ALERT
Exposure sites and employee actions
This guidance is intended to provide clarity on Victorian and NSW exposure sites and what you do if you were visiting an exposure site at the designated time of risk.
IT IS ESSENTIAL TO NOTE
- Exposure sites have times and dates associated with them. If you were not at a site during the identified time and date, you are not considered a contact and do not need to take any action.
- If you have questions or queries, please call the COVID-19 employee hotline on 959 45815 for Monash Health specific advice.
- Please carefully review this email and related links, before making any calls.
- Please do not contact Professor Rhonda Stuart directly. Professor Stuart is leading the team, and her work is currently being impeded by a large volume of calls.
Definitions
Close contact: A person who has had direct contact with a confirmed case or has visited an exposure site that has been designated as a higher risk environment, during the exposure period.
Close contacts must:
- Get tested immediately, and on day 11 from the date of the exposure.
- Isolate for 14 days. Do not attend work.
- Call the COVID-19 employee hotline on 959 45815.
- Contact your manager.
If you test negative on day 11 you can return to work after day 14.
If you test positive you will be contacted and must isolate until you receive clearance from the Department of Health and Human Services. Isolation for positive test result of coronavirus (COVID-19) is at least 10 days – however, this depends on how long your symptoms persist. When you have clearance, you can return to work.
Casual contact: A person who has visited an exposure site during the time of exposure.
For example, you visited Kmart at Fountain Gate Shopping Centre between 9am-11am on 26/12/20 – a designated exposure site and time.
Casual contacts must:
- Get tested immediately.
- Isolate until you receive a negative result. Do not attend work.
- Contact your manager.
- Monitor for symptoms in the following two weeks post-exposure and repeat testing (and isolate until the result is known) if symptoms develop.
You can return to work when you receive a negative result, and your symptoms have resolved.
Current Victorian exposure sites
This list will change as the situation evolves. You can view an up-to-date list of Victorian exposure locations here:
https://www.dhhs.vic.gov.au/case-locations-and-outbreaks
| If you visited | You are a |
| Smile Buffalo Thai restaurant, Blackrock, between 7pm-9pmon 21/12/20 | Close contact |
| Holy Family Parish Doveton, between 4pm-6pm on 26/12/20 | Close contact |
| Kmart, Big W, Target, Millers, King of Gifts, Lacoste – Fountain Gate Shopping Centre, between 9am-11am on 26/12/20 | Casual contact |
| Mentone/Parkdale beach, between 10am-4.30pm on 27/12/20 | Casual contact |
| Century City Walk and Mocha Jo’s, Glen Waverley, between 1.30pm-5pm on 28/12/20 | Casual contact |
| Katialo Restaurant, Eaton Mall, Oakleigh, between 7pm-8.15pm on 28/12/20 | Casual contact |
| National Golf Club, The Cups Drive, Cape Schanck between 11.40am-1.30pm on 30/12/20 | Casual contact |
New South Wales exposure sites
This list will change as the situation evolves. You can view an up-to-date list of NSW exposure locations here:
https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/Infectious/covid-19/Pages/case-locations-and-alerts.aspx
| If you visited | You are a |
| Northern Beaches and NSW exposure sites on or after 11 December and returned to Victoria before 21 December | Close contact |
| Greater Sydney and NSW Central Coast on or after 11 December and returned to Victoria before 21 December | Casual contact |
| Greater Sydney and NSW Central Coast on or after 11 December and returned to Victoria on or after 21 December | Close contact |
| If you visited the Blue Mountains or Wollongong on or after 27 December and returned to Victoria before 31 December | Casual contact |
| If you visited the Blue Mountains or Wollongong on or after 27 December and returned to Victoria on 31 December | Close contact |
Household members
If you are isolating, others in your house do not need to self-isolate unless they are also waiting for a coronavirus (COVID-19) test result.
While in self-isolation, you should:
- Stay in a different room to other people as much as possible. Sleep in a separate bedroom and use a separate bathroom, if available.
- You must not allow other people into the home if they don’t live there, unless they are there to provide medical care, personal care or urgent household assistance.
- Ensure you stay at least 1.5 metres away from others in the home, if possible.
These new cases are a reminder that we need to maintain our vigilance and awareness of the risk of infection. This means impeccable hand hygiene, risk assessment before patient contact, proper shift handovers and appropriate PPE.
If you feel unwell or are displaying any COVID-19 symptoms, you must not attend work, and you must be tested. You will be paid COVID-19 special leave during this period.
Andrew Stripp
Chief Executive
All managers are requested to share these updates with their teams and discuss at stand-ups and handovers. Please print a copy and display it in communication books and on employee noticeboards.
As advice and information evolve, please consult the latest updates and visit the Department of Health and Human Services and Monash Health COVID-19 website for employees regularly for the latest.