Schools sweat on RATs for safe reopening

Geelong schools are sweating on the arrival of rapid antigen tests on Monday after receiving “nothing like the number that are required” for safe reopening this week.

Geelong schools are sweating on the arrival of rapid antigen tests on Monday.

Although some schools said they were yet to receive adequate stock, the government maintained tests would continue to arrive Monday – the first day of term for public students.

Geelong High principal Glenn Davey says the school does not have enough RATs. Picture: Mike Dugdale

But the Opposition’s education spokesman David Hodgett said the state government had months to prepare classrooms for the return of students.

“There are no excuses for not being ready,” he said.

“Our kids have missed enough school and keeping students safely in the classroom throughout 2022 must be a priority.”

Geelong High School principal Glenn Davey said as of Saturday, the school had received some rapid antigen tests, but did not yet have enough for all students and staff.

He said the school was hopeful would it would receive supplies on Monday.

St Joseph’s College principal Tony Paatsch said the school had received some tests but “nothing like the number that are required”.

“We’re sweating on those arriving on Monday,” he said.

“They’re showing up in batches … that’s been the experience of other schools as well.

“It’s not ideal, but we don’t care when they come as long they’re here before (students return on) Tuesday.”

Australian Education Union Victorian branch president Meredith Peace on Saturday said the union was hearing from members across the state that RATs had arrived in many, but not all, schools.

“Ensuring a constant supply of RATs and masks, alongside air purifiers, is critical to ensuring Geelong and regional schools are as safe as possible,” she said.

“The union will continue to monitor the situation closely as students return to schools.”

A state government spokeswoman said: “We’re delivering more than 14 million rapid antigen tests to schools and early childhood education and care services to help students and staff complete important surveillance testing, slowing the spread of coronavirus before it gets into the classroom.”

“We promised to deliver 6.6 million of those tests by the beginning of term, ensuring everyone has enough for the first fortnight of testing, and that’s exactly what we’ve done – with 4 million tests already at schools, and a further 2.6 million to be delivered over the weekend and on Monday,” the spokeswoman said.

The government is providing RAT kits to all government and non-government schools.

Surveillance testing will be strongly recommended for primary and secondary school students and staff, and early childhood education and care staff, twice-weekly at home before school or childcare.

The state government earlier this month unveiled its plan to deliver more than 14 million rapid antigen tests to schools and early childhood education and care services.

Under the plan rapid antigen testing will be in place for at least the first four weeks of term one.

Active Covid case tally tumbles; dozens still in hospital

Dozens of Covid patients remained in Geelong hospital on the weekend, with more than 5100 active cases across the Barwon South West.

Barwon Health reported 727 new cases, detected through PCR and rapid antigen tests, across the Barwon South West region on Saturday, and 750 on Sunday.

On Saturday, the state health department reported 202 new cases detected through PCR tests for Greater Geelong, followed by 221 on Sunday.

There were 47 Covid patients in Geelong hospital on Sunday.

This included eight patients in ICU, five of whom were no longer infectious.

Barwon Health reported 5130 active cases across the Barwon South West region.

Health authorities said there were 78,294 active Covid cases in Victoria.

There were 12,250 new cases and 31 deaths reported for Victoria on Saturday, followed by 10,589 new cases and 20 deaths on Sunday.

Health authorities said more than 38 per cent of Victorians aged 18 and over had three doses of a COVID-19 vaccine.

Meanwhile, 93.5 per cent of Victorians aged 12 and over had two doses.

Carers delivering vital services to Covid patients in their homes

Carers are working to help keep vulnerable people with Covid out of hospital by looking after patients in their own homes.

Home Instead Geelong chief executive Giovanni Siano said about 40 of about 250 caregivers had volunteered to look after clients with Covid.

He said the move to establish a Covid care giving team was triggered by the recent Omicron outbreak.

Simmone Burns put her hand up to be part of the team after she had the virus herself.

“I knew what it was like,” she said.

Hendrik Evers (known as Henk) is a 63 year old male who lives alone in a two-bedroom unit within Aberdale Retirement Village in Grovedale and has carer Simmone Burns help him out. Picture: Alison Wynd

“The whole thing is they still need care, that’s probably the most important time they do need care.”

“Covid knocks you around with your energy, you can be out of it for … days.”

She has looked after clients young and old who had contracted Covid.

“It can affect anybody,” she said.

One of the people Ms Burns cared for, Hendrik Evers, tested positive in Covid in January.

Mr Evers is 63 years old and lives alone in Grovedale retirement village, and has been receiving care from Home Instead Geelong for more than a year.

He said he felt terrible and had no energy due to Covid.

Ms Burns helped make him feel comfortable, brought him food and wet cloths, and worked to ensure his environment was hygienic.

Clients required continuity of care following a Covid diagnosis, Mr Siano said, and still needed personal care help like assistance with showering, dressing, grooming and medication reminders.

Caregivers, who follow strict guidelines around PPE and infection control, also assist with rapid antigen testing and checking temperatures.

It comes as number of Covid patients in Geelong hospital fell on Friday.

There were 44 Covid patients in Geelong hospital on Friday, down from 50 the day before.

Barwon Health reported 872 new cases for the Barwon South West region, identified through PCR and rapid antigen tests.

Greater Geelong recorded 222 new cases detected through PCR tests, according to health department data.

On Friday, Victoria reported 12,755 new Covid cases and 39 deaths.

Barwon Health confirmed in the past week there had been one Covid patient death in our region.

Home Instead Geelong has about 900 people under its care, but only a handful have tested positive for Covid, Mr Siano said.

The majority of its clients were seniors, and the service also cared for people with disabilities, he said.

Mr Siano said demand had been growing substantially, with people looking to in-home care amid Covid outbreaks in residential facilities.

Back to school Covid vaccinations ramp up

Greater Geelong recorded 215 new cases of coronavirus through PCR tests as authorities ramp focus on vaccinating children before the school year begins.

A further three new cases were recorded in the Borough of Queenscliff as of Thursday, 30 in the Surf Coast and one at the Colac-Otway Shire.

Across the entire Barwon South West region there were 351 new cases recorded through PCR tests and 549 through rapid antigen tests.

As of Thursday there were 50 Covid-19 patients in Geelong hospital, including eight in ICU.

The state recorded 13,755 new cases and 15 Covid deaths on Thursday, with Premier Daniel Andrews stressing hundreds of thousands of vaccination appointments were still available.

State-run vaccination clinics are now accepting walk-ups for the paediatric vaccine, and will soon expand to include walk-up access for children aged 5 to 11.

Mr Andrews encouraged students to get vaccinated ahead of Term 1.

“It’s never been easier, there’s more appointments, there’s more vaccine,” he said.

“We’ve done everything we can to make school a safe place when kids get back in the classroom – but the best thing families can do to protect their children is get them protected by a vaccine as quickly as possible.

“These vaccines save lives, getting vaccinated vastly reduces your likelihood of finishing up in hospital, let alone finishing up in critical care.”

There are now 1057 infected people in Victorian hospitals, with 117 in intensive care and 40 on ventilators.

Victoria’s pre-Omicron peak for Covid hospitalisations was 851 in October when the state was battling a surge in Delta infections.

The figure is dwarfed by the 2722 people in NSW who are in hospital with Covid.

More than 93 per cent of eligible Victorians are fully vaccinated and the state has 119,153 active cases.

A total of 6130 PCR tests were taken on Wednesday and 16,979 vaccines were administered at state hubs.

However, Victorian health Minister Martin Foley on Tuesday said there would be a rise in cases once school returned, despite cases being on a downward trend in recent days.

“Once school goes back we expect to see an uptick in cases,” he said.

“We just want to make sure the community is aware and prepared.”

Covid treatment saving dozens of lives at Geelong hospital

Geelong’s coronavirus cases dipped on Wednesday.

Greater Geelong recorded 263 new coronavirus cases through PCR tests, as of Wednesday.

A further 47 were recorded in the Surf Coast Shire, two were recorded in Queenscliff and 26 in the Colac-Otway Shire.

Across the entire Barwon South West region 464 new cases were recorded through PCR tests and 477 were recorded through rapid antigen tests.

As of Wednesday morning there were 55 Covid-19 patients in Geelong hospital, including eight in ICU.

Statewide Victoria reported 13,507 new Covid infections and 35 deaths.

The health department confirmed half of the positive results were from rapid antigen testing and the other half from PCRs.

Covid treatment saving dozens of lives at Geelong hospital

Barwon Health has revealed it has administered more than 170 doses of a treatment that helps keep coronavirus patients out of hospital.

The sotrovimab treatment, which proved 85 per cent effective in reducing hospitalisations in clinical trials, requires a single IV dose.

To be eligible for the treatment, patients must either be not fully vaccinated and have risk factors for severe infection, or be vaccinated and immunocompromised.

Barwon Health spokeswoman Kate Bibby confirmed there had been 178 sotrovimab doses administered to Barwon Health patients since September 28, when the health service started using the drug.

Ms Bibby said it had been largely successful at keeping patients out of hospital.

Ms Bibby also said about 15 per cent of the 250-300 patients in its Covid monitoring program were using oxygen monitoring devices at home.

On Tuesday, Barwon Health reported 855 new Covid cases for the Barwon South West region, detected through PCR and rapid antigen tests.

Barwon Health reported 266 new Covid cases from PCR tests.

Greater Geelong recorded 266 new cases through PCR tests, according to health department data.

There were 57 Covid patients in Geelong hospital.

Victoria recorded 14,836 new cases and 29 deaths.

Health Minister Martin Foley said Victorians who have mild COVID-19 symptoms were being encouraged to recover safely at home, with a new campaign launched to highlight the support available for those who were slightly unwell.

The Get the Right Help for Your Recovery campaign aims to support Victorians experiencing mild symptoms using measures such as rest, hydration and pain relief, so they could feel confident managing their recovery at home.

More than 550,000 cases of COVID-19 have been diagnosed across Victoria since January 1.

Mr Foley said with only 0.71 per cent requiring hospital care, for many Victorians recovery has meant rest in the comfort of their own home.

For those that experience more severe symptoms, the campaign explains what signs to look out for and what to do if you need additional help – such as speaking to your GP, pharmacist or the National coronavirus Hotline.

The campaign – which will run across TV, radio, digital, social, print and outdoor media – also serves as another reminder to keep triple-0 calls for emergencies.

The campaign will be translated into 41 languages, have versions targeting Aboriginal Victorians and reach people with a disability through Auslan translation and ads on Vision Australia radio.

Barwon 727 Covid cases; dozens in Geelong hospital

Victoria’s daily number of new Covid cases has continued to fall.

On Monday, 11,695 new cases and 17 deaths were reported for the state.

There were 57 Covid patients in Geelong hospital on Monday, including seven in ICU.

Barwon Health reported 727 new cases for the Barwon South-West region, detected through PCR and rapid antigen tests.

Greater Geelong recorded 158 new cases through PCR tests, according to health department data.

Originally published as Schools sweat on RATs for safe reopening