COVID-19 Response

Everyone is doing a good job but please do not get complacent, maintain your social distancing, hand hygiene and sanitiser and if you feel unwell get tested. 

What you need to know

• Restrictions for Greater Sydney including Blue Mountains, Northern Beaches, Central Coast and Wollongong
• Restrictions for regional and rural NSW
• Quarantine rules
• Checking in with QR codes

Residential Aged Care Facilities – Visit “Advice to Residential Aged Care Facilities” for current information regarding Aged Care Facilities and areas of concern.

Travel – within Hotspot suburbs and locations is restricted to essential travel only and the general need to travel should be reconsidered.

Meetings and Activities – face to face meetings should be avoided and only occur if a remote option is not available or appropriate. Meetings need to comply with current NSW restrictions for numbers.  In areas without these restrictions the Society recommends that meetings involving large numbers (anything over 10 people) should still be avoided if possible.

Face masks – Masks are mandatory for the Greater Sydney area on public transport including taxis / ride share and public transport waiting areas; and at airports and on commercial domestic flights.  Check here for when you need to wear a face mask.

In other circumstances, face masks are recommended by NSW Health where you are working indoors, where social distancing is hard to maintain, and or in a service provision role ‘front of house’ interacting with members of the public.

Current Vinnies requirements for wearing face masks

Each Directorate and business area may impose specific requirements to where face masks, if this is not clear enquire with your respective Manager to confirm.
As a general rule face masks are:

Mandatory to wear Masks as per NSW Health rules – public transport / domestic flights;

Strongly Recommended for when:

1. Where social distancing cannot be adhered to – eg: participating in training;
2. Work vehicles with more than one person;
3. Home visitation or attending clients/PWA homes – in situations where we do not control the environment.

If you are a COVIDSafe Champion monitor how things are in your workspace and contact your supervisor if you need assistance.

You can also contact the Employee Assistance Program Ph:1800 818 728 or your WHS Regional Partner.

Public Health Warnings and/or Advice – Check the Public Health Alerts

To view current news and media releases click here.

Key messages for the community are: 

• If you are unwell, get tested and isolate right away – don’t delay.
• Wash your hands regularly. Take hand sanitiser with you when you go out.
• Keep your distance. Leave 1.5 metres between yourself and others.
• Wear a mask on public transport, ride share, taxis, shopping, places of worship and other places where you can’t physically distance. When taking taxis or rideshares, commuters should sit in the back and wear a mask.

Check the NSW Health website for the latest COVID-19 News and Updates.

https://www.nsw.gov.au/covid-19/latest-news-and-updates#latest-covid-19-case-locations-in-nsw

Interstate Travel Arrangements

A number of states have and continue to update their requirements for travellers from NSW.  For the latest detailed information you are advised to visit the website for the state you will be travelling to.

Within certain areas of increased activity NSW Health may ask people who live in, or have visited, those areas in the past two weeks to get tested if they have even the mildest of COVID-19 symptoms such as a runny nose or scratchy throat.

Vinnies Actions to be taken in Level 2 Hotspots:

• Current COVID protocols for Travel, Meetings and Vulnerable People will continue;
• Each work site is to have a QR Code for tracing, the decision has been made to continue using the Vinnies QR System rather than move to the Service NSW app, while there is many pros and cons for each system our current system will continue;
• PPE and Sanitiser is available through COVID Hubs. Details of the process to order products can be found on the COVID Hub and Resources Procurement page;
• Social distancing of 1.5 meters is still to be used;
• The 4 square metre rule for working out the amount of people that can be in an area will remain for all work areas, there is an exemption to this rule for Conference activities (when providing a service to people, but this does not include general Conference meetings which still are to comply with the 4 square meter rule);
• Wearing of Masks is to comply with the rules as per the NSW Government, each Directorate will further determine the requirement for their people to wear masks and any enquiries should be directed to management.
• Ensure all COVIDSafe Controls are being adhered to with face masks, hygiene, hand washing, social distancing, PPE use etc.

SELF-ISOLATE AND GET TESTED IMMEDIATELY

If you have been to any of these locations during the time and date indicated you should:

• immediately self-isolate until 14 days after you were last there
• get tested even if you have no symptoms
• watch for COVID-19 symptoms and get retested should any symptoms recur

Vinnies Actions to be taken:

• All of the above actions;
• Do not come to work and inform your manager / supervisor of the situation.

If you have been to any of these locations during the time and date indicated you should:

• watch for COVID-19 symptoms
• self-isolate and get tested immediately if symptoms occur.

Vinnies Actions to be taken:

• All of the above actions;
• Do not come to work and inform your manager / supervisor of the situation;

Latest Case locations include the following suburbs, to access case location details visit the NSW COVID-19 website

Public transport routes

Anyone who travelled on these bus, train and ferry routes at the time and date listed is considered a close contact and must get tested and self-isolate for 14 days regardless of the result.