GoCo’s updated COVID-19 guidelines are in line with continued health advice, in place in the interest of public safety and the wellbeing of GoCo’s clients, volunteers, stakeholders and team of staff.
GoCo will:
- Open offices to the public (Gunnedah, Tamworth, Kootingal, Barraba, Nundle and Narrabri) with COVID-19 safety requirements including 1. Stay home if you are unwell (travelled to Melbourne, Victoria in the last 14 days or have visited a COVID-19 Hotspot), 2. Sign in, 3. Sanitise your hands, 4. Social distance – 1.5m apart.
- Recommence some Social Group Activities with modified formats from July 2020 to reflect public health and COVID-19 advice from Government. Group activities and locations will recommence on a case by case basis with regard to numbers, venues and level of risk.
- Continue home visits for reviews, assessments and to facilitate continuity of care. Phone contact in advance with clients to make sure the staff member and client, including members of their household, are well and not displaying any flu like, or respiratory illness symptoms or have travelled to Victoria or overseas in the last 14 days.
- Contact the client the same day that the visit is due and ask the following questions:
Do you or anyone in your home have:
- Runny nose
- Fever
- Sore throat
- Respiratory illness symptoms or fatigue that are not associated with an ongoing chronic condition.
- Travelled to Melbourne, Victoria in the last 14 days or have visited a COVID-19 Hotspot
If client answers yes to any of the above, the visit will not go ahead.
- Continue to conduct and address concerns through means other than face-to-face contact, where possible.
- Ensure adequate cleaning/sanitisation of the workplace, including wiping/sanitising of all surfaces in offices including desks, keyboards/eftpos machines, handrails, door handles, toilets, kitchen and sink areas. This includes GoCo vehicles after client and volunteer use.
- Limit the number of clients in transport vehicles to maintain social distance requirements
- Display health warning information in all offices and bathrooms to ensure hand washing procedures are followed adequately by all staff and volunteers
- Provide hand hygiene and infection control equipment in all GoCo offices, bathrooms and vehicles.
- Ensure volunteers delivering GoCo services such as meals, providing transport or social support are required to wash their hands upon entry into the office, before leaving the GoCo office and after each client visit
- Make every attempt to prioritise essential services for vulnerable clients who require additional support, including personal care, nursing, medication and meals.
- Continue to perform wellbeing phone calls, where possible, to check in with vulnerable clients if they are safe and well.
- Continue social distancing for staff to combine working from home and working in GoCo offices, where appropriate.
- Prioritise essential staff to continue the delivery of GoCo essential services
- Encourage delivery of a number of meals to Meals on Wheels clients (frozen) to limit the number of visits to the same home
- Provide open disclosure to volunteers and staff regarding notification of coronavirus or self-isolation regarding client services.
- Determine the most appropriate volunteer or staff to deliver services to clients and ensure they are comfortable to do so
- Provide up to date information and updates on our website and directly to clients and other stakeholders in a timely manner
GoCo asks you to do the following:
- Stay home if you have travelled to Melbourne, Victoria in the last 14 days or have visited a COVID-19 Hotspot, in accordance with public health orders.
- Inform GoCo staff if you or anyone in your household is displaying flu like or respiratory symptoms. This will be noted and staff will follow up accordingly.
- Sign in to GoCo offices upon entry.
- Maintain social distance of 1.5 metres between yourself and GoCo staff or partners when inside your home.
- Refrain from making physical contact with GoCo staff and partners, where possible.
- All staff, volunteers, clients and broker partners to notify GoCo if they may be at risk of COVID-19 (visited countries that are identified at risk or have travelled to Melbourne, Victoria since 23 June 2020 or, been in contact with someone who is at risk etc.) and to self isolate for a minimum of 14 days
- Staff and volunteers delivering all GoCo services such as meals, providing transport or social support are required to wash their hands upon entry into the office, before leaving the GoCo office and after each client visit
- If you are at risk or have health concerns and would prefer to be left off the volunteer roster, please let us know as soon as possible
Additional requirements for Meals on Wheels Volunteers:
- Where possible, ensure the meals are delivered to an agreed safe place where the client can see the meal and contact is restricted/minimised with the client. If possible do not enter the home.
- After delivery is made, knock on the door and call out to the client or contact client via phone after a delivery has been made to ensure they have received the meal
Additional requirements for Transport Volunteers:
Provided by Transport for NSW
- Drivers do not need to wear a mask if you are healthy;
- Wash hands often with soap and water;
- The use of alcohol-based hand sanitiser is advised between hand washes and after opening and closing doors, moving luggage, exchanging payment and after personal contact;
- Drivers should employ standard cleaning practices at the end of each shift, as part of good hygiene practice by wiping down surfaces with disinfectant;
- In the event of a passenger spreading droplets (such as sneezing, coughing or vomiting), clean surfaces with appropriate disinfectant wipes so that the potential spread of infection can be minimised;
- For cash payments it is advised to wash hands or use hand sanitiser to limit the spread of viruses;
GoCo asks its community to take precautions with your health and the health of loved ones by following these guidelines from the www.health.nsw.gov.au website:
- clean your hands for at least 20 seconds with soap and water, or use an alcohol-based sanitiser with at least 60% alcohol.
- cover your sneeze or cough with your elbow or with tissue.
- avoid close contact with people who are ill
- avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth
- stay home if you are sick.
To find out more, visit www.health.nsw.gov.au
GoCo is committed to protecting its community and will continue to update these guidelines as the situation evolves and advice from authorities changes.