COVID-19 update – Wednesday 17 November 2021

COVID-19 cases in the region   

COVID cases in our region increased slightly over the past fortnight. Over the past two weeks to 15 November 2021 there have been 531 locally acquired cases in the CESPHN region, a 6 per cent increase over the previous period. The largest concentrations are in the following Local Government Areas (LGAs) Canterbury-Bankstown (164) and Sydney (78).  

Click here for all the latest information relating to the NSW outbreak.

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.

Management of COVID-positive patients

Low risk COVID positive patients who have been double vaccinated can be safely managed in primary care using telehealth and following COVID care pathways. Our two CESPHN HealthPathways sites already have local pathways in place to provide guidance around this.

• Sydney HealthPathways COVID-19 case management pathway.
• South Eastern Sydney Health Pathways COVID-19 case management tools and resources

Vaccination update 

Within the region 87% of the population aged 15 and over have received one vaccine dose and 85% are fully vaccinated (a 1% increase from last week). 13% of the population remain unvaccinated.

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

Vaccinating practices who would like to order smaller doses of Pfizer vaccine are asked to contact the PHN. If you would like to deliver the Moderna vaccine please also contact coronavirus@cesphn.com.au.

We are strongly encouraging general practices and pharmacists to review their patients and identify those who are unvaccinated and arrange COVID-19 vaccination for them.

Changes to self-isolation period

The Communicable Diseases Network Australia (CDNA) have revised their guidance on how long a confirmed case of COVID-19 is required to self-isolate. Fully vaccinated cases who meet clinical criteria can NOW be released from isolation 10 days after their symptom onset date, or after their positive test if asymptomatic. This was previously 14 days.

Further information on changes to self-isolation periods for COVID-19 cases can be found in the following documents:

• CDNA Guidance
• NSW Health SoNG Appendix
• NSW Health confirmed cases of COVID-19 factsheet

New research: COVID-19 vaccinations highly effective 

NSW Health has released a report showing fully vaccinated people were significantly less likely to become seriously ill or die and were better protected from acquiring COVID-19 during the Delta outbreak in NSW, a report from NCIRS and NSW Health has shown.

The findings are highlighted in the latest NSW Health in Focus report which shows that those who were not vaccinated against COVID-19 were 16 times more likely to die or end up in intensive care during our recent Delta outbreak. The report also makes it clear fully vaccinated people were significantly less likely to become infected with COVID-19.

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:

• 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
• Shark Park
  461 Captain Cook Drive, Woolooware
  10.00 am – 2.00 pm, Sunday 14 November
  For Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders and household members 12 years and over

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.
• Ultimo Community Centre
  40 William Henry Street, Ultimo
  11.00 am to 4.00 pm Monday to Friday
  Book here

Booster vaccinations available

Booster vaccinations for COVID-19 are available at the following times and locations for anyone over 18 who had their second dose at least six months ago.

COVID-19 webinars and podcasts

• Healthed COVID-19 webcast: Tuesday 23 November at 6.00 pm – 8.00 pm AEST. Click here to register. Medical Virologist and Infectious Diseases Physician, Prof Dominic Dwyer will bring the latest information with regard to what health professionals need to know. The face of COVID is changing and all primary health providers need to ensure they continue to be up-to-date and well-informed.
• Join the latest COVID-19 vaccine live stream update for GPs: The panel will provide latest key updates and answer participants’ questions live about the COVID-19 vaccine rollout. Get involved by submitting questions and comments! Details: Thursday 18 November, 11.30 am (AEDT) | Click link to join
• NCIRS webinar: COVID-19 in children and adolescents: vaccines, transmission at school and disease outcomes: Time: Wednesday 8 December 12:00 – 1:30pm AEDT. Register here. The final webinar for 2021 will focus on COVID-19 in children and adolescents with an update on:
  • vaccine recommendations and safety in children and adolescents
  • the latest data on transmission in schools in Australia, including the experience in NSW since the return to face-to-face learning
  • outcomes in children with COVID-19 and long-term follow-up.
• NPS Podcast: Talking to parents about the COVID vaccine: In this episode, NPS MedicineWise medical advisor Dr Caroline West interviews Professor Julie Leask to discuss the COVID 19 vaccination and its availability to children over the age of 12. They discuss the hesitancy some parents have toward the vaccines and how to address the questions parents have. The podcast is available on the NPS MedicineWise website or wherever you get your podcasts.
• RACGPCOVID related webinars:

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 has 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 and for South Eastern Sydney Local Health District please email vaxinhomesesydney@gmail.com

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.  

Free infection control advice

CESPHN is pleased to offer general practices, community pharmacies and allied health 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.