COVID Positive Community Program

With a range of other supports now available for people living with COVID, we will gradually be standing down our COVID+ Pathways program over the coming months. The timing of this decision supports effective transition of patients, workforce and the program and allows for planning for this next stage of the pandemic.

Having supported close to 2.5 million Victorians living with COVID, the program has played a critical role in Victoria’s pandemic management and we’re immensely proud of the work of the participating health services and community health services and the support they’ve provided their patients.  

The following links will help support the sharing of information going forward

•      When to wear a face mask www.coronavirus.vic.gov.au/face-masks

•      Getting a COVID-19 test  http://www.coronavirus.vic.gov.au/get-a-covid-19-test

•      What to do if you have COVID-19 www.coronavirus.vic.gov.au/managing-covid-19-home

•      How to get your 2023 booster www.coronavirus.vic.gov.au/get-vaccinated

•      COVID-19 antiviral medicine www.coronavirus.vic.gov.au/covid-19-medicines

•      Ventilation www.coronavirus.vic.gov.au/ventilation

•      Your GP – call your usual GP to ask if they can see you in person or via a telehealth (telephone) appointment.

•      Accessing antiviral medication – People aged over 70, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged over 30, and those living with health risk factors, chronic conditions, and immunosuppression (weakened immune system) are urged to check their eligibility for COVID medicines and contact their General Practitioner or a free GP Respiratory Clinic, even if their symptoms are mild. If you can’t get an appointment, or there is not a Respiratory clinic in your area, you can contact the Victorian Virtual Emergency Department. For more information, visit www.coronavirus.vic.gov.au/covid-19-medicines

•      The National Coronavirus Helpline – 1800 020 080 is available 24/7 to provide information and support for Victorians testing positive for COVID-19.

•      GP Respiratory Clinics – offer assessment, testing and treatment for people with respiratory conditions (including COVID-19). Clinics can also provide antiviral medication prescription for eligible people who cannot get an appointment with their usual GP. GP Respiratory Clinics are free for everyone, with or without a Medicare card. To check if there is a clinic in your area, or to make an appointment visit www.health.vic.gov.au/covid-19/gp-respiratory-clinics-and-hospital-respiratory-clinics-covid-19.

•      Nurse-on-call – direct contact with a registered nurse for free, caring, professional health advice, call 1300 60 60 24 from anywhere in Victoria, 24 hours a day.

•      Victorian Virtual Emergency Department – a public health service for non-life-threatening emergencies. Access emergency care from anywhere in Victoria, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The service can also prescribe anti-viral medication for eligible people who cannot get an appointment with a GP. For more information, visit  www.vved.org.au/patients/

Albury Wodonga Health has provided a book about what you should do if you have COVID-19 and are staying at home.

You can download this here.

Some tips include:

• Isolate yourself at home or in your accommodation until you are advised of the results by the Local Public Health Unit.
• You must not leave your house or accommodation except for medical care or in an emergency.
• Separate yourself from the other people in your home by staying in a separate room.
• Wash your hands regularly and cough and sneeze into your elbow or a tissue
• Wear a surgical mask when you are in the same room as other people and keep 1.5 metres apart.
• Use a separate bathroom, if possible.
• Avoid sharing household items including plates, cups, and cutlery.
• Clean household surfaces (tabletops, doors, keyboards, taps and handles).
• Wear a surgical mask and disposable gloves while handling soiled items.
• Dispose of contaminated items like gloves and masks in a lined waste bin.
• Do not have people to visit you inside your home or accommodation.
• Ask friends or family, who are not required to isolate, to get food or other necessities for you. They should leave this outside your door. They should not come into physical contact with you.
• If you have difficulties getting food or necessities, call 1800 675 398 for support.
• If you need a translator first call 131 450, then request the hotline on 1800 675 398. More information is available at coronavirus.vic.gov.au
• Please keep Triple Zero (000) for emergencies only.

Public Health Orders apply when you are required to isolate. Stay home and stay safe. You can leave some in special circumstances, which include if you need to access health care or because of family violence.

Remember, if your illness gets worse, you should call the doctor who cared for you, the COVID positive Community Care Program, an ambulance or the emergency department where you were assessed.