Castlemaine Health’s highest priority is keeping our patients, residents, staff and the wider community safe.

In response to the stage 3 restrictions in Victoria, and the credible risk of COVID-19 community transmission, we have made the difficult decision to prohibit non-essential visitors. Visitor restrictions apply to our Geroe Acute and Connolly Rehabilitation units. A lockdown has been put in place across residential aged care.

CEO Ian Fisher said: “The visiting restrictions and lockdown will remain in place until 12 noon Friday, 24 July. By then we expect to have a clearer picture of the local situation. This isn’t easy for anyone and I recognise that. Our priority is the protection of our patients, residents, staff, and our community.”

Exceptions will be place for special circumstances, such as visitors for palliative care patients and residents. We’d encourage people in those circumstances to please get in touch with your Nurse Unit Manager to discuss your arrangements.

New requirements have also been introduced across Victoria for the wearing of masks in hospitals. As a result, all essential visitors to Castlemaine Health are now required to wear a mask for the duration of their visit. This is in addition to the health screening and temperature checks on entry.

Ian Fisher said: “I’d like to thank everyone for their support and patience. I’d also like to thank our Castlemaine Health staff who are doing a marvellous job in very trying circumstances. We mustn’t forget that we’re all in this together so let’s continue doing everything we can to keep each other safe.”

All existing entry requirements such as temperature checks and health screen questions remain in place. The breakdown of visitor restrictions in full can be found on our website at www.castlemainehealth.org.au/coronavirus/visiting-during-covid19

Geroe Acute and Connolly Rehabilitation

Essential visitors include:

• A parent, guardian or temporary carer of patient aged under 18 years
• A carer of a patient with a disability
• A spouse or support person of a pregnant patient.

Visitors will also be permitted to enter the hospital if they are:

• accompanying a patient to the Urgent Care Centre
• accompanying a patient to an outpatient appointment
• at the hospital for end of life support
• at the hospital for a care and support visit.

Residential aged care

The lockdown means that visitors cannot enter our aged care homes to visit residents in person and residents cannot leave their residence for visits or excursions. Lockdowns are an established protocol in aged care homes during an outbreak of communicable disease.

What you need to keep doing

 We all need to:

• practice good hygiene
• maintain physical distancing, keep at least 1.5 metres away from others
• understand the risk and symptoms
• help continue to slow the spread of COVID-19 by getting tested, even if you have mild symptoms
• stay home and avoid contact if you’re feeling unwell
• take care wherever you go, assume others may be carrying the virus

More information is available on the DHHS website at www.dhhs.vic.gov.au/coronavirus.