Restrictions on face masks and visitor numbers have eased for disability care facilities following Victoria's return to COVIDSafe settings from 27 February.

Face masks

In disability residential facilities (community services covered by care directions) face masks must be worn by staff, contractors, volunteers and residents:

• All resident facing areas (residents' rooms, recreation areas)
• All public-shared areas (corridors, waiting rooms, elevators etc.)
• In offices and non-clinical areas where physical distance of at least 1.5 metres cannot be maintained

At centre-based services (community services) face masks will only need to be worn by staff, contractors and volunteers:

• When interacting with clients where physical distancing of at least 1.5 metres cannot be maintained. This also applies to clients.
• In offices and non-clinical areas where physical distance of at least 1.5 metres cannot be maintained.

Visitors

Community services providing disability accommodation no longer have limits on the number of visitors, length of visits or the purpose of visits.

Visitors to residential care facilities must comply with the physical distancing requirement of one person per two square metres. The distancing rule does not apply in residents’ own rooms.

Worker and visitor screening

All staff, contractors, volunteers and visitors must still be screened before entry to both day centres and residential facilities, and must not enter if they:

• have any COVID-19 symptoms
• are a close contact of someone who has COVID-19
• are currently required to isolate or quarantine (this includes if they have attended an exposure site or waiting on a test result)
• been released from hotel quarantine in the last seven days
• worked in a hotel quarantine site or port of entry in the last 14 days.

Workforce returns to office

Public and private sector office workers can return to work at up to 75 per cent capacity a day where workplace CovidSafe rules can apply.

Vaccinations

The COVID-19 vaccine roll-out began in Victoria on 22 February. The Victorian Government is assisting with the Commonwealth vaccine program and has published information about the roll-out in Victoria.

If you have any enquiries relating to the vaccine and delivery of community services please contact HSCRRC_planning&engagement@dhhs.vic.gov.au.