IMPORTANT: COVID-19 UPDATE - OUTBREAK OVER at Calvary Cessnock

Date: 16 February  2022

To: All Staff – Calvary Cessnock

From:  Sandeep Kandel, General Manager Aged Care

I am very pleased to inform you that in line with Public Health Unit advice and with no additional cases of COVID-19 detected amongst residents in any of our households, the outbreak at Calvary Cessnock has now been declared over.

The final restrictions on resident's movement across the site are being lifted and we look forward to Calvary Cessnock fully opening up again tomorrow, Thursday, 17 February. 

Visitation will be in line with Calvary’s Position Statement  on Visiting in Aged Care and there are specific requirements in place for Calvary Cessnock to help keep our residents, their visitors and our staff as safe as possible.

Important information you need to know about visitation

• From tomorrow, there will be no limit to the number of visitors allowed per resident, per day.
• However, social distancing is still required and we have asked visitors to keep to a maximum of two (2) visitors per resident at any one time. We have also asked that visits occur in the resident’s room or outside, and that communal areas not be used for visiting purposes.
• Visitors will be required to complete screening requirements prior to entry and wear appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) whilst visiting. Calvary will provide the necessary PPE.
• All visitors will need to undertake a Rapid Antigen Test (RAT) before entering. Screening staff will administer these at the main administration building.
• All visits must be booked in advance.
• There are two (2) periods for arriving visitors – 11am to 2pm; and from 3.15pm to 5pm. The set periods relate to visitors’ arrival on site. Once inside, visitors may stay longer.
• No visitor bookings and RAT tests will be available between 2.00pm and 3.15pm. This is to help facilitate screening of staff arriving for afternoon shift.
• Visitation exceptions for residents receiving end of life care can be arranged through the home manager.

Thank you for all that you have done with such empathy and compassion over this challenging time to ensure our residents continued to receive the safest possible care.

We all look forward to receiving visitors back into the home.