Hospital, school on exposure site list

The emergency department at Casey Hospital is an exposure site. Picture: STEWART CHAMBERS 224627_12

By Danielle Kutchel

The Emergency Department at Casey Hospital is again listed as a Covid exposure site after a positive case visited the hospital.

The waiting room of the emergency department at 62-70 Kangan Drive, Berwick, has been identified by the Department of Health as an exposure site on Monday 20 September, between 5.05pm and 10.43pm.

Staff are advised to refer to the Infection Control protocols at the hospital.

The site is a tier 1, so any patients or visitors who were there at that time should get tested immediately and quarantine for 14 days from exposure.

Ramlegh Park Primary School is also a tier 1 exposure site, with a Covid case having attended on both Tuesday 7 and Wednesday 8 September, between 8.30am and 3.25pm.

Anyone there at that time must get tested immediately and quarantine for 14 days from exposure.

Liquorland Casey Central is also an exposure site, on Tuesday 14 September between 1pm and 8.30pm, Wednesday 15 September between 8am and 1.30pm, and Thursday 16 September, between 2.15pm and 8.45pm.

Some individuals will be Tier 1 contacts required to quarantine for 14 days and the Department will contact them directly with this advice.

Otherwise, anyone who has visited this location during these times should urgently get tested, then isolate until confirmation of a negative result.

They should continue to monitor for symptoms and get tested again if symptoms appear.

In recent days, the City of Casey has been identified as an area of concern for the government.

There are currently 142 active Covid cases in Casey, with 26 new cases having come to light in the 24 hours to Wednesday 22 September.

It comes as 440 pharmacies across the state begin rolling out the Moderna vaccine.

Speaking to reporters on Monday 20 September, the Victorian President of the Pharmacy Guild of Australia, Anthony Tassone, who is also a pharmacist at Terry White Chemmart Pharmacy on Clyde, said the arrival of the third vaccine was “great news” for Victorians as we inch closer to the 80 per cent double dose target.

The Moderna vaccine used mRNA technology like Pfizer and is available to those aged 12-59.

“The best vaccine that you can get is the one you can get today,” Mr Tassone said, urging all those eligible to make an appointment for their vaccine.

He said hundreds of appointments had been made for the Moderna vaccine already at his own pharmacy.

Victoria recorded 628 new Covid cases on Wednesday 22 September.

To book a vaccine at your local pharmacy, visit findapharmacy.com.au

Visit coronavirus.vic.gov.au for more information about vaccinations and testing.