Being prepared for, and planning our response to, the evolving COVID-19 situation continues to be a key priority for Activ.
As we are starting to see an increase in COVID-19 cases in the WA community, and the WA Government expects the peak of the current Omicron outbreak to be in the next few weeks, please read the below update on Activ’s preparation and response planning.
As always, our aim is to ensure the health, wellbeing and safety of our customers and staff.
How Activ is preparing to keep our customers and staff safe
- We will comply with all current guidelines from the WA Government related to COVID-19, and may introduce additional measures, to further ensure the safety of our customers and staff.
- We have developed and communicated to our staff our COVID-19 management plans and procedures, which include preventative measures, reporting requirements, infection control and outbreak management.
- All Activ staff, including supported employees, are up to date with the WA Government mandated COVID-19 vaccinations.
- Activ staff are undertaking additional training in the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) and infection control procedures.
- At work, all Activ staff, including supported employees, will wear masks, check in using the ServiceWA or SafeWA app or attendance sheet, and have their temperatures checked where appropriate.
- Visitors to Activ sites are required to wear masks, provide proof of vaccination and check in using the ServiceWA or SafeWA app or attendance sheet, and have their temperatures checked.
- Activ customers are encouraged to wear masks and be vaccinated.
- All staff and customers are required to adhere to regular hygiene and social distancing practices.
- Staff are required to monitor themselves and our customers for COVID-like symptoms.
How Activ will respond if a staff member or customer has COVID-like symptoms, is a close contact or has tested positive for COVID-19
If staff are either a close contact of someone with COVID-19, have symptoms of COVID-19, or have tested positive for COVID-19 they will follow the WA health advice and adhere to our reporting requirements, to ensure that they will not attend work until it is safe to do so. If a customer is displaying COVID-like symptoms, is a close contact or has tested positive for COVID-19, staff will follow these guidelines for how to initially support customers.
In our accommodation homes, staff will implement our COVID-19 response plans, to keep our customers safe and to minimise the spread of the virus.
Our staff have been trained in how to support customers at this time. It is important to note that how we support our customers may look a bit different. For example:
- Customers may have different staff supporting them.
- The staff supporting customers may be wearing personal protective equipment, such as glasses, masks, gloves and gowns. This is to keep our staff safe and to make sure they don’t get COVID-19.
- Customers may not be able to go to their usual places, or there may be areas in the home where they can’t go for a short period of time.
- Customers may not be able to have visitors for a short period of time.
If you are an Activ customer and you have symptoms of COVID-19, are a close contact of someone with COVID-19, or have tested positive for COVID-19, please tell your Activ contact as soon as possible.
How we will prioritise our services if we have staff shortages
During the peak of the outbreak, there is a possibility we may experience staff shortages due to our staff either having COVID-19, or being a close contact of someone with COVID-19.
If this is the case, our priority will be to ensure that we are able to continue our essential services, including accommodation services and essential community drop in supports, as well as meet the individual care and support requirements of all our customers.
This may mean that some of our non-essential services need to be cancelled, and customers may have different staff supporting them.
While we work through possible service disruptions, we kindly request patience and understanding from our customers.
As always, our priority is the safety and wellbeing of our customers and staff.
Further information
For further information about Activ’s COVID-safe measures, and steps individuals can take to be COVID-safe, check out our dedicated Activ COVID-19 Hub.
We will keep this hub updated with all the latest information you need to know.
If there is something else you would like to see on the hub, please email us via the button at the bottom of the hub.
If you have any COVID-related questions for Activ, please contact Activ Health on Health@activ.asn.au or 0429 234 917.
We will get through this together.