From Friday 11 February 2022, a new healthdirect helpline is available to all workers in residential aged care facilities to support them to manage COVID-19 in their facility.
The phone number is 1800 131 330 and is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. A registered nurse will be available to provide information and advice on issues about:
- what to do if a resident tests positive to COVID-19
- ways to limit the spread to other residents, including quarantining and isolating
- whether a resident is a candidate for oral antiviral treatment, noting that the nurse cannot prescribe treatments
- information about COVID-19 vaccinations
Please note that this service does not replace the role of the general practitioner, who will continue to make clinical decisions together with the resident, their family and representatives.
The Australian Department of Health would appreciate your feedback on the service and if there are other COVID-19 questions you would like answered by the helpline. Please contact digital.cv19@health.gov.au to provide your feedback.
