Aged care operators have refused to support Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s call for bans on non-essential visitors to be eased, with the majority maintaining restrictions on visits by families.
The Australian Health Protection Principal Committee (AHPPC) has updated its advice on aged care facilities here.
But the providers we spoke to said they believe residents are still at risk because of the number of positive cases in the community – particularly those that were asymptomatic.
Some cited the 42 cases at Newmarch House – which began with an asymptomatic staff member – as clear evidence that their doors need to remain closed.
Providers said they will continue to monitor the situation and review visiting guidelines when it is deemed safe to do so.
The advice from the Government is that residents can have two visitors per day for a short amount of time, but many providers initiated ‘lockdowns’ in March as the pandemic worsened.
Other states have also put in place their own measures which differ from the Federal recommendations – South Australia’s new Emergency Management Direction for aged care homes only mandate one visit per day.
Tasmania – which banned non-essential visitors to its aged care homes and hospitals on 7 April –has rejected Mr Morrison’s plea with the state’s Public Health Director, Mark Veitch, announcing that its ban on most visits would remain for the time being.
The question now is: will the Federal Government seek to overrule the States?
