Published on 23 October 2023
Increase in community COVID transmission triggering escalation risk matrix
Western Health continues to closely monitor the status of COVID in our facilities and across the community. Recently there has been a considerable increase in antiviral prescriptions, positive tests in the community, increased outbreaks within local residential aged care facilities, and a sharp increase in metropolitan wastewater levels. There has also been an increase in hospital and ICU admissions. Based on our experience and in accordance with our COVID sustainability matrix, to mitigate this increase risk Western Health is now moving to the red zone as per the matrix below.
What does that mean for our staff and visitors?
Staff
Staff are required to wear N95’s in all clinical/patient facing areas (surgical masks in theatre and outpatients).
No masking is required in non-clinical non patient facing areas, however we strongly suggest staff consider masks in these areas.
All managers are encouraged to check stock of PPE including N95s to ensure adequate supply. Please note that additional boxes will be distributed to wards/departments this afternoon.
Patients
Infection control measures remain the same when dealing with COVID admissions: admit into negative pressure rooms if able, keep all room doors closed, ventilation hoods should be used if not in a negative pressure room at outset of symptoms (don’t wait for test results to reduce potential transmission) and air purifiers in place on maximum settings. As has been the practice in the past please also notify Infection Prevention.
Anyone who develops COVID-like symptoms on admission or as an inpatient or is a high exposure risk should be placed in Respiratory Precautions and have a Rapid PCR taken urgently. Authorisation is no longer required for a Rapid PCR so there should be no delays to testing.
Please continue to perform patients COVID questionnaire screening on admission and each shift to monitor for new signs and symptoms.
Visitors
Please ensure your PPE stations at the entrances to wards are well stocked with KF94 masks for visitors. These will be delivered to wards/departments this afternoon.
At this time there is no changes to visitor guidelines however, please enforce mask wearing.
ID and IP will closely monitor visitor transmissions to patients to determine if visitor restrictions are required in the coming weeks.
Thank you for your continued support of these changes as we take actions to support the ongoing safety of our staff, patients and visitors. We will continue to monitor the situation, and will provide updates as the risk level changes.
Regards,
John Ferraro
Chief Operating Officer