Considerations for visitors

​Visitors are essential for resident wellbeing. Strategies residential aged care homes (RACHs) can use to reduce the spread of respiratory infections from visitors to residents include:

• informing visitors not to enter RACHs if they have respiratory symptoms
• offering a rapid antigen test (RAT) to visitors at reception
• encouraging visits to be held outdoors or in well-ventilated areas away from other residents
• encouraging visitors to receive an annual influenza vaccine and stay up to date with COVID-19 vaccines
• practising good general hygiene, including regular handwashing.

Entry restrictions for visitors

Visitors should not enter the RACH if they have:

• tested positive for any respiratory pathogen, such as COVID-19 or influenza. Visitors should not enter a RACH for at least 7 days after a positive COVID-19 test or at least 5 days after a positive influenza test, unless agreement has been reached with the RACH, for example, for compassionate reasons
• any acute respiratory symptoms.

If a visitor with symptoms or a positive test must visit for compassionate reasons, the visitor must wear a mask when moving through the RACH and minimise movement within the RACH.

NSW Health has developed a poster for RACHs to display to remind visitors not to enter if they have symptoms. The poster is also available in multiple languages.

When residents are infected, RACHs should manage visitors on a case-by-case basis to limit transmission, guided by frequent internal risk assessments and in consultation with families or caregivers. Additional public health measures may be implemented to reduce the risk of transmission to staff and visitors.

Public Health Units (PHUs) are available to provide guidance if required. Contact your local PHU on 1300 066 055.

Mask wearing for visitors

Visitors wearing masks is a simple way to reduce the spread of respiratory infections to residents and staff.

RACHs are encouraged to review the weekly NSW Respiratory Surveillance Report to monitor the levels of respiratory viruses circulating in the community and consider their local context when determining mask guidance for visitors.

Local considerations include COVID-19 and influenza vaccination coverage among residents and staff, the number of high-risk residents, and the ability of residents to isolate or cohort.

In general, masks should be worn by visitors when the NSW Respiratory Surveillance Report reports:

• high levels of RSV, influenza or COVID-19
• moderate levels of COVID-19
• moderate levels of both influenza and RSV.