Aged care concerns over unvaccinated visitors

The Australian Aged Care Collaboration (AACC) has called on the Victorian Government to urgently review a decision to allow unvaccinated visitors to residential aged care homes in the state.

The AACC has written to Victoria's Chief Health Officer, Professor Brett Sutton seeking a meeting as a matter of urgency. The AACC is a group of six aged care peak bodies representing more than 1000 aged care providers delivering care to nearly a million older Australians.

Both Leading Age Services Australia (LASA) and Aged and Community Services Australia (ACSA) raised concerns about the decision to allow up to five non-vaccinated visitors to aged care homes per day.

"None of us want to experience the high rate of disease in facilities again given the traumatic experience in Victoria last year," the AACC said in a statement.

"There are still high rates of community transmission in Victoria and even though the workforce and a high proportion of residents are vaccinated the presence of unvaccinated visitors poses too much of a risk particularly to vulnerable older residents.

"Aged care providers strive to take the utmost care in protecting their residents and staff from COVID but the current rules in Victoria make this difficult to achieve.

"Vaccination is one of the most important defences available to protect our older Australians. We therefore, urge the Victorian Government to reconsider this position."

NSW, ACT, and SA have all issued public health orders which only permit fully vaccinated visitors, with limited exemptions. Queensland also intends to restrict visitation to those who are vaccinated once they lift restrictions.

Do you think unvaccinated guests should be banned from visiting aged care facilities?

9 comments

100%  yes....not only aged care but all public places.

Agree ... this should also include 12 -16 children that are not vaccinated as well as those under.

 

 

 

Oh dear, do we have a government that is trying to be all things to all people? Our elderly are the most at risk people for COVID even if they are double vaccinated. They can still catch the virus and even though it is anticipated that the effects are very much reduced, some elderly people may not have the resistance to even a reduced dose. If visitors care so much about their elderly family/friends that they want to visit them then surely they care enough not to harm them. To those who for any reason choose not to be vaccinated, their choice comes with consequences and one of those consequences should be to stay away from people who are double vaccinated. That's pubs, clubs, sporting events and, most certainly, aged care homes. If there are no impositions for anti-vaxxers they will be allowed to roam free and be a danger to the rest of the population. It's not a matter of discrimination, it's a matter of life and death.

Un-vaccinated people should NOT be allowed out in any public area anywhere and anytime regardless of their excuse or reason.

Unvaccinated people exercised their choice but then refuse to accept that their choice had ramifications. The whole purpose of vaccination campaigns to to provide protection to the whole community but anti-vaxxers have no thought for the community only themselves.

On that basis unvaccinated people definitely should not be allowed into aged care facilities as visitors and serious restrictions should apply to other place they may want to visit. This may should unreasonably harsh but they made the decision. 

I agree Tom and it is ludicrous that the Staff of most Aged Care facilities are being fully vaccinated fo the well-being and protection of the people they care for - and I applaud them for this - yet definitely not wise to allow any un-vaccinated visitors at all.   If they love and care about their families they should either vaccinate or keep away - sad as this may seem.   We elderly are more vulnerable - and our lives do matter.

Goodness, I thought it was common knowledge that everyone, vaccinated and unvaccinated, can catch the virus and can pass on the virus - there is no difference. Being vaccinated hopefully decreases the severity of the virus. The unvaccinated are no danger to those of us that are vaccinated - we are more of a danger to them!

 

"The unvaccinated are no danger to those of us that are vaccinated"

You should go and read up about the science before making such a naive comment!

 

I fully concur that all staff and visitors should be vaccinated before entering aged care facilities.  Also ... all members of aged care facilities be vaccinated.

On a completely different tack ... some refuse vaccination due to religious grounds.  Can someone explain that for me please?  

My wife is in an Aged Care Home and is double vaccinated as am I.

she is up for a booster but the Agedcare home is not considering until jan /feb.

I will be looking forward to the health Authority proving further stats on when is the best time to have the booster .her 6 months is up now so she could get thru her dr.

I believe the unvaccinated should not be admitted into the Agedcare facility especially the dementia wards.

however that said I have a relation who has suffered from a heart issue following the first phizer and really can't get decent advice on the type of second jab to get or if to be given it at all.

it would be a tragedy if he could not visit,but it may well a consequence.

cheers

 

 

 

Unvaccinated moronics should  do all their shopping online and not allowed to enter a supermarket.

Vaccinated or not you can STILL pass this virus on AND also get it

9 comments



To make a comment, please register or login

Preview your comment