Advice for frontline workers
If your normal work involves moving between health services, you can continue to do this to provide care and do your job. There are some guidelines and provisions around doing so in the event you are working at a COVID-19 infected site, you are NOT to work at multiple covid infected areas unless once ceasing your shifts at a COVID-19 infected site you have isolated for 14 days and been tested for COVID-19 on day 11 of your isolation. Upon returning a negative result you can commence working elsewhere, please note this is only in the event you have worked directly in a COVID-19 infected facility and section with positive residents or patients.
Health services have a role in providing information around risk minimisation during movement and while working in the community. Healthcare workers and health service employees have a role in risk minimisation during movement outside of or across health services and while working in the community
But you must not go to work if you are unwell.
For more details, see:
When do I have to quarantine or self-isolate?
You must quarantine for 14 days if you have come into close contact with a confirmed case of coronavirus (COVID-19).
If you have been diagnosed with coronavirus (COVID-19), you are required to self-isolate until you receive a clearance from isolation from the Department of Health and Human Services. The Department will discuss these requirements with you.
Healthcare workers who have returned from overseas will be placed in mandatory quarantine for 14 days.
You must not enter or remain at a hospital in Victoria if:
- you have been diagnosed with coronavirus (COVID-19) and not yet met the criteria for discharge from isolation.
- you have arrived in Australia from any country in the past 14 days.
- you have had known contact with a person who is a confirmed coronavirus (COVID-19) case without using recommended infection control precautions, including use of recommended Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).
If you have taken the recommended infection control precautions while caring for a suspected or confirmed case of coronavirus (COVID-19), including use of recommended Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), you are not considered to be a close contact and do not need to quarantine. However, you may still be limited in your movement across various healthcare facilities.
Emergency accommodation for healthcare workers
The Hotel for Heroes program – or coronavirus (COVID-19) Emergency Accommodation (CEA) program – provides emergency accommodation for frontline workers required to quarantine or self-isolate, but are unable to do so in their home.
Eligible frontline workers include:
- Public and private hospital clinical or non-clinical healthcare workers
- Paramedics and patient transport officers
- Frontline workers in hospital laboratories
- Public and private sector residential aged care workforce
- Workers deployed by the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) or Department of Justice and Community Safety (DJCS) in frontline COVID-19 operational roles.
- Workers in primary care settings
- Victoria Police workforce
- Youth Justice workforce
- Metropolitan Fire Brigade officers
- Country Fire Authority Emergency Medical Response officers
- Victoria Corrections workforce
- Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation workforce
- Frontline workers in supported accommodation for people with a disability
- Community based pharmacy workforce
The Hotels for Heroes program is also available to eligible frontline workers who regularly work in an environment that involves consistent exposure to coronavirus (COVID-19) positive patients, who need accommodation on compassionate grounds, or those who cannot safely self-isolate or quarantine at home.
Hotels for Heroes – Emergency accommodation program staff information – 29 July 2020 (Word)
For more details, see:
