Using personal protective equipment (PPE)
For advice on using PPE, read:
- Interim advice on non-inpatient care of persons with suspected or confirmed COVID-19, including use of PPE
- Interim recommendations for the use of PPE during hospital care of people with COVID-19
The highest priority of the Government is to ensure access to masks and other PPE for front line acute health service and primary care staff. This includes:
public hospitals (supporting the states and territories), general practices, community pharmacies, and other settings where people are most likely to be presenting with COVID-19
residential aged care facilities in the event of an outbreak
When you can and cannot work
Like others, health and aged care workers need to isolate themselves for 14 days after:
returning from overseas
being in close contact with someone confirmed to have COVID-19
Let your employer know if you need to self-isolate. Depending on the type of work you do and if you are well, your employer may discuss other arrangements such as work from home.
Health care workers
You can still go to work if you have:
had casual contact with COVID-19 cases and are well
directly cared for confirmed cases while using PPE properly
Monitor yourself for symptoms and self-isolate if you become unwell.
Aged care workers
For aged care workers, these rules also apply:
from 1 May, you must have your flu (influenza) vaccination to work in or visit an aged care facility
if you’re a residential aged care worker, you must not go to work if you have a fever or symptoms of a respiratory illness
When you should be tested
It’s important to detect COVID-19 in health and aged care workers early.
If you provide direct care, you should be tested if any of the below apply:
you have symptoms of coronavirus
you have been overseas
you have had close contact with a confirmed case
Support for the aged care workforce
The Australian Government is relaxing international student visa work conditions for:
aged care facilities
home care providers
This will allow international student nurses and other aged care workers to work more than 40 hours a fortnight.
For all the latest daily updates please visit: https://www.dhhs.vic.gov.au/coronavirus-covid-19-daily-update
