Temperature checks, restrictions on visitation, enhanced cleanliness - these are some of the measures being taken by the region's aged care homes to protect vulnerable residents against coronavirus.
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None of the aged care providers contacted by the Mercury this week have had any confirmed cases of COVID-19 among residents or staff. However all have put protective measures in place, and are carefully monitoring the situation as it evolves.
This includes following the advice of state and federal health departments, with providers this week encouraged to limit visits under national guidelines aimed at the prevention and control of coronavirus.
On Monday, Federal Aged Care Minister Richard Colbeck recommended that family and friends limit visits to residential care centres, particularly for residents already suffering from chronic illness: "Our plan is to slow the spread, to save lives".
An IRT spokesperson confirmed that visitors to its aged care centres in the Illawarra and beyond, were being restricted as a result of the growing COVID-19 threat.
"There are to be no non-essential visits. We are limiting visitation to compassionate visits only (eg family visiting residents who are in palliative care), only two visitors at a time for compassionate visits, and no children under 12," the spokesperson said.
"We understand this may be upsetting for some families; however we are implementing these measures for the health and well-being of our residents. We suggest any family members planning to visit should call the care centre to get the latest information."
IRT Group CEO Patrick Reid added that its homes were "well placed to manage infection".
"Every year we prepare to manage outbreaks of infectious diseases such as influenza or gastroenteritis," he said. "Our teams are well trained and attend regular refresher training in infection control and hand hygiene."
IRT was also reinforcing its infection control procedures - including isolating residents with any flu-like symptoms - and undertaking additional cleaning.
Marco Polo manager Robert O'Shea said all visitors and contractors were now required to sign in and out at its Unanderra and Woonona facilities - and to advise if they'd been overseas within the last 14 days.
"All persons who come on site at Marco Polo's Unanderra site - staff, visitors, contractors - are required to have their temperature checked to establish whether they have a heightened temperature," he said.
"If they do have a heightened temperature they are required to leave the facility."
Similar measures would soon be implemented at the Woonona facility.
"There are signs at each entry point at both facilities alerting people to the dangers of coronavirus and requesting that all persons wash their hands before entering the premises," Mr O'Shea added.
"More handwashing facilities are in place and directions on how to correctly wash hands are displayed."
Mr O'Shea said there were also contingencies in place for isolation and further restrictions on access, in the event of any outbreak.
Warrigal CEO Mark Sewell said the organisation had a COVID-19 prevention and response team that met regularly.
"We have put measures in place early as we are taking a very cautious position," he said. "Warrigal is very experienced in disease control measures because we deal with a susceptible group of people every day.
"We are implementing similar strategies and procedures that we use to manage any outbreak of an infectious disease to prevent or minimise COVID19 from entering our homes or other services."
This included strict infection measures such as regular, thorough handwashing and social distancing.
"One thing we are doing immediately is to ask all staff, volunteers and visitors to not come to any Warrigal aged care home if they have been to a high risk country, are feeling ill or don't need to be there," Mr Sewell added.
Warrigal also has contingency plans if isolation of patients is required, and has stopped staff or consultants visiting multiple services as "cross infection is a significant risk when a network of homes and services are managed in a group".
The aged care provider also has large teams of casual and emergency staff to deploy if required.
HammondCare has one aged care home in the region - HammondCare Horsley which provides dementia-specific care to about 90 residents.
As well as following latest government advice and guidelines for the aged care sector, special kits were available for residents and staff.
"As well as storerooms with relevant stock, every care home has an infection breakout kit that can be quickly deployed within the home with all the necessary personal protective equipment and other resources to quickly contain any spread of infection," a HammondCare spokesman said.
"As all our residents at Horsley have their own rooms and bathrooms, this would also assist if this was to occur."
Minister Colbeck said the health department would continue to work with aged care peak bodies to finalise more detailed guidance developed by the Communicable Diseases Network regarding visitor access, the management of non-compliant residents and physical distancing.
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