Dear Residents, Families and Representatives and Staff
As we head into Summer, I write to you with concern around the ongoing increase of the Parafield Cluster of COVID19 in Metropolitan Adelaide where the current number of cases is 31 including 2 new cases in the past 24 hours. COVID19 has provided many learnings for us globally but the message for us all to take steps to help keep each other safe and healthy has been immensely valuable.
I write to highlight recent press conferences with SA Health and The Premier, and would like to bring to your attention the following:
- Where possible we request you wear a mask, not only within our homes, but out in the community right now – this is a simple and easy way for you to help keep yourself, your family and your local community including our aged care residents safe. A 3 layered cloth mask is perfectly fine in the community and we refer you to this update: https://www.sahealth.sa.gov.au/wps/wcm/connect/public+content/sa+health+internet/conditions/infectious+diseases/covid-19/about+covid-19/protecting+yourself+and+others+from+covid-19/face+masks
- It is important you are aware and updated with live locations that require you to check for the need to quarantine. Professor Nicola Spurrier our Chief Public Health Officer suggests that you do this each morning to keep yourself, your family and your community including Ananda Aged Care staff and residents safe you can see this here: https://www.sahealth.sa.gov.au/wps/wcm/connect/public+content/sa+health+internet/conditions/infectious+diseases/covid-19/testing+and+tracing/contact+tracing/contact+tracing
- The most latest location is Woodville High School and this was loaded on to the website last night, Ananda Aged Care is committed to notify staff and families via sms and email communication, and keep our visitor entry checklists updated, but we also encourage you to keep yourself updated daily so you can assist us to keep our homes safe.
- We envisage that there will be a “my sa gov” app available for download which will allow you to link in your visits into Ananda Aged Care (and many other venues around Adelaide) via QR codes which again will help to keep yourself, your family and our residents safe. The SA government has confirmed this information will be kept private and destroyed in every 28 day cycles. This can be downloaded onto any mobile phone and our front office staff can assist you and we will also share videos with instructions to provide you soon.
- Lastly, we have word that a COVID19 vaccine is on the horizon and the current expected time frame is March 2021. You can expect that Aged Care will be seen as a high risk industry that can benefit immensely from COVID19 vaccination and I encourage you to consider this and I can reassure you we will provide you with more information when it comes to hand.
I thank you for your ongoing attention, care and commitment to help us to help you all keep our Ananda Aged Care community healthy and well and certainly we look forward to supporting important time with loved ones later next month and into 2021.
Kind regards,
Dr Pooja Newman, MBBS
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