Changes to aged-care visitations as south-west facilities battle COVID infections

Victorian Health Minister Martin Foley today announced residents at aged care facilities would be allowed five visitors per day if the guests returned a negative rapid antigen test result beforehand.

It comes after Warrnambool's Mercy Place became the region's latest facility to report COVID-positive cases.

A Mercy Health spokesperson told The Standard two staff members and a resident had tested positive to COVID-19 on Friday. However, that resident had later returned a negative result.

The home was closed to visitors and a full outbreak response, including the use of tier 3 personal protective equipment, was used.

Residents were told to isolate in their rooms and the spokesperson confirmed no transmission had occurred.

"The Victorian Public Health Unit has assessed the circumstances around the positive cases and has advised that we can stand down our outbreak response today," the spokesperson said yesterday.

"We are pleased to advise that visits to our home can resume tomorrow (Tuesday) and residents can leave their rooms immediately. Our staff will continue to wear N95 masks and eye protection.

"Mercy Health implemented a number of additional precautionary measures over the festive season including requiring all residential aged care staff members to wear N95 masks and eye protection, regardless of the home's COVID-19 status.

"The vast majority of Mercy Place Warrnambool residents have been fully vaccinated and many took the opportunity to get a booster vaccination at our in-reach booster clinic at our home in December.

"All of our staff are also at least double vaccinated, with many of those also having had a third booster shot."

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Meanwhile, a resident at the Wannon Hostel in Coleraine also tested positive to COVID-19 on Sunday morning. That resident was tested last Thursday and was isolating.

WDHS chief executive Rohan Fitzgerald said the resident was doing well and all staff and residents had returned negative rapid antigen test results.

He said he believed the resident contracted COVID while visiting family.

"When asked by staff today how she was going she said she was 'feeling good, apart from a bit of a cough. I'm not too worried about it all, I'm being well looked after'," he said.

That resident was due for their third dose of a vaccine on Friday, but did not receive it because she was unwell.

"Only two out of 47 residents currently in our aged care facilities at Coleraine have not received their booster," Mr Fitzgerald said.

Elsewhere, Warrnambool aged care home Lyndoch Living reported several staff members had tested positive to COVID-19 on Friday. No evidence of transmission to residents had been found at that time. It has not returned calls for comment.

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