Rapid antigen testing success at TLC Healthcare’s Geelong and Melbourne aged care homes

A Geelong aged care provider has adopted rapid antigen Covid tests to great success to ensure people can safely visit their loved ones.

One of Geelong’s aged care providers has introduced a rapid antigen testing program at 11 residential aged care homes across Melbourne and Geelong.

TLC Healthcare operates Warralily Gardens in Armstrong Creek, The Belmont in Belmont and Wallington’s Homestead Estate and is Australia’s first aged care provider to mandate rapid antigen tests for every visitor, staff member and contractor that enters their homes.

The rapid antigen testing program was introduced in September.

The rapid antigen test that TLC uses is 95 per cent effective and has been approved by the Therapeutic Goods Administration.

TLC chief executive Lou Pascuzzi said the program had already proven effective.

Homestead Estate Residential Aged Care facility at Wallington is having rapid antigen testing success. Picture: Peter Ristevski

In the four weeks since mandating the rapid antigen testing program, two people have returned positive tests in Melbourne.

“They have subsequently taken PCR tests, and one was confirmed positive,” Mr Pascuzzi said.

“The person returning the positive test was asymptomatic and not aware that they had contracted COVID-19.

“As vaccination rates increase, restrictions ease and contract tracing winds down, there is an increased likelihood that a person can be infected with COVID-19 and not know.

“This situation proves that rapid antigen testing is the most effective way to protect vulnerable aged care residents.”

Mr Pascuzzi said as the community reopens, the three pillars of the TLC COVID-19 management strategy will be rapid antigen testing, vaccination, and infection-control protocols.

“Our approach to date has allowed TLC homes to welcome visitors for much of the pandemic; when it was safe to do so,” he said.

“Our COVID-19 management strategy has ensured that all TLC homes have been free of Covid-19 throughout the pandemic.”

Originally published as Rapid antigen testing success at TLC Healthcare’s Geelong and Melbourne aged care homes