Further to last evening’s memo about a staff member who worked at Footscray Radiology on Monday, 16 August testing positive for COVID-19, I’m writing to update you on what we are asking of staff to minimise risk for our patients and colleagues.
Any staff that have travelled through the Medical Imaging Department, including the administration area and Nuclear Medicine for any period of time between the dates Monday 2 August and Sunday 15 August 2021 please:
- attend the Footscray Asymptomatic Testing Clinic which has been set up in Footscray Private Consulting Rooms from today between 07:30 and 16:00
- these staff do not need to isolate whilst waiting for their test result to return, so can continue to work wearing a N95 mask and eye protection.
For any staff that staff that travelled through the Medical Imaging Department, including the administration area and Nuclear Medicine for any period of time on Monday 16 August 2021 please:
- Contact the WH COVID Contact Tracing team and give them your details, as well as what PPE you were wearing, where you went and how long you were in the department, and at what time via WH COVID Contact Tracing WHCOVIDContactTracing@wh.org.au. Openly sharing as much detailed information as possible is helpful with contact tracing.
- If you do not have any COVID symptoms, please attend the Footscray Asymptomatic Testing Clinic which has been set up in Footscray Private Consulting Rooms from today between 07:30 and 16:00.
- Staff without COVID symptoms do not need to isolate whilst waiting for their test result to return, so can continue to work wearing a N95 mask and eye protection.
- Await Infection Prevention to contact you to discuss next steps.
A reminder that in addition, any staff are able to attend the Sunshine Hospital COVID Testing Clinic is open from 09:00 to 17:30 each day.
For staff that were rostered to work in the Medical Imaging Department, including the administration area and Nuclear Medicine for any period of time on Monday 16 August 2021, Infection Prevention will be contacting you as part of contact tracing and will provide instructions based on the individuals circumstances.
We are asking all staff to be honest as our contact tracing teams continue to work hard to identify close contacts:
- If you are identified as a close contact, you will be contacted by Infection Prevention and would then then be required to enter quarantine on paid COVID leave.
- If you are not identified as a close contact and do not have symptoms, then you are able to continue to work as normal.
For any staff with any COVID symptoms, not matter how mild, please:
- Do not attend work
- Immediately isolate
- Contact the COVID staff enquiries and give them your details
- Attend Sunshine Hospital COVID Testing Clinic is open from 09:00 to 17:30 each day.
General questions can be directed to COVID Staff Enquiries via email at whscovid-19staffclinicenquiries@wh.org.au
TESTING
Footscray Hospital
Asymptomatic testing for staff is available in the Footscray Private Consulting Rooms today, tomorrow and Friday between 7.30am and 4pm. As there is limited space available, this testing is aimed at staff on shift. In times of high demand, staff may be advised to return at a later time.
Sunshine Hospital
The Sunshine Hospital COVID Testing Clinic is open from 9am- 5.30pm daily (9am-10am is for staff only).
As is always the case, any staff member who is experiencing symptoms, or who has attended an exposure site or assessed as being a close contact of a case, should not attend work and should go to the Sunshine COVID Testing Clinic for testing immediately.
This is a timely reminder about the importance of completing break room logs and filling in the Daily Attestation. Please also remember that N95 masks and eye protection must be worn by all staff in clinical areas. Under no circumstances should staff consume food or drinks in clinical areas.
Thanks for keeping updated.
Regards,
Natasha