Over 100 residents were reportedly being managed by just two nurses when the Australian Defence Force (ADF) arrived at Melbourne’s Epping Gardens aged care facility.
The Australian reports no staff on the night shift were familiar with the nursing home or its 110 residents, which led the ADF to conclude infection controls were problematic.
The ADF provided the information as part of a response to a question on notice from the Senate inquiry scrutinising the Federal Government’s response to the pandemic.
“On arrival they received a handover from an enrolled nurse. At this time, no staff on the night shift were familiar with the facility or the residents,” the ADF said.
“The staff were informed that 70 residents had tested positive to COVID-19 and the remaining 20 residents were symptomatic. It was apparent that infection control procedures were problematic, requiring remediation as a priority.”
