OCAV is #ProudtoProtect Liscombe House residents

Despite a bumpy start with a lack of vaccine supply and never-ending changes to the aged care vaccination rollout, Old Colonists’ Association of Victoria is delighted that all Liscombe House staff completed their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccination by the mandated deadline of 17 September.

Kerry Feistl, Director of Nursing, said that the Liscombe House team was well underway to complete both doses by the final deadline of 15 November. Currently 72 per cent of all staff are fully vaccinated.

Ninety-four per cent of residents have completed their vaccination program, with two new arrivals waiting on bookings with their GPs and two choosing not to be vaccinated.

“We can truly say that we are #ProudtoProtect our residents, and residents have played their part too in making sure we keep everyone safe,” Kerry said.

“Liscombe House is as COVID-safe as possible for people living and working here.”

She said that a key part of OCAV’s COVID Emergency Response Plan was to take preventative action against transmission of the virus.

Central to the success has been OCAV’s investment in time and resources on vaccination and communication to employees, residents and their families.

“Residents have openly discussed that they wanted all staff to be vaccinated, and our staff have said they prefer to work with people who are vaccinated,” Kerry said.

OCAV continues to appeal to everyone who wishes to visit Liscombe House to get vaccinated now in preparation for when it re-opens to visitors.

The mandatory COVID-19 vaccination requirements include all full time, part-time and casual staff employed or engaged at an aged care facility, administration staff, kitchen, cleaning, laundry, garden and maintenance staff, lifestyle teams, volunteers, placement students and medical practitioners who attend and provide care to residents.

While vaccinations are not compulsory for staff working in retirement villages, there has been strong turn-out for immunisation across all village staff. The majority will be double vaccinated by the end of Phase C, scheduled for 5 November, while others will be between recommended dosing times.

Kerry said that it was clear from the roadmap unveiled by the Premier of Victoria that increasing vaccination rates was central to reopening and that those who were not fully vaccinated would be heavily restricted in getting into things they enjoyed.