COVID Update 22 November – 2021
Comments from WDHS Chief Executive, Rohan Fitzgerald
There are now 18 confirmed cases of COVID-19 linked to a country music event held at the Hamilton Golf Club on Sunday November 14. Of the 18 active cases, three people have been admitted to the University Hospital Geelong, and are in a stable condition, with the remainder isolating at home. The confirmed cases are aged between 9 and 86 years.
No positive cases have been identified at The Birches aged care facility. Given the number of local active COVID-19 cases and ongoing transmission risk in our community, WDHS is restricting visitors at all of its aged care facilities this week. Several local disability services are also now affected by the outbreak and are being supported by the disability liaison team.
Over 300 people presented for testing at the mass testing clinic at the Hamilton Showgrounds today, taking the total tested since Friday to 476. The WDHS mass-testing clinic will operate from the Hamilton Showgrounds for the remainder of the week (open tomorrow 9am to 3pm). Please visit our website for updated testing times.
The Lab in Van testing facility will visit Hamilton on Wednesday to boost testing capacity and improve turnaround times. The Lab in Van is a mobile COVID-19 Rapid PCR testing unit that can process a volume of 16 PCR tests per hour. The van will be located at the Hamilton Showgrounds and will complement our existing testing service. Testing is available at the Drive-thru for children aged 5 and up. For younger children, please make an appointment with your GP.
WDHS will be cancelling all Category 2 and 3 surgical cases, which are booked from today until Sunday November 28.
This is a stressful time for many people in our community – please be kind to yourself and others. To show our community cares, consider posting a message of support for those who have tested positive.
If you are isolating and need assistance with groceries or other necessities, please call the Helping Hands hotline on 1800 943 131 between the hours of 9am and 4pm, or email helpinghands@wdhs.net
We are a great community that looks out for its neighbours; now more than ever, we need to pull together and support one another. we would like to thank everyone who has done just that and turned up to get tested. The following exposure site and high risk venues have been identified:
The Barwon South West Public Health Unit have advised that due to the size of this outbreak, the Caledonian Hotel will be listed as a Tier 1 site, see below for more details.
TIER 1 EXPOSURE SITES:
Given the extent of the current outbreak in Hamilton, and the ongoing high transmission risk, the Barwon South West Public Health Unit has designated the Caledonian Hotel (The Cally) a Tier 1 site on the date and times listed below:
If you attended at these times you must follow the advice below even though it is different to what is listed on the Department of Health website:
18/11/2021
Caledonian Hotel, 153 Thompson Street, Hamilton – 5:00pm-7:30pm
• If you are fully vaccinated – test and isolate for 7 days from the date of exposure and get a test on day 6. For the purposes of calculating the days you are required to isolate, Thursday November 18 is considered day zero. This means you must have your 2nd test on Wednesday November 24.
• If you are not fully vaccinated (12 years and older) get tested – isolate for 14 days from the date of exposure and get a test on day 13. For the purposes of calculating the days you are required to isolate, Thursday November 18 is considered day zero. This means you must have your 2nd test on Wednesday December 1.
OTHER HIGH RISK VENUES:
A confirmed cases of COVID-19 attended these sites on the days / times listed below. If you were at one of the high risk venues at these times, we strongly recommend you get tested.
17/11/2021 Hamilton Uniting Church, 113 Lonsdale Street, Hamilton – 10:00am – 11:00am
18/11/2021 Botanical Motel, 75 French Street, Hamilton 5:00pm – 6:05pm
18/11/2021 All Abilities Equestrian Centre, 19 Laidlaws Road, Warrong – 10:45am – 12:05pm
19/11/2021 Izzy’s Restaurant, 71 Gray Street, Hamilton – 7:30pm – 11:30pm
20/11/2021 Nutrien Ag, 58 North Boundary Road, Hamilton – 9:00am – 12pm
15/11/2021 Hamilton Medical Group, 20 Foster Street Hamilton – 10:45am – 11:10am
19/11/2021 Hamilton Medical Group, 20 Foster Street Hamilton – 11:00am – 12:00pm & 12.30pm to 2.30pm
18/11/2021 Grampians Accountancy Service, 62 Gray Street, Hamilton – 3:15pm – 3:30pm
Please note: – Exposure site management: due to our high vaccination rates we are changing the way we respond to exposure sites in the community with a focus now on Tier One sites and only high risk venues. – Schools are not listed here as public exposure sites. If your school has advised you of a COVID exposure within the school community, we recommend you contact your school for further instructions or for any questions.- If the Public Health Unit have all contacts of an exposure site, or if an exposure site affects staff only, the location/venue will not be listed here.-
Other high risk venues will not be listed on the Department of Health website. – If you have even the mildest symptoms please come forward and get tested.