There are now 1528 locally acquired cases of COVID-19 in NSW reported since 16 June 2021. Click here for all the latest information relating to the NSW outbreak including case locations and alerts. Over the past two weeks to 19 July 2021 there have been 226 locally acquired cases in the CESPHN region. These have been concentrated in the following Local Government Areas (LGAs) Canterbury-Bankstown (57), Georges River (34), Bayside (29), Waverley (29), Randwick (22) and Sutherland (22).
See here or check our website for information on the latest testing locations within the region. Numerous new pop-up clinics have been established and anyone with symptoms or who has been to identified case locations should get tested.
NSW Health is extending its surveillance testing program to health and aged care workers who live in the Canterbury-Bankstown LGA. From Friday 23 July, a person who lives in the Canterbury-Bankstown LGA and who works in health or aged care can only work outside of the Canterbury-Bankstown LGA if the person has been tested for COVID-19 in the previous 72 hours. These workers include all those who work in aged care facilities and all those who provide health services or ancillary or support services, including those such as cleaners, cooks, and security providers.
Additional PPE available
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) packages including surgical and N95/P2 masks, gloves, gowns and goggles willbe made available for 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 click here.
Vaccination rollout progress in our region
In the last week, an additional 45,716 doses of COVID-19 vaccines were administered to people living in the CESPHN region. Of these additional doses, 30 per cent were AstraZeneca vaccines and 70 per cent were Pfizer vaccines. This brings the total doses of vaccines administered to people living in the CESPHN region to 458,983 doses as at 18 July 2021, with 49 per cent AstraZeneca vaccines and 51 per cent Pfizer vaccines. An estimated 15.9 per cent of total doses required have been administered to people living in the region.
The below graph shows the estimated proportion of vaccinations given. This graph will be updated on a weekly basis.
CESPHN have developed a suite of videos in community languages from local GPs and other health workers in the central and eastern Sydney region to convey the message to stay home, get tested and get vaccinated.
You can view the video suite here. We currently have videos in English, Arabic, Korean, German, Tamil, Bengali, Serbian, Bahasa, Mandarin, Cantonese, Greek, Afrikaans and Uyghur, with more videos to be added over the coming weeks.
Cases of COVID transmission in general practices and pharmacies on the rise
Many of the COVID-19 case locations in Sydney have been general practices and pharmacies. In the past two weeks, 27 pharmacies and 13 medical centres in Sydney have been identified as COVID-19 exposure sites and have had to temporarily close. Now more than ever it is important to keep your staff and patients safe and ensure your practice/ pharmacy can keep operating.
Reminders for pharmacies:
Minimise contacts with patients and numbers of people able to enter the pharmacy at any time
Ensure comprehensive signage at the door reminding people not to enter if they have any respiratory symptoms or have visited a known case location
Offer easy options for patients to contact you to arrange delivery of medications
Remind people with respiratory symptoms to ask someone else to collect their medication.
Reminders for general practice:
Use telehealth and video consultations wherever possible
Avoid keeping any patients in the waiting room for long periods
Wear a mask and eye protection for all patients and full PPE if examining patients
If your patient has a respiratory illness and requires a physical examination refer your patients to a GP respiratory clinic.
Encourage patients to obtain a COVID-19 test with even the mildest of symptoms and remind them to stay at home in isolation until they obtain the results.
Encourage patients to get vaccinated
Ensure all patients/carers sign in using the QR code
Ensure patients do not enter your practice if they are awaiting COVID-19 test results
Don’t put your local pharmacist at risk:
Use e-prescribing where possible
Fax or email prescriptions to pharmacies for any patient with a respiratory virus
Suggest the patient get their medication delivered or picked up by a friend or relative.
Upcoming webinars
Fighting the Delta variant
Join Associate Professor Nicholas Wood, Associate Director, Clinical Research and Services, NCIRS Senior Staff Specialist as he discusses:
COVID-19 vaccines and the conversations GPs need to be having with their patients
practical information to assist GPs in having the AstraZeneca risk/benefit conversation
the link between myocarditis and Pfizer vaccination
impacts different strains of COVID-19 have on the effectiveness of vaccines
the conversation and current data around mixing COVID-19 vaccines.
You will also hear practical tips and insights from a local GP on how they run their vaccination clinic, and then from an RN on how they are running their nurse led clinics and drawing up vaccines.
Register here for the webinar this Thursday 22 July 7.00 pm – 8.30 pm.
Challenging communication in challenging times
Join Michelle Horswood and Katrina Otto as they help you navigate anger, overwhelm and give practical strategies for dealing with challenging situations.
Learn communication strategies to diffuse angry conversations.
Explore strategies used by experienced practice staff.
Understand the importance of everyday self-care.
Register here for the webinar Monday 26 July 7.00 pm – 8.00 pm
RACGP Thrombosis and Thrombocytopenia Syndrome (TTS) and the use of the AstraZeneca vaccine in younger populations
Register here for the webinar Monday 26 July 7.00 pm – 8.00 pm
RACGP NSW, NSW Health and NCIRS COVID-19 update webinar
Register here for the webinar Monday 9 August 7.00 pm – 8.00 pm
Advice for women who received their first dose of AstraZeneca and are now pregnant
New guidance advises that women who received their first dose of AstraZeneca and are now pregnant can receive their second dose of either AstraZeneca or Pfizer, although Pfizer is preferred. Pregnant women should be routinely offered Pfizer at any stage of pregnancy. Pregnant women with COVID-19 have an increased risk of severe illness and adverse pregnancy outcomes. It is noted they are not currently picked up by the Eligibility Checker, however Pfizer vaccination providers are encouraged to facilitate the vaccination of pregnant women, who are not otherwise eligible, if they have capacity.
Speak up for the community: Do you know someone who could give great input about health needs and services? voices4health is the place where people living in central and eastern Sydney can contribute to decision-making about health needs and services in the area where they live. This is a place…
Stay alert for meningococcal symptoms NSW Health is urging health professionals to be on alert for symptoms of meningococcal disease and act immediately if they appear after the notification of three recent cases. So far this year, there have been 19 cases of meningococcal disease reported in NSW. The majority…
Nominate for the 2023 CESPHN Primary Health Awards: The annual Central and Eastern Sydney PHN (CESPHN) Health Awards aims to recognise primary health care professionals and organisations that have provided exceptional service or an outstanding contribution to primary health care in the Central and Eastern region of Sydney during the…
Voices4Health – have your say about health services in your area Are you interested in having a say about health needs and health services in your area? voices4health is the place where people living in central and eastern Sydney can contribute to decision-making about health needs and services in the…
FIVE QUESTIONS is where we ask members of the community to talk about how they stay HEALTHY. General Manager First Nations Fashion + Design and Wiradjuri Woman living on Dharawal Country Emma Griggs (pictured below at the recent Australian Fashion Week 2023 at Carriageworks, Gadigal land), shared this: 1. What did…
Better care for aged care residents with My Health Record: What’s happening? This is to let you know about a new campaign to assist Commonwealth funded Residential Aged Care Facilities (RACFs) to register to use My Health Record. What’s the reason? The Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety…