The Australian Defence Force will be brought in to assist Tasmanian aged care facilities after a number of COVID-19 outbreaks.
Key points:
- Three Tasmanian aged care homes will get help from the ADF
- The Health Minister has not named the homes but says ADF personnel will provide "general" not clinical support
- There are also COVID outbreaks at seven schools in Tasmania
Deputy Premier and Health Minister Jeremy Rockliff said there were outbreaks at five aged care facilities across the state. Three of those will be supported by the ADF.
Mr Rockliff said the ADF would provide general support to the facilities but did not name which aged care homes.
"They will be providing general support, not clinical, and this is out of an abundance of caution," Mr Rockliff said.
"We've been working alongside the Commonwealth in relation to these outbreaks and they will be providing three of these facilities with a small number of ADF staff for up to a week.
"They will work with the respective aged care facilities on the support and the general support that they need."
There have been 167 COVID cases among residents in Tasmanian aged care homes and six deaths, according to federal Department of Health data.
Department records from February 10 showed that of current "active outbreaks", St Ann's in Hobart was the worst-affected residential aged care home.
There were 42 cases at the home — 26 in residents, 16 in staff. There were also two deaths. The figures are updated by the federal department every Friday.
Across the state, Tasmania has recorded 513 new coronavirus cases in the latest reporting period, up from 408 yesterday.
A total of 10 people with COVID-19 are in hospital, with seven patients being treated specifically for coronavirus symptoms.
There is one person in ICU, which has been the case for more than a week.
There have been 10 deaths linked to COVID-19 since the state's borders reopened to hotspots in December last year.
Outbreaks in seven schools
The state government said there were also COVID outbreaks at seven schools across Tasmania — in the public, private and Catholic sectors.
Two of the schools are located in the south, with five in the north and north-west — including a boarding school.
Under national guidelines, classmates are only considered close contacts if five or more students test positive.
Mr Rockliff said in the public sector, 57 teachers remained unvaccinated, down from 61.
"My understanding is that we have 98.9 per cent of teachers vaccinated within our public schools," he said.
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2022-02-14 23:41:50Z
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