One of the Government’s major announcements to address the aged care outbreaks in Victoria was five new mobile COVID-19 testing teams to test staff and residents in aged care homes across metropolitan Melbourne and the Mitchell Shire – but less than two weeks into their roll out, the measure has hit a snag.
All five units, which are operated by private medical provider Aspen Medical, have been suspended after two staff tested positive to the virus.
One of the staff members had visited St Basil’s Home for the Aged in Fawkner, where 159 residents, staff and close contacts have been diagnosed with COVID-19. The other man had not worked at any aged care homes – however he had interacted with staff from the five testing units.
The Department of Health has confirmed to us that all of the aged care homes visited by the teams have been notified, and all staff who worked in the clinics are now in self-isolation “pending the public health unit assessment of close contacts.”
Their spokesperson added “the testing teams will recommence their work when all staff are cleared.”
