COVID-19

The Coronavirus COVID-19 is changing how society interacts and operates.

Throughout the pandemic, Interchange Illawarra has continued to support people with disabilities on a 1:1 basis at home and in the Community. Our Social Support groups reopened in June 2020, with some changes in place to protect the health and safety of Participants, their families, staff and volunteers.

Please find the conditions to attend our Social Support group below

If anyone has cold or flu symptoms or feels unwell, we ask them not to visit or attend Interchange. Participants and staff who display symptoms will be asked to go home immediately and seek medical attention. If family members or close contacts display symptoms, please stay at home also.
Anyone who has been diagnosed with COVID-19, is under medical assessment, or has had contact with a confirmed case of COVID-19, is excluded from visiting or attending Interchange.
If any staff, participants, family members, friends etc. become infected with COVID-19, we request immediate disclosure to Interchange Illawarra.
Participants will have their temperature taken by a Support Worker with a non-contact thermometer before entering a centre. A healthy temperature is 36.5 – 37.4 Celsius. If the Participant’s temperature is above 37.4 they will be unable to attend and the family will be asked to take them home. Please watch our video of how your temperature will be taken when attending Social Support Groups.
Participants and staff will be required to use hand sanitiser upon arrival and departure.
Parents/carers are not to enter the centres until further notice, this will help us maintain appropriate numbers on premises.
When you are arriving or leaving please be mindful to practice social distancing, you may have to wait at times, please be patient. When you are doing pick up, please knock and an Interchange staff member will bring your family member to you.
Hand washing and sanitising will be encouraged throughout the day, before & after activities, eating, personal care, etc.
Extra vigilance in terms of cleaning will be required from all staff across the board. All surfaces are to be disinfected before, during, and after groups.
Social distancing will be enforced, if participants are unable to adhere to social distancing guidelines they may be asked to go home. Social spacing is expected and handshakes, high fives, hugs etc. will not be allowed.
Activities will be modified in line with restrictions and government health recommendations. We will not be attending the cinemas, ten-pin bowling, flip out etc. until it is safer to do so. We will choose activities that are appropriate and safe on the day so there will be no assigned activity on programs for the time being.
Initially, we will be avoiding the use of vans & buses to avoid seating participants close together in an enclosed environment. We will be doing some activities that require walking in the local area – weather permitted.
We reserve the right to cancel or change programs if circumstances change and we may not be able to offer all of our groups at this time. Because we are making some groups smaller for safety reasons, we may not be able to accommodate everyone’s requests. We will endeavour to be fair and equitable in this regard.

HANDY LINKS TO CURRENT INFORMATION ON COVID-19

NSW Government Health website here.
Latest Coronavirus (COVID-19) News and Media Releases from the Australian Government Department of Health click here.
How to Self-Isolate information click here.
COVID-19 Casual Contact – What You Need to Know available here.
Self-Isolation Guidelines from NSW Health for people confirmed to have COVID-19 infection here.
Isolation advice for Parents and Carers available here.
For information about keeping remote Indigenous communities safe from Coronavirus COVID-19 click here.
This Australian Government Department of Health online training video covers the fundamentals of infection prevention and control for COVID-19. It is a free resource aimed at health care workers, aged and disability care workers and organisations as well as workforce groups such as beauticians. Registration is open to anyone and is provided by the Department of Health’s training partner, Aspen Medical. Click here for more information.
NCOSS COVID-19 Community Sector Resource, click here.
COVID-19 Assessment Clinics in NSW, click here.
The Department of Health has released a management and operational plan that focuses on people with disabilities. Click here for more information.
National Coronavirus Helpline – 1800 020 080