Aged-care facilities in Goulburn have restricted visitor access and put precautions in place due to coronavirus concerns.
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As of today Warrigal Care has restricted access to all visitors.
Visitors are required to report to a staff member and then follow precautions.
Visiting times have been restricted to Monday to Friday 8am to 6pm and 10am to 2pm on weekends.
People have been urged to keep visits to a maximum of two hours at a time and only visit one person.
There is to be no moving around the home with visitors confined to the residents room.
Hand sanitiser and/or hand wash must be used when entering and exiting the building and the resident's room. That is four times per visit.
You must not enter the home if you have cold and flu symptoms or have traveled overseas in the last 14 days.
Warrigal CEO Mark Sewell said they had put measures in place early and were taking a very cautious position.
"We are determined to protect the whole Warrigal community including our residents, other customers, families, other visitors and all our staff and volunteers," he said.
"Warrigal is very experienced in disease control measures because we deal with a susceptible group of people every day.
"We are implementing similar strategies and procedures that we use to manage any outbreak of an infectious disease to prevent or minimise COVID-19 from entering our homes or other services."
Similar measures have also been put in place at Gill Waminda Aged Care Centre and other facilities around Goulburn.
In addition, Southern Cross Care has made mobile phones available for residents to keep in contact with family members and limit exposure.
Today Scott Morrison announced additional measures for aged-care homes across the country. Measures include: anyone who has been overseas or in contact with a confirmed case of COVID-19 within a fortnight will be banned from visiting, residents will only be able to receive one visit a day, with a maximum of two people visiting and no school groups will be allowed with children under 17 advised to visit only by exception.
Aged and Community Services Australia CEO Patricia Sparrow said the first priority of providers was to protect the older people in their care.
"We will always take the best advice of health authorities and it is clear that taking stronger measures is critical," Ms Sparrow said.
"At the top of our minds is the need to balance prevention with emotional care and compassion. Mental and spiritual health is just as important and providers know better than anyone that getting that balance right is difficult but important.
"Generally visitors are understanding of the restrictions and we continue to ask for that understanding. We wouldn't be taking these measures unless they were absolutely necessary, and providers will be doing everything they can to enforce them.
"We are working through a range of issues with the government that need more attention, such as supply of protective equipment when needed, to ensure providers have the support they need to protect residents and staff which is our absolute priority."
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