Throughout the pandemic our goal has always been to ensure the safe and ongoing delivery of services. Key to managing this is the Five Good Friends Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for ongoing home care services. This includes our guidelines for providing services in specific areas identified as 'Lockdown/Hotspot' locations. The relevant scenario is 2B. It provides directions for Helpers living in and/or providing services in suburbs/areas that are identified as a 'Lockdown/Hotspot'. Additional precautions outlined include:

• Use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) gloves, masks and aprons
• Proper hand hygiene
• Cough etiquette
• Social distancing.

Managing self isolation

There has been uncertainty in the community on the appropriate actions to take regarding the management of self isolation and COVID-19 testing. Below is advice from the Commonwealth Department of Health, Safe Work Australia and State Health Departments.

1. What to do if you have been confirmed as a positive case?

You must self-isolate in your home for at least 14 days.

What does this mean?

During the 14 days of isolation you must stay at home (or your hotel room). Do not leave unless you need to seek urgent medical care.

• DO NOT go to public places – this includes work, school, childcare, university, shopping centres, public parks, social or religious gatherings.
• DO NOT go shopping or to restaurants – instead, shop online or have family or friends deliver what you need to your door.
• DO NOT have visitors to your home. Only people who usually live with you should be in the home. They must not sleep or be in the same room as you throughout the whole isolation period. You must stay in your own dedicated room with the door closed.

If you must leave home to seek urgent medical care, wear a surgical mask.

2. What to do if you have been tested and are waiting results.

You must self isolate and are unable to leave your home until results have been received unless you need to seek urgent medical care.

What does this mean?

• DO NOT go to public places – this includes work, school, childcare, university, shopping centres, public parks, social or religious gatherings.
• DO NOT go shopping or to restaurants – instead, shop online or have family or friends deliver what you need to your door.
• DO NOT have visitors to your home. Only people who usually live with you should be in the home. They must not sleep or be in the same room as you throughout the whole isolation period. You must stay in your own dedicated room with the door closed.

If you must leave home to seek urgent medical care, wear a surgical mask.

3. What to do if you are showing flu like signs and/or symptoms.

If you have cold or flu like symptoms, such as a cough, fever, sore throat, shortness of breath or runny nose, even if these are mild, you should get tested for COVID-19 as soon as possible. People with mild symptoms can still spread the virus. If you need to get tested, you can:

• attend a free COVID-19 respiratory clinic
• contact your doctor and they will arrange the test
• Whilst awaiting your results you must self Isolate

4. What if you have been in contact with someone who is being tested and awaiting results?

At Five Good Friends we value the health and safety of all our Helpers and Members. We strongly urge all Members that are currently living with or who have been in contact with someone who is awaiting results to self isolate and get tested.

To provide you with reassurance if you are required to self-isolate, Five Good Friends Helpers are able to continue essential care and services based on the guidelines in our Standard Operating Procedure.

Please keep us updated.

If any of the above apply to you or if you have a question about your care and services during this time please contact our Member Services Team on 1300 787 591 Option 1.

Queensland update

We are monitoring the evolving situation in Queensland closely. The latest information provided by Queensland Health can be found here. This page provides information on locations of concern whereby individuals are being asked to self-isolate and get tested, and of fever clinics in the region to support testing.

Committed to ensuring your ongoing safety.

Our COVID Response Team (consisting of our Chief Executive Officer, Chief Operations Officer, Community Workforce Manager, Head of Quality and Programme Development and Community Nursing Team Lead), continue to meet weekly or as required to review the latest information supplied by authorities, assess the situation and take the appropriate actions.

As well as communicating with our Members and their trusted loved ones, we are communicating regularly with all Helpers. Our priority is to ensure Helpers are informed and stay well so that they can continue to safely provide services to our Members. All Helpers on the Five Good Friends Platform must read and familiarise themselves with the Standard Operating Procedure as well as protocols designed to make the delivery of services safe. We have asked all Helpers to identify if they also work in a residential aged care site. We have developed a register to identify and monitor all Members and Helpers who report that they are being tested for COVID-19 and the outcomes of that testing.

Managing your support safely

In our communications with Five Good Friends Helpers we are encouraging them to take all precautions including cancelling visits if they are concerned about their health or if they fall into any of the isolation and risk categories. If a visit is changed at short notice as a result of such precautions we would be grateful for your understanding. Our Care Teams will work extremely hard and diligently to manage any potential missed visits.

Please share this information.

We recognise some of our Members may not have access to e-mail, however this is one of the quickest ways to share information. This is why we also write to all authorised representatives and sharers on the account. Please share this information with your loved ones and assist us in maintaining the flow of information.

Thank you for being a Member of Five Good Friends. It is an honour to be providing you help and support during this time. We will continue to work hard to provide you a safe, reliable and respectful service.

William Garton Head of Quality and Programme Development Five Good Friends