There has been an added benefit of the COVID-19 social distancing requirements with local health care workers seeing a "significant reduction" in the number of people with ordinary influenza and viral respiratory infections.
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This is the message of Southern Highlands Division of General Practice spokesman Dr Vince Roche.
In more good news the numbers of COVID-19 cases are unchanged for the ninth day, standing firm at 25 in the Wingecarribee with almost three quarters now recovered.
Dr Roche said many people had asked how the Public Health Unit determined that someone was certified recovered from COVID-19?
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"Interestingly, there is no swab test or blood test that shows that someone is most likely no longer infectious," he said.
He said the decision was made if a person (previously diagnosed as having COVID-19 disease) had no fever for the previous 48 hours, no symptoms for the previous 24 hours and was at least seven days after the onset of the acute illness.
"If the person is a Health Care Worker or Aged care Worker, they would also need two negative PCR swabs collected 24 hours apart after the acute illness has resolved," he said.
"These guidelines do change a little depending on a patients age and the severity of their symptoms.
"We do not do swabs for anyone other than health care and aged care workers, to certify them non-infectious or fit for return to work or community.
"We would really ask employers to not ask GPs to retest - the system will not allow the testing."
Dr Roche said the Division of General Practice would encourage all Wingecarribee residents, and indeed all Australians, to download the new Australian Government COVIDSafe app.
"While the app does not prevent the transmission of the COVID-19 virus, it will make a huge contribution to the early and swift tracing of contacts of newly diagnosed people," he said.
"It is a valuable tool in pushing down the number of infected cases towards zero - and helping Australia to move back to a normal way of life.
"Please download it today!"
Community Advice
All of our Registered Aged Care Facilities in the Highlands are carefully weighing up the risks and benefits to their residents and staff and are reviewing their current policies where they have remained closed to all visitors.
Dr Roche said this included families, with the exception of emergencies and palliative care patients.
"All these nursing homes have put 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," he said.
"GPs are doing as much as possible of their care by phone, fax, Skype, Facetime, Zoom, etc!
"Aged Care facilities are working closely with GPs and the Hospital to provide the most appropriate and timely care to residents - and to keep them away from the hospital and the Emergency Department with grave risks to elderly people in a possible COVID exposed environment.
"We expect that each Aged Care Facility will communicate their visitor policies to residents, families and GPs as the pandemic picture slowly changes in Australia.
"I'm sure we are all aware of the terrible scenes in nursing homes overseas (as well as here in Penrith and Macquarie Park) - and understand the huge pressures on Nursing Homes to keep their residents and staff safe.
"Most local GPs are strongly supportive of the measures that our local Aged Care Facilities are taking - and interestingly, feedback from residents and their families are strongly supportive of the ongoing relative isolation."
Keep up the normal care
Dr Roche said there was significant concern among doctors about the decrease in "normal care".
"Whether paediatrics, antenatal, conditions where patients truly need to be seen in the Emergency Department or in the case of GP care, people with chronic and complex illness (eg heart disease, lung disease, diabetes) - where anecdotally there has been a large reduction in people keeping their appointments and an increase in cancelled appointments," he said.
"Normal Care needs to continue throughout the epidemic. Some may be done by telehealth - but much will involve face-to-face appointments with doctors and midwives."
Flu Vaccination
General Practices now have received their second batch of flu vaccines.
Dr Roche said this was highly recommended as there were still the usual influenza bugs circulating.
"People weakened by the flu are a sitting target for a severe dose of COVID-19," he said.
"This is a good year to have one. Make sure the old folk get theirs first. But do not wait weeks or months.
"If you don't normally have a flu vaccine - this is the year to do it!
"And if your GP Clinic is out of vaccine - it is not their fault - please do not abuse the staff - the Public Health Unit gives it to the General Practices as soon as they get the vaccines from the manufacturers, and they will soon be restocked."
The next shipment is due in first week of May.
The Bowral Hospital Flu Assessment Clinic
Hours of Business:
- Weekdays - 10am to 5.30pm
- Weekends - 10:30am to 3pm
- Phone Number - 4861 0145
Dr Roche said the Flu Assessment Clinic continues to run smoothly.
"We recommend all people who feel that they need to be screened should talk to their GP by telephone first," he said.
"People do not require a referral from their GP to attend the BDH Flu Assessment Clinic, but they prefer GP Clinics do the first line of triage.
"Screening criteria have changed - often on a day-by-day basis - and these changes that are inevitable as the epidemic progresses.
"As the epidemic progresses into the next phase - community transmission - GPs are being encouraged to test any members of the public with a fever or respiratory symptoms, and especially any Health Care or Aged Care workers with a fever or respiratory symptoms."
The direct phone number for the flu clinic is 4861 0145 and enquiries will be answered during hours of operation only.
Dr Roche said that if you have respiratory symptoms or a fever or both - please get tested.
"Even if you have seen your GP, you need to ring the Clinic on 4861 0145 to organise your time to come to the clinic," he said.
"Results are usually available in about 24 hours."
General Practice Respiratory Clinic
In addition, there is a new Commonwealth-funded General Practice Respiratory Clinic now opened in Mittagong.
The clinic is located in the lower level of Mittagong HealthCare Centre, 58 Bowral Road, Mittagong.
It is open 9am to 5pm seven days a week.
Dr Roche said the clinics were designed to assess patients with mild-to-moderate respiratory symptoms including fever, sore throat, cough, tiredness and shortness of breath.
"Regardless of whether COVID-19 testing is indicated, or a specimen is taken, the patient will receive clinical guidance about managing their respiratory symptoms through the clinic," he said.
"Patients must have an appointment before attending the clinic."
Patients can make an appointment online via HotDoc and there will be no charge to the patient.
To set up an appointment, patients can also phone the clinic directly for triage, call HealthDirect or be referred by their GP.
Referring GPs will receive a copy of the pathology results.
Bowral Hospital
All staff and visitors to the hospital are being screened for infection risk with a questionnaire and a temperature test as they enter the hospital.
NEW: Limit is one visitor per patients and the new restricted visiting hours are 10am-11am, and 4:30pm to 5:30pm.
The only entrance to the hospital for staff and visitors is via the Milton Park Front Door.
Dr Roche said there had been a limited reintroduction of some elective surgery since April 27, with Category Two and some category Three patients, at both Bowral District Hospital and the Southern Highlands Private Hospital.
"If you are on a waiting list,- the respective hospital will contact you if you are able to have your surgery," he said.
"We are hoping to achieve 25-50 per cent of our usual surgical throughput.
"Why not more? There is still a relative shortage of PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) - eg gloves, face masks, gowns - and we cannot afford to run down our supply in case Covid gets worse.
"Likewise we need to keep enough hospital beds empty to allow us to cope with a surge in Covid activity should it occur."
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