Coronavirus (COVID-19) and Civic
COVID-19 has the potential to impact disability service providers and the individuals to whom we provide support. Civic is taking specific action to maintain client and staff safety. Use the links below to navigate our approach to the COVID-19 outbreak and to access resources.
If you are concerned about COVID-19 and its potential impact on yourself or your friends and family who work or receive services from Civic, please contact us on 1300 692 484 or by emailing our Customer Experience Team at enquiries@civic.org.au.
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CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19) AND CIVIC
Dear all,
As the situation regarding COVID-19 continues to change we are pleased to announce that as of today January 7 2021, we will be re-commencing services in line with NSW Health updates as of Monday 11th January.
The affected services are listed below:
- All Civic Community Hubs and Community Programs will re-open as of Monday 11th January
o Clients displaying any symptoms are asked to remain at home
o Contact your practice leader should alternate arrangements be required
- Clients receiving in – your own home social supports from Civic staff are asked to
o Adhere to all NSW Health restrictions and Covid Safe practices
o Contact your practice leader should alternate arrangements be required
- Clients receiving in – your own home essential supports from Civic staff are asked to
o Adhere to all NSW Health restrictions currently in place
o Contact your practice leader should alternate arrangements be required
- Civic Accommodation – all areas remain closed to visitors, non-civic staff and contractors
o Adhere to all NSW Health restrictions currently in place
o Contact your practice leader should alternate arrangements be required
- Civic Industries, Civic Crews and Cafes Supported Employment will re-open as of Monday 11th
o Supported employees are requested to return to work as of 11th Jan
Mandatory across all services:
- All staff and visitors must continue to wear masks at work and when on Public transport
- Exclude visitors from restricted areas and those who are in isolation or have been tested
- Adhere to all NSW Health Restrictions currently in place
- Anyone displaying any symptoms are asked to remain at home
We understand that the decisions we make as an organisation have impact on individuals, their families and other organisations and thank you for your continued support. We will continue to be in touch as we monitor the situation and direct clients and family members to our website, civic.org.au/covid19 or contact 1300 692 484.
Thank you, Annie Doyle
CEO, Civic Disability ServicesA reminder of other Pandemic Protocols
As we remain vigilant to the ongoing threat posed by Coronavirus, all existing protocols remain in place:
- 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
We will continue to monitor the situation and communicate with you. We encourage you to check our web page civic.org.au/covid19/ for updates and please don’t hesitate to contact us if you have any questions. You can call our customer experience team on 1300 692 484.
Warm regards
Annie Doyle
CEO, Civic Disability ServicesUpdate, December 19 2020
Due to the emergence of positive COVID-19 cases in the Northern Beaches LHD and Penrith LGA we have updated our current restrictions. In line with advice to Disability Service Providers from NSW Health, issued on December 18, all staff and visitors are to wear a surgical mask while on site from December 19.Any visitors who live in Penrith or who have visited the Northern Beaches LHD since December 11 are unable to visit at this time.Any staff or visitors living in Northern Beaches are asked to follow advice from NSW Health and remain home between Friday 18 and Sunday 20 December.All other pandemic protocols (see Current Restrictions) remain in place. We thank you for your continued support at this time.Current Restrictions
- All staff and visitors are now required to sign in electronically when visiting any Civic site. To sign in, click here.
- Anyone who has been exposed to a hot spot or region identified by NSW Health will not be allowed entry and will be asked to isolate for 14 days.
- Any staff or visitors 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
- Social distancing remains in place across all workplaces, and COVIDSafe activities planned for clients outside of the home
- A heightened cleaning regime remains in place
- Staff remain on a single-site roster, working across a single site to minimise the risk of infection.
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.
Services affected by COVID-19
- Supported Holidays remain suspended
- Centre-based activities are running at a limited capacity
All other services are currently running with pandemic protocols in place.
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:
Additional Resources
World Health Organisation Coronavirus Site
Department of Health – COVID-19
NDIS and Disaster Response – Coronavirus Information
Australian Psychological Society – Tips for coping with Coronavirus anxiety
- All Civic Community Hubs and Community Programs will re-open as of Monday 11th January
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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.
