Your ref: C-ECTF-20/12399 Dear Residential Aged Care Providers We are pleased to enclose the first edition of the ‘Pandemic Response Guidance on personal protective equipment (PPE) in residential aged care (RACF) and disability care accommodation services’ (the RACF and Disability Accommodation PPE Guideline). The RACF and Disability Accommodation PPE Guidance has been developed by a panel of infection control and public health experts, and is designed to provide clarity and consistency for decisions regarding PPE use in various pandemic settings. This document was intentionally drafted to be specifically applicable to residential aged care and disability care accommodation services. The RACF and Disability Accommodation PPE Guideline defines three levels of pandemic transmission risk, with associated PPE requirements for residential aged care and disability care accommodation services. In application of the RACF and Disability Accommodation PPE Guidance, the Chief Health Officer will determine which level of risk is applicable in each Local Government Area (LGA). A decision on whether to follow the PPE protocols in the Guidance for health services will then sit with the responsible Chief Executive or equivalent for that entity. At 8 am, on 22 August 2020, in response to the cluster of cases associated with the Brisbane Youth Detention Centre, a number of changes to the Public Health Directions occurred. Queensland COVID-19 Restricted Areas Direction (No3.) declared the following LGAs as restricted. Those LGAs have been determined to be in ‘Moderate Risk’ for the purposes of PPE use for residential aged care and disability care accommodation services. The LGAs are: City of Brisbane City of Ipswich Logan City Scenic Rim Region Somerset Region, Lockyer Valley Region Moreton Bay Region Redlands City. The full version of the RACF and Disability Accommodation PPE Guideline is enclosed and provides further detail. This risk rating will remain in place for a minimum of four weeks and will be extended until there is clear containment of community transmission. Level 39 Website health.qld.gov.au 1 William St Brisbane Email [email protected] GPO Box 48 Brisbane ABN 66 329 169 412 Queensland 4000 Australia All other LGAs remain on ‘low risk’, and PPE utilisation should not change until further notice. This is important in order to preserve stock of critical supplies. Be assured that the situation is being closely monitored, and updates to this risk categorization will be issued as needed. The RACF and Disability Accommodation PPE Guideline is provided to you as guidance. It does not reflect a mandatory directive. It is intended to support PPE decision making in conjunction with the mandatory Public Health Direction Queensland COVID-19 Restricted Areas Direction (No.3), Aged Care Direction (No.9) and Disability Accommodation Services (No.1). Further information can be found via website https://www.health.qld.gov.au/clinical- practice/guidelines-procedures/novel-coronavirus-qld-clinicians. Yours sincerely Dr John Wakefield, PSM Dr Jeannette Young, PSM Director General Chief Health Officer 27/08/2020 27/08/2020 Encl. Page 2 of 2 .