Post by Nadica (She/Her) on Dec 11, 2024 2:42:00 GMT
No excuse for being unprepared for Covid, says commissioner - Published Dec 10, 2024
By Jodie Wolf
As hundreds of weekly new outbreaks in aged care continue, providers must have a fully rehearsed outbreak management plan in place, Janet Anderson tells AAA.
The impact of Covid is continuing to hit aged care homes hard with the latest weekly update showing more than 100 new outbreaks, over 1,000 active cases among residents and more lives claimed.
As of 5 December, there were 232 active Covid-19 outbreaks in aged care homes across the country with 1,373 active cases including 1,009 residents and 363 staff, government data shows.
The report shows there were 111 new outbreaks, 13 new resident deaths and an additional 1,310 combined resident and staff cases reported in the week since the previous tally was released on 28 November 2024.
On a positive note, it shows some improvement on the previous week, which reported 133 new outbreaks, 21 new resident deaths and 1,313 combined new resident and staff cases in the seven days since 21 November 2024.
Aged Care Quality and Safety Commissioner Janet Anderson said old age was one of the biggest risks to becoming seriously ill with Covid-19 and thorough preparation and ongoing vigilance were key to managing Covid-related risks in aged care settings.
“There is no excuse for any residential aged care service to be under-prepared for Covid-19,” Ms Anderson told Australian Ageing Agenda.
“It is almost five years since Covid-19 was first detected in Australia and every aged care provider should know what they need to do to reduce the risk of, prepare for, and minimise the impact of a Covid-19 outbreak.”
She added: “Providers are expected to have in place the necessary systems and processes to fulfil their obligations and safeguard residents’ health and wellbeing as far as possible.”
Ms Anderson said the commission was always closely monitoring providers’ compliance with their obligations and that every aged care provider across Australia must have a comprehensive, up to date and fully rehearsed outbreak management plan in place.
“A vital component of a provider’s Covid-19 management plan must be ensuring that residents have easy access to Covid-19 vaccinations in a timely manner, with vaccination being the single most important measure to protect against severe disease,” she said.
“Helping individuals to stay up to date with vaccinations should also be a core inclusion in every resident’s care plan. Providers are also expected to ensure prompt access to prescribed antivirals for residents with Covid-19 infection, given the proven value of this medication in significantly reducing serious illness and mortality rates associated with this virus.”
She added: “Services that cope best with an outbreak are not only well-prepared with a robust plan but are also ready to activate their plan immediately, making good decisions from the outset and solving problems confidently as they arise.”
In November, the Department of Health and Aged Care wrote a letter to providers, encouraging the take up of Covid-19 vaccinations ahead of the festive season and highlighting the importance of maintaining robust infection prevention and control measures.
Aged & Community Care Providers Association has also been encouraging aged care providers to administer Covid-19 vaccinations as well as make use of resources to stay updated about the virus, said chief executive officer Tom Symondson.
“It’s vital we all remain vigilant about the dangers of Covid, particularly in residential aged care because older Australians are the most vulnerable,” Mr Symondson told AAA.
“We know that complacency is a big risk. It’s vital we don’t become complacent and do everything possible to minimise the risk of Covid, as well as other infections for all Australians and particularly vulnerable Australians. We encourage family and friends visiting aged care facilities and staff attending work to follow the guidelines. If you are sick and have any symptoms, it’s best to protect loved ones and delay visiting them.”
By Jodie Wolf
As hundreds of weekly new outbreaks in aged care continue, providers must have a fully rehearsed outbreak management plan in place, Janet Anderson tells AAA.
The impact of Covid is continuing to hit aged care homes hard with the latest weekly update showing more than 100 new outbreaks, over 1,000 active cases among residents and more lives claimed.
As of 5 December, there were 232 active Covid-19 outbreaks in aged care homes across the country with 1,373 active cases including 1,009 residents and 363 staff, government data shows.
The report shows there were 111 new outbreaks, 13 new resident deaths and an additional 1,310 combined resident and staff cases reported in the week since the previous tally was released on 28 November 2024.
On a positive note, it shows some improvement on the previous week, which reported 133 new outbreaks, 21 new resident deaths and 1,313 combined new resident and staff cases in the seven days since 21 November 2024.
Aged Care Quality and Safety Commissioner Janet Anderson said old age was one of the biggest risks to becoming seriously ill with Covid-19 and thorough preparation and ongoing vigilance were key to managing Covid-related risks in aged care settings.
“There is no excuse for any residential aged care service to be under-prepared for Covid-19,” Ms Anderson told Australian Ageing Agenda.
“It is almost five years since Covid-19 was first detected in Australia and every aged care provider should know what they need to do to reduce the risk of, prepare for, and minimise the impact of a Covid-19 outbreak.”
She added: “Providers are expected to have in place the necessary systems and processes to fulfil their obligations and safeguard residents’ health and wellbeing as far as possible.”
Ms Anderson said the commission was always closely monitoring providers’ compliance with their obligations and that every aged care provider across Australia must have a comprehensive, up to date and fully rehearsed outbreak management plan in place.
“A vital component of a provider’s Covid-19 management plan must be ensuring that residents have easy access to Covid-19 vaccinations in a timely manner, with vaccination being the single most important measure to protect against severe disease,” she said.
“Helping individuals to stay up to date with vaccinations should also be a core inclusion in every resident’s care plan. Providers are also expected to ensure prompt access to prescribed antivirals for residents with Covid-19 infection, given the proven value of this medication in significantly reducing serious illness and mortality rates associated with this virus.”
She added: “Services that cope best with an outbreak are not only well-prepared with a robust plan but are also ready to activate their plan immediately, making good decisions from the outset and solving problems confidently as they arise.”
In November, the Department of Health and Aged Care wrote a letter to providers, encouraging the take up of Covid-19 vaccinations ahead of the festive season and highlighting the importance of maintaining robust infection prevention and control measures.
Aged & Community Care Providers Association has also been encouraging aged care providers to administer Covid-19 vaccinations as well as make use of resources to stay updated about the virus, said chief executive officer Tom Symondson.
“It’s vital we all remain vigilant about the dangers of Covid, particularly in residential aged care because older Australians are the most vulnerable,” Mr Symondson told AAA.
“We know that complacency is a big risk. It’s vital we don’t become complacent and do everything possible to minimise the risk of Covid, as well as other infections for all Australians and particularly vulnerable Australians. We encourage family and friends visiting aged care facilities and staff attending work to follow the guidelines. If you are sick and have any symptoms, it’s best to protect loved ones and delay visiting them.”