As of 21 June 2021

Key points

Exclude staff who:

• have been to any close or casual contact locations in NSW in the last 14 days, excluding the monitor for symptoms list
• have been to COVID-19 exposure locations in ACT in the last 14 days
• have been to any close or casual contact locationsin Queensland in the last 14 days
• have been in Victorian places of high concern in the last 14 days
• have been in Greater Melbourne in the previous 14 days
• have COVID-19 symptoms - fever (37. 5°C or higher) or symptoms of COVID-19
• are a close contact of a person with confirmed COVID-19 and are within their self-isolation period
• live in a household with a person who is currently self-isolating
• are waiting for a COVID-19 test result

All home care service providers must maintain vigilance to prevent the introduction of COVID-19.

COVID-19 safety measures for home care service providers

• Staff who have been overseas must agree to be tested for COVID-19 two days after leaving hotel quarantine (this does not apply to New Zealand). They must receive a negative test result prior to working. This is an additional measure to protect the community.  Please read here for more information.
• Minimise staff working across multiple settings (such as in home and residential care). Where ceasing staff movement across settings is not practical, additional measures should be put in place, such as maintaining records of staff and work locations and increasing use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).
• Ensure staff actively ask clients about symptoms on arrival. If staff become aware of a client with symptoms, that client should be isolated from others and arrangements made for COVID-19 testing.

Additional advice for all home care service providers

• The Commonwealth Department of Health has issued a Guide for Home Care Providers to assist staff in reducing the risk of COVID-19.
• More detailed advice for services who provide care in the home is at Guidance for risk screening and assessment for home visiting health services.
• Please seek the advice of your local NSW Health Public Health Unit if you are in doubt about how to appropriately mitigate risk when providing home care services on 1300 066 055.
• For more information about NDIS-related issues, including any funding issues relating to compliance with these measures for NDIS participants, contact:
• NDIA on 1800 800 110 or via NDIA
• NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission on 180 035 544 or via NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission
• Ministry of Health on 9391 9858 or via email MOH-NDIS@health.nsw.gov.au.