COVID-19: Health & Safety Updates | Telethon Speech & Hearing
Health and safety updates

Coronavirus COVID-19: Important Health & Safety

Updated: Tuesday, 17th January 2022

Dear families, staff and guests of TSH,

Telethon Speech & Hearing regards the safety of our team, our families, our students/clients and guests who access our services as our highest priority. As such, we want to take every precaution to limit the spread of Coronavirus.

This is an everchanging environment with new information released daily.  We will continue to look at ways to support our families and clients in any way possible.

If you have any concerns please do not hesitate to contact us.  We will keep you informed as new information arises through this challenging time.

Accessing our services and programs

Telethon Speech & Hearing is an Independent School, as well as a therapy provider and a health provider. As such we are registered under and are answerable to the Department of Education and Department of Health. We operate under the auspice of the Minister and for this particular situation are only able to close under directive from the Department of Health.

As per the Prime Minister’s statement (released 20 March 2020) regarding gatherings, schools and travel restrictions, the National Cabinet has accepted the advice of the AHPPC that schools should remain open at this time.

As such, additional teletherapy and remote learning options are now in place so families can continue to access essential services from home. 

For the week commencing 18 May 2020:

With schools returning across WA and the increased calls for face-to-face sessions in our clinics, TSH is seeking to limit the number of people onsite to ensure the safety of everyone at our centre.  Some of the measures in place include:

  • Temporarily limiting parental/guardian access to one person with each child
  • Conducting parent interviews over the phone or on-line using Teams
  • Staggering the resumption of the face-to-face delivery of our Audiology, Speech Pathology, Occupational Therapy and Psychology services.
  • Ensuring all payments are through contactless means
  • Asking parents to keep sick children away, inform us of any illness in their family, inform us of any contact with a COVID-19 case, and talk to their doctor if their child has any medical condition prior to returning
  • Continuing to action thorough cleaning of equipment and rooms
  • Providing staff with suitable PPE where this is appropriate to the role, and ensuring rigid hygiene protocols are followed

For our group-related programs, a number of considered measures are in place to help keep families safe and ensure education continues for our children. Direct communications from TSH by email and SMS will be given to families depending on their current situation whether face-to-face or online sessions are available.

Please keep an eye out on your email inboxes for the most current information from us. If you have any concerns about your family’s health and safety at TSH, please contact us.

For helpful information around discussing Coronavirus with your child, click here (from the Telethon Kids Institute).

Download the ServiceWA app

From 5 December 2020, particular businesses must maintain contact registers for WA Health Department COVID-19 contact tracing, if required.

If COVID-19 is detected in the WA community, contact registers help to protect us all by enabling the WA Health Contact Team to quickly identify and assist anyone that may have been exposed to COVID-19.

To help, the WA Government has developed a free app, SafeWA, which will provide businesses with a digital contact register system.

SafeWA is an efficient and safe way to record patron and visitor contact details where they can check-in using the app. 

Download the SafeWA app from the Apple App Store or the Google Play Store now.

From 5 December 2020, particular businesses must maintain contact registers for WA Health Department COVID-19 contact tracing, if required.

If COVID-19 is detected in the WA community, contact registers help to protect us all by enabling the WA Health Contact Team to quickly identify and assist anyone that may have been exposed to COVID-19.

The ServiceWA app is a mobile application provided by the WA Government to help connect with WA State Government services. 

The ServiceWA app allows you to activate and access the following WA Government services in one place:

  • SafeWA –for individuals checking in at WA businesses, venues and events.
  • Import COVID-19 digital certificate – for secure presentation of your proof of vaccination or exemption on demand.
  • G2G Pass – to access your travel passes when you travel into WA.

Click here to visit the WA Government website for more details about ServiceWA including a step-by-step guide for setting up the app.

As per the direction from the Western Australian Government, as of 31st of January 2022, anyone aged 16 years and over, will be required to show proof of being double vaccinated for COVID-19 to enter the venue.

The forms of vaccination proof we will accept, can be found by clicking this link.

COVID-19 Vaccines

Australia is working hard to ensure we all have access to safe, effective and free COVID-19 vaccines, which will give us the protection to go about our everyday lives.

The COVID-19 vaccines are being assessed carefully by independent clinical experts to ensure all potential vaccines meet Australia’s high safety and quality standards. After vaccines are approved, they will be rolled out, going to those most in need of protection first.

To keep up to date visit: health.gov.au

Telethon Speech & Hearing advises that all families seek medical advice from their GP/doctor regarding their personal circumstances in relation to the COVID-19 vaccine.

 

National coronavirus and COVID-19 vaccine hotline

If you need information about COVID-19, COVID-19 vaccines or help with the COVIDSafe app, call the telephone number listed below. If you need assistance with booking a COVID-19 vaccine appointment, please note the call centre is unable to book appointments on your behalf.

Phone: 1800 020 080
Email: COVID-19 vaccine enquiries

NDIS support

The NDIS has recently published information in an Easy Read format on the NDIS website, about their response to the coronavirus (COVID-19).

This includes releasing a pack about Early Childhood Early intervention to put all the information for children aged 0 to 6 years in one place to make it easier to find. This pack is designed to help parents and carers think about your child’s plan.

They have also published translated versions of helpful information about coronavirus (COVID-19) in five different languages.

A number of frequently asked questions and answers are also available on the NDIS website and are updated as more information is available.

Hygiene recommendations

covid19-infographic-protect-yourself
  • Use the alcohol-based hand sanitiser when entering/exiting the centre and rooms.
  • Wash your hands frequently with soap and water, before and after eating, and after going to the toilet.
  • Cover your cough and sneeze, dispose of tissues, and use alcohol-based hand sanitiser.
  • Avoid contact with others in the centre (touching, kissing, hugging and other intimate contact).

Feeling unwell?

  • Particularly at this time, we ask that all children who are not feeling well are kept at home.  While that illness may have nothing to do with the virus, we are trying to limit any susceptibility to it.

  • If you or your child is feeling unwell, please follow the government’s recommendations and eligibility around testing for coronavirus. Please also do not come into our centres until a negative test result is confirmed and you are feeling better.

  • Please be aware of the signs of coronavirus. Symptoms include shortness of breath or cough, with or without a fever. In some cases, the virus can cause severe pneumonia. From what we know now about COVID-19, the symptoms can start between 2 and 14 days from exposure to the virus.
  • The WA State Government announced specialist clinics would open to cater for testing COVID-19 for those who displayed symptoms and have recently returned from overseas.

Protect others and stop the spread

We can all help slow the spread of COVID-19 in Australia.

To protect others you must:

If you have a confirmed case, you must isolate yourself to stop the virus spreading to other people.

Travelling

The Government of Western Australia has declared a State of Emergency and a Public Health Emergency in response to COVID-19 coronavirus. As per advice from HealthyWA, you should:

From Saturday, 5th February 2022, WA will embark on its Safe Transition and ease interstate and international borders. Find out more about entering and travelling around WA, and quarantine requirements from the WA Government website.

Be supportive, careful, alert and kind

While there are a number of COVID-19 cases in Western Australia, plans to contain its spread are in place. As with many viral infections, the severity of any associated illness will vary from person to person, dependent on a number of factors including age and the presence of any associated co-morbidities.

Support our health system – only seek medical attention if you have recently travelled and have respiratory symptoms (e.g. cough, sore throat) or fever.

Fact sheets and resources

For the latest advice, information and resources, go to www.health.gov.au.

You can call the National Coronavirus Helpline for information and advice about COVID-19: 1800 020 080. The line operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week. If you require translating or intepreting services, call 131 450.

Video resources

 
Telethon Speech & Hearing is committed to upholding the rights and safety of all children and young people. This includes being a child safe organisation where children, young people, families, and community members can feel that their culture, abilities and identities are respected. Telethon Speech & Hearing acknowledges the Traditional Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Custodians of the land on which we work, live and build stronger communities for children and families to thrive. We recognise their continued custodianship and connection to land, waters and community and pay our respects to Elders past, present and emerging. We extend this respect to all First Nations people present today and welcome all Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal families to our centre and school.

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