One of the Port's largest aged care centres has moved to 'full lock down' of its residential facilities following the latest outbreak of coronavirus on the Tomaree Peninsula.
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Port Stephens Veterans and Citizens Aged Care Ltd, which trades as Harbourside Haven, went into full lockdown on Wednesday morning, restricting physical access to visitors for a period of 14 days "when the situation would be revisited".
General manager Sheree Gemmell said that the safety of the 400-plus residents and more than 300 staff across their Shoal Bay and Fingal Bay facilities was paramount, and that the decision to restrict access had the overwhelming support of residents.
"We risk assessed the current COVID-19 situation overnight on Wednesday, July 22, and made the decision to go into full restricted access for all visitors for an initial period of 14 days. We will revisit this after this period," she said.
"We have been consulting with our residents and families on an ongoing basis to ensure that we meet the needs of our residents and clients. Their health and well-being is at the centre of all our decisions.
"Our community service will continue to service our at risk residents in the community and other services will be modified to ensure client, staff health and safety. We appreciate that we are in very difficult times but our focus is on risk mitigation strategies, prevention and management of COVID-19 across all of our services."
The decision followed the news that a Port Stephens man aged in his 60s had contracted COVID-19 following a visit by a Sydney man. The Port man had visited Salamander Bay Square shopping centre on July 15 before displaying virus symptoms the following day.
Hunter New England Health has advised Port residents who visited the shopping centre on July 15 to watch for any COVID-19 symptoms and should any be detected, to get tested.
Ms Gemmell said that families and loved ones of residents would be encouraged to make contact through window visits, video technology and telephone calls.
"Any family with concerns about contact protocols are welcome to contact our service managers."
She said that all Harbourside and Fingal staff had received updated training in both infection control and outbreak management.
"This is in addition to the already existing mandatory training. Our staff are screened daily and extra precautions are being taken with residents."
The Port Stephens local government area is in the top three for ageing populations in NSW and therefore, due to the aged being on of the most vulnerable to COVID-19, required the highest level of precaution, said Tomaree Business Chamber president Leah Anderson.
"The chamber will be meeting later today to see what support we can offer businesses following this latest outbreak," Ms Anderson said.
"In the meantime we urge the entire community to heed the health warnings and follow the messaging, particularly with good hygiene, social and physical distancing and wear a face mask when out in the public."
