Published on 4 December 2023

Western Health has continued to closely monitor the status of COVID in our facilities and across the community. As November has progressed we have seen a steady decrease in COVID hospitalisations at Western Health including ICU admissions. In addition, there has been a reduction in other indicators of community transmission, including waste-water levels and antiviral prescriptions. Based on our experience and evidence, this morning Western Health is now moving to the green 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 surgical masks however, still have the option to wear P2/N95 if preferred.

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

Areas with COVID/SCOVID or quarantined cases: Where these patients are not in a negative pressure room, staff are required to wear P2/N95.

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 surgical masks for visitors. If visiting COVID/SCOVID patients an N95 is required to be worn by visitors.

For more information, see Western Health’s COVID sustainability matrix.

Regards,

John Ferraro                                                                   Adjunct Professor Shane Crowe
Chief Operating Officer                                                Executive Director, Nursing & Midwifery