MASK UP, SAY HEALTHCARE HEROES
AS Geelong recorded nine new coronavirus cases yesterday, a team of the city’s frontline healthcare professionals urged local residents to wear a mask and stay apart to help beat the pandemic.
OUR healthcare heroes are urging Geelong to mask up to help guard against coronavirus as cases climb in the region.
Barwon Health is understood to have called a code grey on Wednesday after a support worker for an elderly person arrived at Geelong hospital and refused to wear a mask.
A code grey is a response to actual or potential violent, aggressive, abusive or threatening behaviour by patients or visitors that creates a risk to health and safety.
Following updated advice from the Chief Health Officer earlier this month, Barwon Health staff now wear a mask when seeing a patient and when it is difficult to keep 1.5m from others.
While masks are mandatory for Melbourne residents, regional Victorians are asked to wear a mask if they can’t socially distance.
Barwon Health spokeswoman Kate Bibby said staff had embraced the new guidelines, sharing selfies to support the message to mask-up.
“We’ve asked staff to send in a selfie in a mask to share the message with our community that they should wear a mask when social distancing is difficult,” Ms Bibby said.
“We know many people don’t feel symptoms of COVID-19 so it’s important to wear a mask to keep those around you safe.”
While hundreds of Victorian health workers have contracted the virus, there have been no positive tests among Barwon Health staff during the past three months.
The health service has tested more than 2500 staff for COVID-19 this year, with five positive results in late March and early April, including four returned travellers from Europe and the US.
Studies have recently shown that wearing face masks can reduce transmission of coronavirus by about 60 per cent.
The best way to protect others from COVID-19 is keeping 1.5m apart, washing your hands often and following cough etiquette.
Masks add an additional protective physical barrier to protect the community when keeping 1.5m apart is difficult.
Anyone visiting Barwon Health sites as an essential care giver is asked to wear a suitable mask.
If you don’t have a mask, one will be provided upon entry.
A group of more than 60 local health workers, including more than 40 general practitioners, is campaigning for masks alongside Barwon Health.
“To support and protect our local healthcare system, as GPs we stand united in recommending people wear face masks to prevent the spread of COVID-19,” spokesman Michael Axtens said.
“Many of us are first point of contact for people seeking care and our roles include supporting public health advice and our hospital system,” Dr Axtens said.
“We all have a role to play in keeping everyone well. We want those who can, to wear a mask when social/physical distancing is not possible.”