Chief Executive COVID-19 Update: 6 January 2022

Coronavirus (COVID-19) update – 6 January 2022

As of today, we have:

• 193 COVID-19 positive inpatients
• 366 employees with COVID-19
• 135 employees in precautionary quarantine

In this update, we cover:

• Furlough guidance changes, with more to come
• Improving dedicated access for employee testing
• Third vaccine doses are vital
• Building capacity towards a new COVID-19 peak
• Return to virtual meetings and working from home if you can
• Do you know a nurse or midwife with an exceptional story worth celebrating?
• Clyde Road closure at Casey

Furlough guidance changes, with more to come

New furlough guidance was released on Tuesday. Please read the material sent carefully as there are a number of changes.

In summary, the changes follow a risk-based assessment for people with COVID-19, close contacts, testing, and isolation requirements in community and healthcare settings.

The key points are:

• If you are symptomatic, get a PCR or Rapid Antigen Test and don’t come to work
• If you are a non-household contact, undergo surveillance testing
• If you are a household contact, isolate for seven days
• If you are positive, isolate for seven days

Along with this guidance, we are also improving access to testing for employees. Despite having dedicated employee lanes at key testing sites, it has become hard for our people to access testing as traffic around sites has surged based on increased community demand.

We are establishing dedicated Test approaches for employees. This will involve two key streams:

• A dedicated site for symptomatic employees to be established, and
• Asymptomatic Testing available in all clinical areas as part of existing surveillance program or at our site-based Pathology Collection Centres at Clayton, Casey, Dandenong, and Moorabbin.

More information will follow on this new approach as soon as possible.

Third vaccine doses are vital 

It is now clear that having the third dose of the COVID-19 vaccine gives you significantly improved protection from symptomatic illness.  If you have reached four months since your second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, do not delay. Getting your third dose will keep you, your loved ones, our patients, and the community safe.

You can find out more about boosters, who is eligible (please note, boosters are not yet approved for 12-18 year olds), and where to get vaccinated on our Employee Vaccination Hub. There are plenty of bookings available now.

Building capacity towards a new COVID-19 peak 

Throughout the pandemic, we have responded to the growth in community transmission and a rapid increase in patient numbers by building capacity in our hospitals. This capacity has been created through a range of measures including reducing non-essential or less urgent surgery, working with our private colleagues to take on patients, reduced elective surgery, and making changes to other services.

Like the rest of the community, we now have a number of employees unavailable to work for a number of reasons including annual leave, furlough, caring for a family member with COVID-19, isolating or having COVID-19.

We are continuing to explore options for redeploying employees from other areas to provide support. For those who have embraced this challenge, thank you.

In the coming days, we will stand up additional capacity for COVID-19 patients across Monash Medical Centre, Casey Hospital and Dandenong Hospital.

Some of these changes are challenging for us all. Please remember that support is always available.

As healthcare workers, it’s our role to respond to this situation and manage it well, and I know you will work with me, your teams, and the executive team to do that.

Finally, although we are seeing many changes, there are still those things that remain consistent:

• Always wear the appropriate PPE.
• In the community or on holidays, take precautions to minimise risk; continue to wear a mask, maintain social distancing, and follow public health measures, particularly when you are in crowded or unfamiliar environments.
• Be kind to one another.
• Reach out if you need support.

Thank you for facing this latest challenge with the professionalism and kindness I see each day.

Andrew Stripp
Chief Executive

Key Messages

Priority COVID-19 testing available for asymptomatic employees on-site  

Monash Health employees who have been identified as a close contact, are asymptomatic and are required to get a test, can now do so at our site-based Pathology Collection Centres at Clayton, Casey, Dandenong and Moorabbin.

Return to virtual meetings

As we continue to respond to the challenges of COVID-19, from Tuesday 4 January 2022 all Monash Health meetings are to be conducted virtually wherever possible.

At this time, no face-to-face meetings or team gatherings are to be organised. This includes meetings for administration, support services and clinical teams.

With no face-to-face meetings, meeting room bookings will not be available until further notice.

Do you know a nurse or midwife with an exceptional story worth celebrating?

Nominate one of your incredible colleagues for the 2022 HESTA Nursing and Midwifery Awards!

These national awards aim to recognise the nurses, midwives, nurse educators, researchers and personal care workers who improve health outcomes by providing outstanding care and support for Australians in need.

Nominations for the Awards are now open and close on 6 February 2022.

Clyde Road closure at Casey 

From Monday 10 January 2022, Clyde Road will be closed due to train works which may cause some disruption to employees travelling to and from Casey Hospital. These works are taking place to install a new rail bridge at the Clyde Road level crossing. This upgrade will improve safety, reduce congestion and allow more trains to run more often on the Pakenham line.

Clyde Road will be closed between the level crossing and the Langmore Lane/Mansfield Street intersection. This road is expected to re-open on Sunday 20 February 2022.