Victorian Changes to COVID-19 testing criteria and requests for PPE

7/04/2020

Changes to testing criteria, effective immediately

The Victorian Chief Health Officer, Adjunct Clinical Professor Brett Sutton, has issued an alert, stating that Victoria’s testing criteria for COVID-19 have changed, effective immediately.

People with no symptoms continue to not be tested, however people who meet at least one clinical and one epidemiological criterion should be tested.

The epidemiological criteria include: paid or unpaid workers in healthcare, residential care, and disability care settings, and any other person in high-risk settings, including disability and other residential care facilities.

Please read all the changes to the testing criteria on the Victorian Government 2019 Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) webpage.

NDS members are to notify DHHS of confirmed cases as soon as practicable by calling 1300 651 160, 24 hours a day. A confirmed case is a person who tests positive to a validated SARS-CoV-2 nucleic acid test or has the virus identified by electron microscopy or viral culture.

All patients being tested for COVID-19 should home isolate until test results are available. All patients should attend an emergency department if clinical deterioration occurs.

Requests for Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

The Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) in Victoria is centrally managing and triaging requests for Personal Protective Equipment PPE.

Requests for PPE can be made by residential care providers, Supported Residential Services providers, disability group homes, crisis and congregate residential homelessness services and other care settings. Currently, priority is being given to facilities, programs and carers where there has been a confirmed case of COVID-19.

NDS members should note that if there are no confirmed cases of COVID-19 within your facility, program or service then delays should be expected in receiving PPE, due to the increase in demand.

This fact sheet outlines the information that must be provided when submitting a request for PPE. DHHS has also developed guidelines on staff use of PPE for face-to-face interactions with clients.

For program specific information about responding to COVID-19, please see the News section on the DHHS website.

Additional key Victorian information:

• CHO Stay home and restricted activities directive FAQs
• The Disability Services Sector Plan has been updated.
• Care Facilites Direction - Disability accomodation