Operations Bulletin – Transition to Red Setting in COVID Matrix

Western Health has continued to closely monitor the status of COVID in our facilities and across the community. The new JN.1 variant has emerged internationally and in Victoria as the dominant circulating COVID-19 variant. As a result, our numbers of COVID hospitalisations at Western Health and other indicators of community transmission have unfortunately increased. Based on our experience and evidence, this morning Western Health is moving to the red setting of our COVID Sustainability Matrix.

What does that mean for our staff and visitors?

Staff

Clinical/patient facing areas: staff are required to wear P2/N95 masks.

Non-clinical, non-patient facing and public areas: No masking is required.

If you have tested positive for COVID, a reminder to report this to our Infection Prevention team via RedCap. Once the survey has been submitted you will receive an email with guidance relating to your particular situation. Further information is available on the COVID microsite.

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 when patients are not in a negative pressure room at outset of symptoms (don’t wait for test results to reduce potential transmission);
• air purifiers in place switched on maximum settings; and
• 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 not required for a Rapid PCR so there should be no delays to testing.

Please continue to perform the COVID screening questionnaire for patients on admission and each shift to monitor for new signs and symptoms.

Visitors

Ensure your PPE stations at entrance to wards is well stocked with KN94 masks for visitors. If visiting COVID/SCOVID patients an N95 is required to be worn by visitors.

These measures are designed to protect our patients and our staff, and we request your support in implementing these changes.

As always, we will continue to monitor the situation and will notify you as things evolve.