The Latest Avery Responses to Covid-19 Coronavirus

Adapting to Change

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Covid-19 Visiting Update 04/04/2022

As you may be aware the Government have introduced updated guidance regarding care home visiting and testing.

The Living with Covid strategy released by the Government in February 2022 focuses on how, as a Country we will be reviewing the way in which we manage Covid as a society and how we return to pre-pandemic normality.

The most recent guidance which comes into effect today has brought about many changes for care homes which is extremely welcoming news for us all.  On that basis, please note the following changes which will take place today, Monday 4th April 2022.

General Visiting and testing

  • You will not be required to book a visit to the home and there are no limits to the number of visitors
  • You can visit anytime as we are returning to open visiting
  • You will not be required to take a lateral flow test
  • You will not be required to complete any health checks
  • You will be required to wear masks in all areas of the home, including bedrooms
  • Visits can take place in resident rooms and the communal areas or in the garden
  • We will be welcoming our external entertainers back into the homes
  • We will be commencing a programme of community events
  • Residents can come and go outside of the home freely with no lateral flow testing
  • Residents will no longer be tested ( PCR or LFT) unless they are symptomatic
  • Staff will test twice a week via LFT
  • We ask that you avoid visiting the home if you are symptomatic or have tested positive
  • We ask that you avoid visiting the homes if you have signs and symptoms of other transmissible disease e.g. diarrhoea and avoid coming to the coming for 5 days after symptoms have subsided
  • If a resident is COVID-19 positive they will need to self-isolate

Essential Care Givers (nominated person)

  • Will require testing twice weekly as per staff testing
  • Will require full PPE whilst supporting their loved on with personal care

Outbreak

  • We continue to have an obligation to inform the Health Protection team if we have 2 or more people ( resident and/or staff) who test positive in the home
  • The Health Protection team will advise the home on what precautions to take, which could be closure until the outbreak is finished, however it is unrealistic to close a whole home if 2 people test positive so some Health Protection teams are taking a pragmatic approach and allowing homes to continue to open via a risk assessment

We are really pleased that we can return to some normality, as I am sure you are too and whilst there is understandable nervousness with such extreme changes, we know that you will continue to support the homes with your patience and understanding

We will continue to encourage everybody to receive booster vaccinations with the Spring booster already being administered in some of our homes.  It is important that we continue with this as it is clear that the vaccination roll out across the country has enabled the gradual and safe removal of restrictions on everyday life in the past year, and will remain at the heart of the Governments approach to living with the virus in the future.

Our Covid-19 Timeline of Announcements

18th September 2020 Staff Mental Health

17th September 2020 Sanitizer in our homes

12th August 2020 Internal Visits Announced

31st July 2020 CQC Latest Support Inspection Passed

23rd March 2020 Avery suspends all visitors to all its care homes

30th March COO Praises Staff

6th April Update

15th April Management of Covid-19

4th May Update

26th May Going the Distance

29th May Update

4th June Our Covid-19 Fightback

17th June Safe Garden Visits

13th July Managing a Pandemic Effectively

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