Due to age and underlying health conditions many residents are far more vulnerable to the virus, even if double vaccinated.

It's also more likely the virus will be shared with other vulnerable people, due to the close proximity of residents to one another.

Read more: Young man behind bars for violent home invasion in Lake Heights: court

So what has that meant for Christmas?

Fortunately, most residents have been able to share Christmas celebrations with family.

However, given the rising case numbers across the state, centres have had to implement strict protocols to minimise the risk of catching - and spreading - the virus within care settings.

A spokesperson for IRT shared the procedures they are using to keep residents safe and connected to their families.

"We are following the NSW Chief Health Officer's guidelines for returning residents to have a Rapid Antigen Test on days two, four and seven after they return to the centre," the spokesperson said.

"We are also monitoring residents closely for any symptoms.

"In some cases residents also have a PCR test on return and isolate in their rooms until cleared.

"Procedures for returning residents are based on an individual risk assessment, including whether the resident has had any potential exposure to COVID positive family members and whether they are experiencing any symptoms."

The Illawarra Mercury newsroom is funded by our readers. You can subscribe to support our journalism here

Sign up for breaking news emails below ...