This week’s COVID developments have been a grim reminder of the importance of adhering to social distancing measures.
Victoria recorded its biggest daily increase since the start of the pandemic on Thursday, with 317 new active cases. The implications for ageing Victorians are troubling, to say the least.
COVID-19 has spread to 39 different nursing homes in Victoria in the last fortnight, with new infections in seven homes recorded in the space of 24 hours.
If the news seems glum, it’s because it is.
Federal Minister for Aged Care Richard Colbeck seemed like he was bracing for the worst in a grim interview on 3AW yesterday, saying the rise in infections is, “really alarming”.
“It’s going to be really tragic for families,” Colbeck added.
Victoria’s Chief Health Officer Professor Brett Sutton weighed in on Thursday on why he believes there’s a higher volume of outbreaks in aged care, compared to the first wave.
“We have got a bigger volume of community transmission that’s happening in Melbourne through this phase, compared to the first one,” Prof Sutton said.
“We’re seeing staff members, especially in the higher transmission areas, being exposed to the virus. As we really ramp up the stay at home directions, we’re hoping their exposures are limited to the fullest extent possible. They still have to do that work.”
Prof Sutton also noted there has been seeding of the virus caused by casual aged care staff who work across multiple facilities, noting that there are guidelines in place to minimise risk.
“We know some wouldn’t be able to function if they didn’t have that flexibility in place. It’s a risk and we need to manage it as best we can,” Prof Sutton added.
It seems like there’s no easy way out of the COVID crisis.
Now more than ever, cooperation is important.
