COVID-19 update – 13 October 2021

COVID-19 cases in the region

Over the past two weeks to 10 October 2021 there have been 1588 locally acquired cases in the CESPHN region, a 35% decrease over the previous period. The largest concentrations are in the following Local Government Areas (LGAs) Canterbury-Bankstown (409), Bayside (256), Sydney (208) Randwick (203), Georges River (179), and Inner West (96).

Click here for all the latest information relating to the NSW outbreak including case locations and alerts.

See here for information on the latest testing locations.

Please remember to refer your patients to a GP respiratory clinic if they need a respiratory assessment. You can find contact details here.

Vaccination update

Within the region 85% of the population aged 15 and over have received one vaccine dose and 73% are fully vaccinated (a 5% increase from last week). 15% of the population remain unvaccinated. The number of vaccinations administered last week decreased by 21% from the previous week. You can view vaccination uptake by postcode and local government area here.

Now that we are reaching the stage where most people have been vaccinated general practices are encouraged to contact:

• Patients aged 12 – 15yrs that can now be vaccinated
• Patients over 60yrs who have not yet been vaccinated – they now have the choice of vaccine
• Patients unable to leave their homes – can you help vaccinate those patients or refer them to our Vax at Home program
• The RACFs that you would normally support – can you help vaccinate any residents that are still in need of vaccinating; those that have now decided to be vaccinated; or new residents coming into the facility
• Local general practices close to your practice to ask if they need more vaccine stock, so you can transfer
• Local disability group homes that you normally support to see if they need their residents vaccinated

General practices that need additional Pfizer or Astra Zeneca vaccine should contact our practice support team via coronavirus@cesphn.com.au and we can facilitate transfers.

Changes in protocols – suspected, confirmed, close and casual contacts

NSW Health have changed the protocols for suspected, confirmed, close and casual contacts and this will have implications for primary health care providers.  Please see the information in the following link: https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/Infectious/covid-19/Pages/isolation-guidelines.aspx

Please see below for a range of fact sheets.

• People with COVID-19 symptoms: Fact sheet for people who develop symptoms of COVID-19.
• Confirmed cases: Fact sheet for people who have tested positive for COVID-19.
• Close contacts: Fact sheet for people who have been identified as a close contact of a person with COVID-19.
• Casual contacts: Fact sheet for people who have been identified as a casual contact of a person with COVID-19.
• Release and recovery from COVID-19: Factsheet for people who have had COVID-19 leaving isolation.    

Third COVID-19 vaccine for severely immunocompromised individuals

ATAGI recommends a third primary dose of COVID-19 vaccine in severely immunocompromised individuals, to be given 2-6 months after their second dose. An mRNA vaccine (Pfizer or Moderna) is preferred for the third dose, but Vaxzevria (AstraZeneca) is also acceptable. These third doses are provided as part of the primary course, they are not boosters.

Please proactively reach out to any of your patients with one of the identified conditions who are fully vaccinated to book them in for their third dose, 2 to 6 months after their second dose. See Eligible conditions for a third primary dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.

ATAGI will provide further advice on booster doses for healthcare workers, older adults and the general population separately.

Community vaccination locations

You can find vaccination options via the Vaccine Eligibility Checker. Locations of LHD community vaccination clinics, no booking and no Medicare needed are below:

• PCYC Eastern Suburbs – 26A Bunnerong Road, Daceyville, 9.30 am – 3.00 pm, Monday 11 October – Thursday 14 October
• Caringbah Senior Citizens Centre – 376-382 Port Hacking Road, Caringbah, 10.00 am – 4.00 pm, Monday 11 October – Thursday14 October
• The Sutherland Hospital – Corner Kingsway and Kareena Road, Caringbah 9.00 am – 4.00 pm, Tuesday 12 October – Friday 15 October
• Sydney Hospital/Sydney Eye Hospital – Bicentennial Clinic balcony, 8 Macquarie St, Sydney, 9.00 am – 4.00 pm, Friday 15 October
• Club Rivers – 32 Littleton Street, Riverwood, 10.00 am – 4.00 pm, Monday 18 October – Friday 22 October
• St Matthews Anglican Church – 1331 Botany Rd (corner Lord St), Botany, 9.30 am – 3.00 pm, Monday 18 October to Friday 22 October
• Kensington Park Community Centre – 1 Day Lane, Kensington, 10.00am -4.00pm, Sunday 17 October
• Northcott Community Centre – 163 Devonshire Street, Surry Hills, 9.30 am – 3.00 pm, every Monday
• The Hub @ Lexo – Lexington Place, Maroubra, 9.30 am – 3.00 pm, every Friday
• Chifley Vaccination clinic – Namatjira Place, Chifley, 9.15am – 12.00 pm, every Thursday
• Koori Vaccination Clinic – Redfern Post Office, 119 Redfern Street, Redfern, 10.00am – 4.00pm, Tuesday to Saturday Make a booking
• Oznam Learning Centre – 99 Forbes Street, Woolloomooloo, 9.30 am – 4.00 pm every Thursday
• Stapleton Avenue Community Centre – 3A Stapleton Avenue, entry on Belmont Street, Sutherland, 10.00am – 4.00pm, Saturday 16 October and Sunday 17 October

Bookings are also available at the following vaccination clinics:

• Flourish Australia Centre – 43 Buckingham Street, Surry Hills, Monday to Friday, 9.00 am to 3.30pm Book here
• Alf Kay Vaccination Clinic – 2 Florence Avenue, Eastlakes, Monday to Friday, 10.00 am to 2.00 pm Book here
• Centennial Park Vaccination Clinic – 22 – 32 King Street Randwick (UNSW Building R14), The clinic is open from 8:00am – 4:00pm on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. Bookings required through vaccine clinic finder.
• Peter Forsyth Auditorium – Francis St Corner, Franklyn St, Glebe, 10.00am -4.00pm, Friday 15 October, Saturday 16 October Book here
• Ultimo Community Centre – 40 William Henry Street, Ultimo, 10.00 am to 4.00 pm Monday to Friday Book here

Disability vaccination hubs

There are several disability vaccination hubs located across the region. Find details and  booking information here: Disability vaccination hubs

These hubs are set up to vaccinate people with a disability, their carers, and Disability Support Workers.

CESPHN Vax at Home program

We are aware that some people in our community may not be able to access a GP or vaccination hub to receive a COVID-19 vaccination.  As a result CESPHN in partnership had developed the Vax at Home program.

The CESPHN Vax at Home Program is ONLY for those people who are housebound and not able to leave their house to receive a COVID-19 vaccination (their carers will also be able to be vaccinated).  

Patient self-referrals will NOT be accepted. Patients should speak with their GP for referral to this program if appropriate. Referrals can be accepted from General Practitioners and Disability Provider Organisations only. Referrals for people who live in the Sydney Local Health District can be emailed to SLHD-AHCCR-InreachClinic@health.nsw.gov.au

Referrals should include:

• Name of patient
• Date of Birth
• Patients residential address and contact details
• Name of usual GP.
• Medicare details
• Contact details of any carers.

This service is now operational and accepting referrals (please note there might be some delays as we respond to demand). 

Free infection control advice

CESPHN is pleased to offer general practices and community pharmacies the opportunity to have a specialised one-on-one consultation session with an experienced primary care infection control educator. This consult will enable your practice/pharmacy to:

• Send questions prior to the consultation session about your practice
• Ask questions on infection control that relates to your practice.

Sessions will be via ‘Zoom’ and will be up to 50 minutes in duration and can be recorded for later use. The aim of these sessions is to support practices and community pharmacies to ensure they have the strongest infection procedures in place and provide tips for improvement where needed. If you would like more information or would like to book a consultation, please email your interest to coronavirus@cesphn.com.au and in the subject line write: “Yes I would like infection control advice”.

Additional PPE available

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) packages including surgical and N95/P2 masks, face shields, gloves, gowns and goggles and face shields will be made available for community pharmacies and those GPs who continue to see their patients within their practices. PPE guidelines can be found here. CESPHN will continue to distribute these supplies. To order PPE for your practice or pharmacy click here.

COVID-19 exposure in health care settings

The Commonwealth Health Department has released a new framework for cases of COVID-19 exposure in health care settings Work permissions and restrictions framework for workers in health care settings – The Framework provides a process and tools to support exposure assessment, work restriction and return to work decision making for workers in health care settings.

Tools to assist the assessment include: Risk matrix for workers who are fully vaccinated for COVID-19; Risk matrix for workers who are unvaccinated or partially vaccinated for COVID-19; and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) breach risk assessment and actions 

Finding your way COVID-19 vaccine resources for Aboriginal people and health professionals

A shared decision making model and resources called Finding your way, created with mob, for mob, are now available.

Aboriginal people and healthcare professionals can use the model and resources to yarn and make decisions together about the COVID-19 vaccine. Finding your way encourages yarning to make shared and informed decisions about having the COVID-19 vaccine.

The model was culturally adapted with key members of the Aboriginal community and features artwork by Aboriginal artist Belinda Coe. The model’s eight inner circles represent the core elements of shared decision making and provide question prompts and suggestions for yarning about COVID-19 vaccination.

The model and resources:

• reflect the core elements of evidence-based shared decision making
• take a holistic approach to health and wellbeing
• incorporate important Aboriginal cultural factors.

Start yarning today – use the resources available online.

New Aboriginal Vaccination Communications Toolkit

The NSW Ministry of Health has shared the latest Aboriginal Vaccination Communications Toolkit. This toolkit is designed for anyone who communicates with Aboriginal communities or who serves Aboriginal stakeholders and people. 

This updated Aboriginal resources toolkit has been developed to help you communicate important COVID-19 vaccine information with your communities. The toolkit includes:

• Key messages about vaccination
• Let’s Do This campaign assets
• Templates to create localised content
• Video, radio and social media assets to share on your channels

Most resources in the toolkit can be found on the Ministry of Health Aboriginal Resources page.

Guide for GP discussions with patients at risk of severe illness related to COVID-19

This guide helps doctors talk with their vulnerable patients about ways they can manage their increased risk of severe illness from COVID-19, and discuss how this risk is modified by the local epidemiology, COVID-19 vaccination status of the individual and vaccination rates in the community and the activities they wish to undertake in the community.

For patients who are assessed as being at high or moderate risk of severe illness from COVID-19, develop a COVID-19 action plan that considers their wishes and priorities and helps them manage their risk and maintain a lifestyle that has quality and meaning.

Webinars

Got questions about COVID-19 vaccination for children 12+?

South Eastern Sydney Local Health District is hosting two online family Q&A sessions:

• Wednesday 13 October 5.00 pm: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/89521434608
• Thursday 14 October 6.00 pm: https://us/us06web.zoom.us/j/88994703197

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