The recent rise in coronavirus cases in Victoria has been attributed to the virus spreading in workplaces, including aged care facilities.
Key points:
- Police and the workplace watchdog will target high-risk workplaces like call centres and meat processing facilities
- The State and Federal Governments have announced a funding package aimed at preventing aged care workers from moving across different facilities
- Visitation rules in aged care facilities will be tightened after a rise in cases
The state recorded 368 new confirmed coronavirus cases overnight, while 217 were announced on Saturday and a record-high 428 on Friday.
The latest wave of infections has been much more deadly than the last peak in March and April.
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews said "about 80 per cent" of the state's new infections since mid-May "are being driven by transmission in workplaces, including private-sector aged care".
The Government has announced Victoria Police, WorkSafe and Department of Health and Human Services officers will be focussing on high-risk workplaces.
This will include distribution centres, call centres and meat processing facilities.
An outbreak at a JBS abattoir in Brooklyn is linked to 35 infections, while a cluster linked to Somerville Retail Services has risen to 53 cases.
Businesses found to breach physical-distancing guidelines or other coronavirus restrictions already face an on-the-spot fine of nearly $10,000 and the possibility of further legal or financial penalties.
Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton said the state's new mandatory masks rule would help reduce the risk in workplaces.
"Workplace settings, sometimes with very large workforces who have to be in very close proximity, they can amplify the transmission," he said.
Visitation limits for aged care, plan to limit staff to single facilities
Tens of aged care homes in Victoria have been linked to coronavirus infections as cases have continued to climb.
Three new facilities — Bluecross Ruckers Hill in Northcote, Villa Maria Catholic Homes in Alphington and Japara Highbury in Glen Waverley — have detected a single case each.
Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt said all up, 103 residents and 120 staff had been infected across 29 residential care facilities and six home care services.
Victorian Health Minister Jenny Mikakos said there had been incidences in recent days of staff linked to outbreaks who had worked across multiple facilities.
Aged care workers are some of the lowest-paid in Australia, making about $23 an hour, and workers last week told the ABC they would suffer financial hardship if they could not work across multiple jobs.
The Victorian and Federal Governments today announced an aged care funding package aimed at keeping aged care staff working in single facilities.
The package will include additional entitlement funding, infection control training and five mobile testing sites targeted at aged care.
It will also provide an additional 1 million masks for regional Victorian aged care facilities and 1 million more masks for disability workers across the state.
The State Government already provides a $1,500 one-off hardship payment to any Victorian who is forced to miss work due to coronavirus quarantine.
From July 22, visitation will be restricted to those defined as carers only, with a limit of one hour per day.
Mr Hunt said the "challenging" restrictions were something people would never want, but "we recognise they are necessary".
https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMia2h0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmFiYy5uZXQuYXUvbmV3cy8yMDIwLTA3LTE5L3dvcmtwbGFjZS1jb3JvbmF2aXJ1cy10cmFuc21pc3Npb24taW4tdmljdG9yaWEtaW4tYWdlZC1jYXJlLzEyNDcwNzA00gEnaHR0cHM6Ly9hbXAuYWJjLm5ldC5hdS9hcnRpY2xlLzEyNDcwNzA0?oc=5
2020-07-19 04:27:00Z
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