More than 90 residents of a Wollongong aged care home are isolating in their rooms after two residents contracted COVID-19.
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IRT Tarrawanna Aged Care Centre has implemented its outbreak management plan and begun daily meetings with the Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District and Commonwealth agencies to manage the situation.
All residents and staff have been tested (not all results have been received) and 27 employees who came into with the two residents have been put on paid leave.
IRT chief executive officer Patrick Reid said the residents who tested positive for COVID were fully vaccinated, and one was asymptomatic while the other had only mild symptoms.
He said both were offered transport to hospital but declined, and they - along with all other residents - were being monitored with observations taken multiple times throughout the day.
Surveillance testing will also continue among both residents and staff.
IRT said 87.5 per cent of residents were fully vaccinated and 95 per cent had had their first dose, while almost all staff were fully vaccinated, with a small number awaiting their second dose.
Mr Reid said residents had been provided entertainment in their room, including isolation packs that included things to read and other activities, and could access video and audio calls with family and loved ones.
This is the fourth isolation event the residents have experienced in the past two years.
"It is a pretty difficult time, but they are a resilient bunch," Mr Reid said.
He said the isolation process typically lasted about 15 days.
Staff are keeping residents informed of the situation and their family members are being updated with regular phone calls.
Mr Reid thanked residents, their next-of-kin and staff for their work in keeping everyone safe.
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