Healthcare service prepared
Asurge in coronavirus cases in Melbourne has Wimmera hospital staff on edge, prompting a call to stay alert and continue to follow physical-distancing advice.
Pandemic planning introduced at all Wimmera healthcare facilities at the start of the year has prepared staff for the worst case scenario.
Wimmera Health Care Group, WHCG, infection control co-ordinator Jenny Vague is confident the rural hospitals are well-placed to deal with an outbreak.
But she warns residents must stay alert as their collective response is the only chance at preventing community transmission.
This comes after Victoria recorded its ninth consecutive day of triple-digit case numbers and Swan Hill, Greater Bendigo, Geelong and Shepparton were among municipalities that presented with new cases in the past week.
“There’s a feeling of what’s to come. We’re back to those similar feelings we had in the beginning of the pandemic where you’re just not quite sure,” Mrs Vague said.
“We need to appreciate we’re experiencing a case spike that’s driven by community transmission – it’s definitely circulating in communities.”
Up to 40 tests a day
WHCG is testing about 30 to 40 people for COVID-19 each day – up from 10 a day just two weeks ago.
Mrs Vague said although the testing rate was up, she encouraged more people to come forward if they were feeling unwell.
“Stay home and if you’re not well call up the hospital’s COVID-19 clinic and make an appointment to get tested,” she said.
Mrs Vague said it was up to the community and how it responded to control any potential outbreaks.
“It’s not a blame game, it’s about being as smart as we can in containing what is a contagious virus – keep physical distance, stay at home, get tested,” she said.
“It’s up to us to do the right thing, no government can control it. The only people who can control the outbreak of COVID-19 is the community.”
Mrs Vague said she was concerned people were flouting social-distancing advice and travelling unnecessarily.
“The best thing we can do to help with that is to not move around the state unless you have to,” she said.
“Even though we’re not in stagethree restrictions here, do you need to go somewhere, do you really need to go somewhere? Just because you can, doesn’t mean it’s the right thing for your community.”
Mrs Vague said she was confident in the hospital’s ability to deal with an outbreak.
“In March we were running around with our hands in the air, but now we’ve had time to plan,” she said.
“The Grampians region is in a really good position.”
Mrs Vague said hospital staff were still on high alert despite having no active cases for several months.
“Everything has a whole new layer – we’re trying our best to give the best care we can with additional precautions, which is just a new normal,” she said.
“It has put a lot of pressure on – but the hospital staff are to be congratulated, because they’ve worked really hard and we are in a better spot to deal with it than we were four months ago.”
Mrs Vague said it was critical people followed physical-distancing measures, keep 1.5 metres apart from others, maintain hand hygiene and stay home if unwell.