.
If you provide an essential caring function for your loved one please contact the village manager.
We still view all external outings as high risk and will be requiring any residents who leave the facility for social leave to isolate for 14 days.
All essential external medical appointments will be reviewed on a case by case basis.