CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19) AND CIVIC

Restrictions Impacting Civic Services Extended

NSW Health extended the current lockdown in regional NSW and Greater Sydney until the 11th October.

Accommodation services
Our homes remain operational with visitor and other restrictions in place. All visitors are currently restricted, unless visiting for essential caring functions, such as on site medical care, as outlined by NSW Health. All staff are working across a single site and are required to wear a mask when on site.

Supports in Employment
Supports in Employment will be unavailable for clients living in residential disability accommodation across all Civic sites.

Centre- and Community-Based Group Activities
The temporary suspension of both centre and community-based group activities is in line with advice from the Department of Health to restrict social contact.
Our Centre-based activities and evening and weekend social groups within the Greater Sydney, Nepean Blue Mountains, Wollongong and Central Coast regions will remain suspended until the Order is lifted. We will continue to check in with affected clients individually, and update you as soon as we have a safe pathway to reopening these services.

If you attend these services, and also receive accommodation services from Civic, you will be supported as a household to take part in COVIDSafe activities that are in line with the Stay-At-Home order.

All other pandemic protocols, including temperature screening and social distancing remain in place across all Civic sites.

If you are in need of support during this time, please don’t hesitate to contact us. Our Civic @ Home platform offers a full weekly calendar of online events that are open to all and offer an important opportunity to connect and express yourself. Classes can be booked by emailing comms@civic.org.au. We are also able to provide 1:1 support if you need support in your home at this time.

Other Services

Our support coordination, clinical and one-to-one support services will remain operational with additional measures in place to ensure the health and safety of our clients and staff.

Our head office functions will also remain operational, with staff mobilized to work from home.

COVID-19 Restrictions

In line with the updated advice from NSW Health, clients attending Supported Employment or Centre-based Social Activities at any Civic site, who live in any of the following Local Government Areas, are asked to remain home until the restrictions are lifted.

• City of Sydney,
• Waverley,
• Randwick,
• Canada Bay,
• Inner West,
• Bayside,
• Woollahra

This means, if you live in one of the above areas, you are not able to attend Civic Industries or Hubs until the restrictions have been lifted. This is to safeguard the health and wellbeing of our communities and prevent the risk of COVID-19 spreading further. Prior to returning to Civic services, we would also recommend a COVID test be completed.

A reminder of our current Pandemic Protocols

As we remain vigilant to the ongoing threat posed by Coronavirus, the following pandemic protocols remain in place across Civic sites and services:

• All staff and visitors are required to sign in electronically using the Service NSW app when visiting any Civic site
• Any staff with symptoms of cold or flu are asked to stay home, get tested, and not return to work until a negative test has been received.
• Temperature Screening is in place across all Civic Sites
• Known hot spots are circulated daily and anyone who has been at a known hot spot is not permitted entry
• Social distancing is in place across all workplaces, and COVIDSafe activities planned for clients outside of the home
• A heightened cleaning regime is in place
• All staff and visitors must continue to wear masks at work and when on Public transport
• Visitors from restricted areas and those who are in isolation or have been tested are excluded from all facilities

If you need to contact us about our response to COVID-19

If you have any questions or concerns, please let us know. You can email enquiries@civic.org.au or call 1300 692 484. Please also refer to our website for our most up-to-date information relating to the Coronavirus pandemic.

New Services

Additional services including respite and Medium Term Accommodation (MTA) are being offered to those in immediate need.

Remote services have been available since Monday April 20 to existing Civic clients. These include live cooking, art, music and fitness classes as well as access to on-demand content.

Food delivery and food boxes are now also available.

Communications

Civic are committed to keeping clients, staff and families informed. Communications will be sent regularly to all stakeholders and this web page will be regularly reviewed and updated. Please also ensure you follow our social channels on Facebook and Instagram for easy updates.

Keeping Yourself Safe

Coronavirus is a respiratory illness, with symptoms ranging from a mild cough to pneumonia. Some people recover quickly and easily, and others may get very sick, very quickly. The Department of Health website has some key resources to help you if you are at risk, need to isolate yourself, or want to learn more about prevention.

In addition, we have created the following Easy-Read guides:

Easy Read – Staying Well

Easy Read – Coronavirus

Easy Read – Isolation

Additional Resources

World Health Organisation Coronavirus Site

Department of Health – COVID-19

NDIS and Disaster Response – Coronavirus Information

How To Wash Your Hands Poster

Australian Psychological Society – Tips for coping with Coronavirus anxiety

Beyond Blue – Information to help with mental health issues such as stress, depression and anxiety in relation to COVID-19

COVID-19 Vaccine Resources

Resources

• Information for people with disability about COVID-19 vaccines
• Consent form for COVID-19 vaccination
• Information on COVID-19 Pfizer (Comirnaty) vaccine
• Preparing for COVID-19 vaccination
• After your COVID-19 vaccination
• ATAGI clinical guidance on COVID-19 Vaccine in Australia in 2021
• ATAGI immunisation provider guide to obtaining informed consent for COVID-19 vaccine
• COVID-19 vaccination decision guide for women who are pregnant, breastfeeding, or planning pregnancy
• Supporting people with intellectual or developmental disability to access health care during the COVID-19 pandemic

Easy Read Fact Sheets

• COVID-19 vaccine – Overview
• COVID-19 vaccine – What is it? Is it safe?
• COVID-19 vaccine – Who will get the vaccine?
• COVID-19 vaccine – Where can you get the vaccine?
• COVID-19 vaccine – The Pfizer vaccine
• COVID-19 vaccine – Getting ready for the vaccination
• COVID-19 vaccine – What to expect when you have your vaccination
• COVID-19 vaccine – Giving your consent
• COVID-19 vaccine – After your vaccination – Easy Read
• COVID-19 vaccine – Other information – Easy Read

Auslan videos

• About Australia’s COVID-19 Vaccines – Auslan
• How COVID-19 Vaccines Work – Auslan
• COVID-19 Vaccine National Rollout – Auslan
• Approval of a COVID-19 Vaccine – Auslan
• The Making of Vaccines – Auslan

Other resources

• Information for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples about COVID-19 vaccines
• Information for aged care providers, workers and residents about COVID-19 vaccines
• Information in other languages.

Contact Us

If you are an NDIS participant and you are concerned about your exposure to coronavirus (COVID-19), the Department of Health has a specific hotline to respond to your enquiries. 1800 020 080 (24 hours a day, seven days a week).

If you are deaf or have a hearing or speech impairment, you can use the National Relay Service to access any of the department’s listed phone numbers. You can visit the National Relay Service website or call 1300 555 727.

To find out more from Civic, contact the Customer Experience Team on 1300MYCIVIC (1300 692 484) or email enquiries@civic.org.au.