COVID-19
Response
- Living life with self-worth and dignity
Visitor guidelines
As directed by the Chief Health Officer, all Scalabrini villages in Greater Sydney remain CLOSED TO ALL VISITORS, except for those providing essential care or visiting a relative in end of life care.
In the interest of resident safety, ESSENTIAL CARE VISTORS entering the village from the Fairfield or Canterbury-Bankstown LGAs are kindly asked to have a COVID-19 test every 3 days.
- Only compassionate and essential care visitors allowed.
- Essential care visitors from the LGAs of Fairfield, or Canterbury-Bankstown are kindly asked to have a COVID test every 3 days.
- Visits should be in the resident’s room.
- Prior to entry, you are required to undergo a temperature check, carefully read the COVID-19 Bulletin, check-in via the Services NSW app, and complete declaration form.
- Please ensure you maintain 1.5 metres distance from others.
- Please ensure good hand hygiene and cough and sneeze etiquette at all times.
- Please supervise children at all times.
Staff and visitors must wear a surgical mask while in the village.
IMPORTANT:
Visitors will not be able to enter the village if you:
- have been to any close, casual or monitor for symptoms locations in NSW in the last 14 days.
- live or have been to Greater Sydney in the last 14 days unless providing essential caring functions or end of life visits.
- have been to Victoria since 17 July 2021 and South Australia from 20 July 2021.
- have been to any close and casual contact places of high concern in Victoria, Queensland, Western Australia, South Australia or the Northern Territory.
- have COVID-19 symptoms - fever (37. 5°C or higher) or symptoms of COVID-19.
- are a close contact of a person with confirmed COVID-19 and are within their self-isolation period.
- live in a household with a person who is currently self-isolating.
- are waiting for a COVID-19 test result.
- people who have not received a dose of the 2021 influenza vaccine, will not be able to enter the village unless they meet the criteria under the exceptional and special circumstances.
- Essential Care Visitors entering the village from the Fairfield LGA or Canterbury-Bankstown LGA are kindly asked to have a COVID-19 test every 3 days.
Wearing a face mask
The main value of wearing a mask is to protect other people. If used correctly, masks may prevent sick people from infecting others.
If you are unknowingly infected, wearing a mask will reduce the chance that you pass COVID-19 on to others.
Even if you are wearing a mask, stay 1.5 metres away from others, if possible.
Tips on wearing a face mask
- Wash or sanitise your hands before putting on or taking off your mask.
- Ensure the mask covers your nose and mouth and fits snugly under your chin, over the bridge of your nose and against the sides of your face.
- Refrain from touching the front of your mask while wearing or removing it.
- Do not allow the mask to hang around your neck or under your nose.
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Do not reuse single-use masks.
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Public Health (COVID-19 Mandatory Face Coverings) Order (No 3) 2021.
Important:
- A mask is not a substitute for good hand hygiene and physical distancing.
- The use of a mask and only a mask will not prevent infection.
- Protect yourself and others against COVID-19 by:
- Practicing physical distancing
- Washing your hands for at least 20 seconds with soap, or an alcohol-based hand-rub
- Coughing or sneezing into your elbow or tissue
- Staying home if unwell
- Getting a COVID-19 test if you have symptoms and self-isolating until you receive a negative test result.
Residents leaving the village
As per NSW Health advice, residents should avoid leaving the village except for essential reasons such as a medical appointment.
Residents leaving the village for an essential purpose must wear appropriate PPE and follow infection control measures.
- Please read Additional information for visits and outings at a residential aged care facility.
COVID-19 vaccine information
COVID-19 vaccines are highly effective in reducing serious illness, hospitalisation and death. There are two COVID-19 vaccines currently available in Australia: Pfizer and AstraZeneca.
For both vaccine types, you will need two doses at two appointments to complete the vaccination.
- Pfizer COVID-19 doses are recommended to be at least 3 weeks apart.
- AstraZeneca COVID-19 doses are recommended to be 12 weeks apart.
Proof of vaccination
Each dose you receive will be recorded on the Australian Immunisation Register. You can access your immunisation history records online through:
Information videos
WHO’s Science in 5 on COVID-19: Vaccines, variants and mass gatherings
How much protection does the current batch of COVID-19 vaccines provide us?
WHO’s Science in 5 on COVID-19: vaccines, variants & doses
If you have already had COVID-19 do you still need both doses of the vaccine? Do these vaccines protect you against infection? Do they protect us against variants? WHO’s Dr Katherine O’Brien answers these questions.
WHO’s Science in 5 on COVID-19: Which vaccine should I take and what about side effects?
If you have the choice of more than one vaccine and are wondering which one to take and how?
WHO’s Science in 5 on COVID-19: vaccines, pregnancy, menstruation, breastfeeding and fertility
What is the guidance for vaccination of women with breastfeeding infants, women who are pregnant or planning to get pregnant and women who are menstruating? What about vaccines and fertility? WHO’s Dr Soumya Swaminathan explains in Science in 5.
WHO's Science in 5 on COVID-19: Vaccine myths vs science
WHO’s Dr Katherine O’Brien busts some vaccine myths related to infertility, DNA and composition of vaccines.
WHO’s Science in 5 on COVID-19: Vaccine dosage
How far apart should the doses of vaccines be? What if I miss my second dose? Can I get two doses from two different manufacturers? How was safety of vaccines ensured?
WHO's Science in 5 on COVID-19: Vaccines, variants & herd immunity
As new variants emerge people are wondering if they should wait until a more efficacious vaccine is available or if they should go ahead and get vaccinated now? Answering your questions on COVID-19 vaccines and variants.
WHO’s Science in 5 on COVID-19: Vaccines explained
If you have had COVID-19, should you still get vaccinated? Why are we not vaccinating children under 16? WHO’s Chief Scientist Dr Soumya Swaminathan explains these and other vaccine related questions.
Do the current batch of approved COVID19 vaccines protect us from the Delta variant?
What is the level of protection? If you can still get infected even after being fully vaccinated, then why should we vaccinate?
COVID-19 vaccines development time
This video describes how COVID-19 vaccines have been able to safely be developed and rolled out quicker than other vaccines
COVID-19 vaccination – How vaccines work
This video describes how vaccines work in the body after you receive a vaccination.
COVID-19 vaccines – TGA approval process
This video explains the complex process that the Therapeutic Goods Administration goes through when assessing and approving vaccines.
Visitor Rules of Entry
- One visit per resident per day by 2 visitors only. All visits must be pre-booked.
- Unless special circumstances apply and access is approved by the Village Manager with conditions.
- Do you or anyone living in your home currently have any of the following symptoms:
- Fever (37.5oC or higher)
- Sore throat
- Runny nose
- Shortness of breath
- Loss of taste or smell
- Cough
- Headache
- Fatigue
- Body aches or pains
- Diarrhoea
- Nausea or vomiting
- Loss of appetite
- Have you or anyone currently living in your home:
- Visited an area of concern in South Australia in the last 14 days?
- Returned from overseas in the last 14 days?
- Visited any of the case locations identified by NSW Health?
- Been in contact with someone who has received a positive test result for COVDI-19?
- Been in contact with someone who is awaiting a test result for COVID-19?
- Been in contact with someone who is suspected of having COVDI-19?
- Been in contact with someone who may have been in contact with anyone who has or may have COVDI-19?
- Visitors who answer yes to any of the above questions will be denied access.
- Visitors will be required to undergo a temperature check on arrival at the village. If your temperature is 37.5 oC or higher, access will be denied.
- All visitors must provide evidence of having a 2020 influenza vaccination. Access will be denied without evidence.
- Visitors must enter and exit via the designated single-entry point only.
- Visitors must only engage with the resident nominated for the visit.
- Visits must be conducted in an assigned area designated by the Village Manager.
- Visitors are not able to partake in lifestyle activities or village church services or the rosery.
- Visitors must practice good hand hygiene by sanitising hands before and during a visit.
- Visitors are required to avoid touching, hugging or kissing and to adopt social distancing by allowing 1.5 metres distance from any person.
- Visitors must not bring home cooked meals or cold foods such as salami, soft cheeses and other cured meats to the village.
- The NSW Food Authority’s guidelines are stringent and intended to ensure effective food safety and food quality management for organisations providing food to individuals.
- Adherence to all the Rules of Entry is important. If we are unable to ensure adherence to all the Rules of Entry, future requests for a visit may be denied.
Measures in place to minimise risk
- Weekly meetings by the Executive, Village Managers and key staff to discuss current and emerging issues, the effectiveness of existing and planned controls, communication and likely future controls.
- Screening all visitors, staff and contractors prior to entry.
- Screening every staff member for ‘fitness to work’ before each shift.
- Staff COVID-19 testing and self-isolation rules for 14 days if the staff member is feeling unwell or has been exposed to a positive COVID-19 case.
- Ongoing staff education to emphasise the importance of social distancing both in the workplace and at home and to maintain good hand hygiene by regularly washing hands and/or applying hand sanitiser at all times.
- Stringent infection management practices and outbreak management protocols in place.
- Ensuring appropriate quantities of personal protective equipment for daily use and in the event of an outbreak.
- Contractor management to ensure infection management strategies are aligned with Scalabrini’s controls.
Scalabrini updates
Visitor Registration and Screening
Being Prepared
Staff Rules
Behind the Scenes Measures
Temperature Checks
COVID-19 status at our villages
No known cases
No known cases
No known cases
No known cases
No known cases
No known cases
COVID–19 symptoms
COVID-19 affects different people in different ways. Most infected people will develop mild to moderate illness and recover without hospitalization.
Older people (60+ years of age, or 50+ for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples) are more susceptible to getting sick with COVID-19. The risk of serious illnes, and death, increases with age, particularly those who have chronic illnesses or who may have a weakened immune system.
Most Common Symptoms
- fever (37.5 degrees or higher)
- cough
- tiredness
- runny nose (added by NSW Health)
Less Common Symptoms
- aches and pains
- sore throat
- diarrhoea
- conjunctivitis
- headache
- loss of taste or smell
- a rash on skin, or discolouration of fingers or toes
- acute blocked nose congestion
Serious Symptoms
- difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
- chest pain or pressure
- loss of speech or movement
Source: World Health Organisation