coronavirus, agec care, covid, covid canberra, covid aged care, aged care canberra, aged care restrictions
Visitor limits for Canberra aged care facilities have been removed, as part of easing restrictions for the sector. Previous rules, which limited visitor numbers to two people at a time for each resident, will now no longer be implemented across Canberra facilities from Monday, following a decision by ACT health officials. Restrictions limiting the length of time a visitor can stay will also no longer apply. ACT Chief Health Officer Dr Kerryn Coleman said more people would be able to visit loved ones in aged care facilities due to the changes. “I’m really pleased we are able to remove the limit of no more than two people visiting a resident at any one time,” Dr Coleman said. “Restrictions on visitors have been in place for the majority of last year, so I’m sure this will be welcome news for many.” The easing restrictions for aged care will also extend aged care visits by religious services, hairdressers, musicians and other services. READ MORE: Dr Coleman said the relaxation of visitor limits brought the ACT into line with other jurisdictions. However, the Chief Health Officer said precautions were still necessary for those who intended to visit an aged care centre. “This is because residents of aged care facilities are at an increased risk of COVID-19 and are more vulnerable to complications if they do become infected,” Dr Coleman said. “It is also extremely important that anyone visiting follow the entry and screening processes in place at the specific residential aged care facility they are visiting.” The easing of restrictions comes as ACT Health issued fresh warnings for Canberrans who visited newly named COVID-exposure sites in two different states. Exposure sites have been recorded in Melbourne, following a positive case involving a hotel quarantine worker, along with sites in Wollongong and Brighton Le Sands, after a returned traveller who had spent two weeks in quarantine tested positive two days after their release. Anyone in the ACT who has been identified by the Victorian government as a close contact will need to quarantine for 14 days. ACT residents in Victoria who have been at one of the exposure sites, which includes a Melbourne Dan Murphy’s, who plan to return to Canberra will need to quarantine in Victoria and seek a travel exemption. ACT Health urged Canberrans who visited exposure sites in NSW to check the NSW Health website for health advice and monitor for symptoms. “ACT Health will continue to monitor the situation in New South Wales and will update the travel advice as needed,” a health spokesman said. For faster access to the latest Canberra news, download The Canberra Times app for iOS and Android.
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Aged care visitor limits have been scrapped as part of easing restrictions. Picture: Shutterstock
Visitor limits for Canberra aged care facilities have been removed, as part of easing restrictions for the sector.
Previous rules, which limited visitor numbers to two people at a time for each resident, will now no longer be implemented across Canberra facilities from Monday, following a decision by ACT health officials.
Restrictions limiting the length of time a visitor can stay will also no longer apply.
ACT Chief Health Officer Dr Kerryn Coleman said more people would be able to visit loved ones in aged care facilities due to the changes.
“I’m really pleased we are able to remove the limit of no more than two people visiting a resident at any one time,” Dr Coleman said.
“Restrictions on visitors have been in place for the majority of last year, so I’m sure this will be welcome news for many.”
The easing restrictions for aged care will also extend aged care visits by religious services, hairdressers, musicians and other services.
Dr Coleman said the relaxation of visitor limits brought the ACT into line with other jurisdictions.
However, the Chief Health Officer said precautions were still necessary for those who intended to visit an aged care centre.
“This is because residents of aged care facilities are at an increased risk of COVID-19 and are more vulnerable to complications if they do become infected,” Dr Coleman said.
“It is also extremely important that anyone visiting follow the entry and screening processes in place at the specific residential aged care facility they are visiting.”
The easing of restrictions comes as ACT Health issued fresh warnings for Canberrans who visited newly named COVID-exposure sites in two different states.
Exposure sites have been recorded in Melbourne, following a positive case involving a hotel quarantine worker, along with sites in Wollongong and Brighton Le Sands, after a returned traveller who had spent two weeks in quarantine tested positive two days after their release.
Anyone in the ACT who has been identified by the Victorian government as a close contact will need to quarantine for 14 days.
ACT residents in Victoria who have been at one of the exposure sites, which includes a Melbourne Dan Murphy’s, who plan to return to Canberra will need to quarantine in Victoria and seek a travel exemption.
ACT Health urged Canberrans who visited exposure sites in NSW to check the NSW Health website for health advice and monitor for symptoms.
“ACT Health will continue to monitor the situation in New South Wales and will update the travel advice as needed,” a health spokesman said.
