The following information was provided by the Queensland Government on Monday, 24 August 2020.
Direction from Chief Health Officer in accordance with emergency powers arising from the declared public health emergency
Public Health Act 2005 (Qld)
Section 362B
On 29 January 2020, under the Public Health Act 2005, the Minister for Health and Minister for Ambulance Services made an order declaring a public health emergency in relation to coronavirus disease (COVID-19). The public health emergency area specified in the order is for ‘all of Queensland’. Its duration has been extended by regulation to 2 October 2020 and may be further extended.
Further to this declaration, l, Dr Jeannette Young, Chief Health Officer, reasonably believe it is necessary to give the following direction pursuant to the powers under s 362B of the Public Health Act 2005 to assist in containing, or to respond to, the spread of COVID-19 within the community.
Guidance
For the purpose of this direction, operators of shared disability accommodation services should ensure physical distancing and risk mitigation measures are in place at a service to the extent practicable, including:
Providing appropriate signage that clearly states physical distancing and appropriate hygiene requirements must be followed in a facility;
Ensuring cleaning and sanitising of all surfaces, doors and high traffic areas in disability accommodation services;
Where staff movements can’t be avoided, require staff to use personal protective equipment (PPE) in accordance with current health advice;
Providing additional hand sanitising stations for residents, employees, contractors and visitors to encourage use;
Putting in place procedures to closely monitor the health of all employees, with at least daily reporting or check-ins by supervisors;
Ensuring tables and seating in common areas of disability accommodation services should be managed to provide appropriate social distancing;
Ensure staff are trained and procedures in place to keep family and support people informed where a resident becomes unwell or there is a case identified in the accommodation service;
encouraging any person entering the facility to have an up to date vaccination against influenza, if the vaccination is available to the person.
Citation
This Public Health Direction may be referred to as the Disability Accommodation Services Direction.
Commencement
This direction applies from 8.00am on 22 August 2020 until the end of the declared public health emergency, unless it is revoked or replaced.
PART 1 — REQUIREMENTS FOR ALL SHARED DISABILITY ACCOMMODATION SERVICES
This part applies to all shared disability accommodation services in the State of Queensland.
A person must not enter or remain on the premises of a shared disability accommodation service in the State of Queensland from 8.00am on 22 August 2020 until the end of the declared public health emergency if:
during the 14 days immediately preceding the entry, the person arrived in Australia from a place outside Australia; or
during the 14 days immediately preceding the entry, the person has been in a COVID-19 hotspot; or
during the 14 days immediately preceding the entry, the person had known contact with a person who has a confirmed case of COVID-19; or
the person has had symptoms consistent with COVID-19; or
The operator of a shared disability accommodation service in the State of Queensland must take all reasonable steps to ensure that a person does not enter or remain on the premises of a disability accommodation service if the person is prohibited from doing so under this Direction.
The operator of a shared disability accommodation service in the State of Queensland must take all reasonable steps to ensure that a resident of a shared disability accommodation service who has been given a quarantine notice by an emergency officer (public health) abides by the notice.
Despite paragraph 4, the operator of a shared disability accommodation service may allow a person to enter and remain on the premises in accordance with paragraph 8.
Nothing in this Direction is to be taken to prevent a resident of a disability accommodation service from entering or remaining upon the premises of the disability accommodation service. Residents may continue to access any areas of the disability accommodation service to which they normally have access, subject to a direction to self-quarantine or self-isolate in accordance with a public health direction.
Contact information
The operator of a shared disability accommodation service must collect and keep contact information about all visitors, including volunteers and contractors, for contact tracing purposes for a period of 56 days, unless otherwise specified. This information must include: name, phone number, email address, and the date and time of the visit. If requested, this information must be provided to public health officers within a stated time. The information should be securely stored, not used for any other purpose and deleted after 56 days.
PART 2 — MANAGING ACCESS TO NON-RESTRICTED DISABILITY ACCOMMODATION SERVICES
Any person may enter a shared disability accommodation service under this part and in accordance with paragraph 4 above.
Example – a medical practitioner, hairdresser or attorney
PART 3 — REQUIREMENTS FOR RESTRICTED DISABILITY ACCOMMODATION SERVICES
The purpose of this Part is to provide requirements for restricted disability accommodation services.
Person Permitted to Enter A Restricted Disability Accommodation Service
A person must not enter, or remain on, the premises of a restricted disability accommodation service in the State of Queensland from the time of publication until the end of the declared public health emergency unless:
the person is an employee or contractor at the restricted disability accommodation service; or
the person's presence at the premises is for the purposes of providing goods or services that are necessary for the effective operation of the restricted disability accommodation service, whether the goods or services are provided for consideration or on a voluntary basis; or
the person's presence at the premises is for the purposes of providing health, medical, therapeutic, essential disability support or pharmaceutical services to a resident of the disability accommodation service, whether the goods or services are provided for consideration or on a voluntary basis; or
the person's presence at the premises is for the purposes of end of life support for a resident of the disability accommodation service; or
the person's presence at the premises is required for the purposes of emergency management, law enforcement or the exercise of a power or function of a government agency or entity under a law; or
Example – a community visitor exercising a function under the Public Guardian Act 2014
the person’s presence at the premises is necessary to comply with or give effect to orders of any court or tribunal of Australia; or
the person's presence at the premises is in the person's capacity as a prospective resident of the restricted disability accommodation service or
an operator of a restricted disability accommodation service has granted permission for a person to enter a restricted disability accommodation service for the purposes of providing behavioural, emotional or social support to a resident or prospective resident that cannot be delivered by electronic or non-contact means.
Visitors
A person may not visit a resident in a restricted disability accommodation service other than in accordance with paragraph 12(d) or (h) above.
Note – personal visits are not permitted in a restricted disability accommodation service.
Any person attending a restricted disability accommodation service must, to the extent reasonably practicable:
practise physical distancing; and
limit their contact with other persons at the facility.
Wearing of face masks
Any person (other than a resident) must not enter, or remain on, the premises of a restricted disability accommodation service without wearing a single use surgical face mask. This includes employees, contractors and volunteers.
Note – a person who does not, or is unable to wear a mask, must not enter a restricted disability accommodation service.
Definitions
For the purposes of this Public Health Direction:
Australian Guidelines means the Australian Guidelines for the Prevention and Control of Infection in Healthcare 2019, or its successor.
COVID-19 hotspot means particular areas of Australia decided by the Chief Health Officer and published on the Queensland Health website.
Essential disability support means essential care and support provided to a person with disability, including but not limited to: bladder and bowel management, medication management, behavior management, respiratory management, Percutaneous Endoscopic Gastromy (PEG) Changes, pressure relief/turning and wound care, assistance with feeding and hydration, and assistance with basic personal hygiene.
Operator of a disability accommodation service means a person who owns, controls or operates the disability accommodation service.
Physical distancing includes remaining at least 1.5 metres away from other persons where possible.
Public health officer includes an emergency officer (general), a contact tracing officer or an authorised person under section 377 of the Public Health Act 2005.
Resident of a shared disability accommodation service means a person who is ordinarily or temporarily resident at the facility.
Restricted area means a particular area of Queensland decided by the Chief Health Officer and published on the Queensland Health website.
Restricted disability accommodation service means a disability accommodation service located in a restricted area.
Shared disability accommodation service means a service, including the forensic disability service under the Forensic Disability Act 2011, where:
four or more people with disability reside with people who are not members of their family; and
the residents share common areas within the facility, and
the residents are provided with disability supports within the facility.
Support person means a family member, friend or carer that is visiting the disability accommodation service on behalf of, or to support, a prospective resident of the facility.
Symptoms consistent with COVID-19 means fever or history of fever, symptoms of acute respiratory infection (cough, shortness of breath, sore throat) or loss of smell or loss of taste.
The above information was provided by the Queensland Government on Monday, 24 August 2020. If you have any questions or concerns about this information, please contact your Service Manager.
Comments