A spokesman for the Southern Highlands Division of General Practice Dr Vince Roche said there was an early indication that this was starting to make a difference.

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He urged people to stay at home "unless you are an essential worker."

"This is going to be critical in the next couple of weeks - this is where the battle will be won or lost," he said.

The latest update on COVID-19 in the Southern Highlands as of April 1 is:

Dr Roche said all the region's Registered Aged Care Facilities in the Highlands had confirmed that they remained closed to all visitors, including families.

"This is with the exception of emergencies and palliative care patients," he said.

"All these nursing homes are putting measures in place to facilitate their residents talking with their families by phone, Skype, FaceTime etc to minimise the distress that isolation causes both residents and families.

"The old folk are starting to really miss the interaction with their families and visitors."

Dr Roche said the Flu Assessment Clinic continued to run smoothly.

"Locals are reminded that only people who meet the NSW Health Guidelines will be screened - don't just rock up because you are anxious," he said.

"We recommend all people who feel that they need to be screened should talk to their GP by telephone first.

"If someone feels that they need testing and do not meet the guidelines for testing - they or their doctor will need to talk to the local Public Health Unit in Liverpool.

"Screening criteria are changing, often day-by-day - and General Practices are trying to stay up to date with these changes that are inevitable as the epidemic progresses."

Dr Roche said that advanced planning continued to take place with Bowral Hospital, Southern Highlands Private Hospital, South West Sydney Public Health Unit and South West Sydney Local Health District, as well as with local doctors, aged care facilities, pharmacies and other health professional.

He said extensive plans were being put into place to try to keep non-infected people out of the hospital Emergency Department.

"We are formulating new models of care for people with medical, surgical, orthopaedic and minor trauma /injuries, and new models of care for people in Aged Care Homes who fall sick or are injured in falls," he said.

"Bowral Hospital is now allowing just one visitor per patient.

"All staff and visitors to the hospital are being screened for infection risk as they enter the hospital.

"Elective surgery has been cancelled at both the Bowral Hospital and the Private Hospital.

"Teleconference meetings have taken place with our staff and visiting medical officers, with our community pharmacists, with our Aged Care Facilities' Directors of Nursing and with our GPs and their Practice Managers, to assist the planning and changes as the epidemic progresses.

"We express our ongoing gratitude to our frontline essential services - whether police, firemen, ambos healthcare workers, nurses, ED staff, Aged Care Staff, supermarket staff and the thousands of others - who put their own (and their families' ) own health at risk."

Dr Roche reiterated the message to stay at home.

"Talk to your family, friends and neighbours - by phone, by Skype, by Facebook and social media," he said.

"Often our most vulnerable are the loneliest and most easily forgotten.

"Think of safe ways to help your stressed neighbour - a chat, doing their shopping, pick up their medications for them, walk their dog, or ask them to accompany you - one-with-one at a couple of meters distance while you go for a walk."

Thought of the day: Exercise stimulates your immune system and is a great mood stabiliser! It really helps us deal with our ever present anxiety.

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