Victorian Department of Health info

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The Victorian Department of Health website health services and general practitioners - coronavirus disease (COVID-19) - includes quick reference guide and checklist, guidelines and advice, current COVID-19 case definition, advice for clinicians and health care workers and other fact sheets.

Victorian COVID-19 data dashboard
Victorian additional COVID-19 case data
Victorian Government COVID-19 vaccine data

Chief Health Officer

Weekly media release

COVID restrictions and recommendations

Mask and vaccine requirements and how to protect yourself and what you can do to reduce the risk and stop the spread

Are you a COVID case or a contact?

Information, what to do and check lists (further advice below for healthcare workers who test positive or are a close contact)

Vaccination

Information about the fourth dose and how to get vaccinated

Vaccination information for healthcare workers

Antiviral and early treatment medicines

People at risk of severe illness and hospitalisation are eligible for medicines to help them stay well. Eligibility includes people aged over 70, people aged over 50 with certain health conditions and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged over 30 years.

Medicines must be taken within five days of becoming sick.They are not a replacement for vaccination.

Information about eligibility and access to antiviral and early treatment medicines

Victorian Respiratory Clinics

Information about free respiratory clinics, including locations

Testing information

Rapid antigen testing (RAT) and PCR testing (some testing sites provide free RATs for the people in your household)
Report your positive RAT result
Covid positive pathways - this program makes sure you get the care you need at home or in hospital

Health services - winter retention and surge payment program

Meal and refreshment program guidance

Coronavirus (COVID-19) guidance note on employment-related matters

The Victorian Department of Health’s ‘Coronavirus Guidance Note on Employment-Related Matters’ provides advice on leave, including special paid leave and vaccination leave and re-deployment. ANMF encourages all employers to follow this guidance, however, recognise that enforcement is limited to public sector employers only.

Coronavirus (COVID-19) guidance note on employment related matters (updated October 2022)

Return to work: updated guidance for healthcare workers FAQs

The Victorian Department of Health updated guidance explains the return to work of ‘close contacts’. It also answers the many member questions ANMF has raised in our meetings with the Victorian Government, including the payment of special paid leave when in quarantine.
Return to work: updated guidance for healthcare workers frequently asked questions (updated January 2022)

COVID information for health services and health professionals

Comprehensive resources and links

Clinical guidance and resources

The guidance provides information for a range of clinical settings about PPE levels for all clinical and non-clinical scenarios, student clinical placements, workforce mobility, workforce daily attestations, and visitors.

Guide to conventional use of personal protective equipment

Factsheet: Extended P2/N95 respirator and eye protection use -preventing facial injury during COVID-19 (16 August 2021)

Student clinical placements - COVID-19 guidance (7 September 2021)

Movement of healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic

Important advice for healthcare workers about moving within a health service and between healthcare services.

Emergency accommodation program for frontline workers

The Victorian Government provides the ‘frontline accommodation program’ for health care workers if they need support to quarantine or isolate safely. Private aged care nurses and personal care workers are eligible to access this program.

Victorian Department of Health workforce register

Directions by the Chief Health Officer

Required vaccination orders for aged care and healthcare workers
Further required vaccination information for aged care workers
Further information for healthcare workers

Healthcare worker infection prevention and wellbeing

27 November Establishing a fit testing program - guidelines
21 October Infection prevention control resources
21 October Caring for facial skin posters [PDF, 3 posters in one file]]
- Caring for facial skin while wearing a face mask poster
- Caring for facial skin when wearing a P2/N95 respirator and eye protection poster
- Caring for facial skin - applying dressings under PPE poster
21 October factsheet: Extended P2/N95 respirator and eye protection use - preventing facial injury during coronavirus (Word)
18 October Statement from the Premier - easing of restrictions
Regional restrictions [pdf]
Metropolitan Melbourne changes
9 October Extra face masks from local suppliers to beat Coronavirus
September COVID-19 Best practice approaches for safe staff amenities for health services (Word) - best practice approach is designed to guide health services in the development of safe staff communal spaces (including handover areas) which go beyond the minimum physical distancing standards.
22 September Daily attestation frequently asked questions
17 September Healthcare worker update
Victorian Respiratory Protection Program guidelines (PDF) - guidance on how to introduce a Respiratory Protection Program to minimise healthcare worker exposure to respiratory hazards.
Protecting our healthcare workers - Victoria's respiratory protection program
10 September Healthcare worker update
3 September Healthcare worker infection prevention and wellbeing taskforce circular
25 August Protecting our healthcare workers (summary document)
Healthcare worker infection prevention taskforce page

Victorian Government media releases

18 July 2022 Backing Paramedics To Get Patients The Care They Need Sooner
17 July 2022 Supporting Our Healthcare Workers To Deliver Care
6 July 2022 Giving Employers Options To Keep Workers COVIDsafe
5 July 2022 More GP Respiratory Clinics To Ease Pressure On Hospitals
5 July 2022 Statement On The Pandemic Declaration
24 June 2022 Mass COVID-19 Vaccination, Testing Sites To Scale Back
20 March 2022 Thousands more TAFE places to reskill after the pandemic
18 March 2022 Victoria strengthens ties with Pfizer to boost skills
14 March 2022 Australian-first sick pay guarantee for casual workers
26 February 2022 Helping to vaccinate vulnerable Victorians
22 February 2022 A safe and sensible return to the office as mask rules ease
22 February 2022 Millions protected in first year of Victorian vaccinations
19 February 2022 Purpose-built quarantine hub set for first residents
11 February 2022 Hotels to hub – quarantine program transitions
11 February 2022 Vaccinators reporting for duty
2 February 2022 Securing rapid tests and making them in Victoria
21 January 2022 Helping public sector workers get their third dose
19 January 2022 Victoria reduces third dose interval ahead of vax blitz
18 January 2022 Pandemic Code Brown To Support Hospitals
16 January 2022 Millions of rapid antigen tests land in Victoria, more to come
14 January 2022 Medi-Hotels To Ease Pressure On Hospitals
11 January 2022 We want you: more vaccinators for our state-run system
10 January 2022 Keeping Victorian Workers In Key Sectors Safe
9 January 2022 New Pandemic Declaration To Support Omicron Response
9 January 2022 More Child-Friendly Vax Sites For Five To 11-Year-Olds
7 January 2022 Nine Easy Questions For Rapid COVID Response
6 January 2022 Sensible Steps To Reduce Testing Queues And Transmission
4 January 2022 Joint Third-Dose Vax Blitz Protecting Victorians
3 January 2022 Life Saving Equipment For Victorian Hospitals
30 November 2021 Proportionate Steps To Protect Victorians From Omicron
15 November 2021 Helping More Victorians Access Covid-19 Vaccinations
11 November 2021 More Elective Surgery To Resume
24 October 2021 Nearly There: Return To Normality With 80 And 90 Vax Rates
23 October 2021 Boosting Healthcare Workers Wellbeing And Safety
19 October 2021 Helping Victorians Who Find It The Hardest To Get Vaccinated
13 October 2021 Local Vax Pop-Ups Coming To Streets And Shops Across City
12 October 2021 More Support For Our Hardworking Healthcare Workers
11 October 2021 Open Access For All Victorians Above 12 For mNRA Vaccines
7 October 2021 More Mental Health Nurses To Help Victorians In Need
7 October 2021 Vaccination Boost For People Living With A Disability
5 October 2021 Priority Postcodes Targeted In Local Vaccination Push
4 October 2021 More Reasons To Smile As Vaccination Vans Hit The Road
1 October 2021 Vaccination Required To Protect Workers And Victoria
28 September 2021 City of Latrobe to enter seven day lockdown tonight
27 September 2021 Victoria boosts GPs and pharmacies for vaccine push
26 September 2021 Victoria To Hit 80 Per Cent First Dose Vaccination Target
26 September 2021 Regions to show the way in vaccinated economy trials
24 September 2021 Helping Ambulances Respond To The Most Critical Cases
19 September 2021 Seven day lockdown: Geelong, Surf Coast and Mitchell Shire
19 September 2021 Victoria’s Roadmap: Delivering The National Plan
19 September 2021 Keeping The Community Safe With New COVID Immunity Test
16 September 2021 New Freedoms When 70 Per Cent First Dose Target Reached
14 September 2021 More Mental Health Support, Close To Home
12 September 2021 New Pop-Up Vax Sites For 100 Postcodes Across Victoria
8 September 2021 Coronavirus restrictions to lift for regional Victoria
24 August 2021 Vaccine Eligibility Expanding For Anyone 16 And Over
16 August 2021 Extended Melbourne lockdown to keep Victorians safe
15 August 2021 More and more Victorians pick a reason to get vaccinated
13 August 2021 One million reasons for Victorians to get vaccinated
11 August 2021 Extended Melbourne lockdown to keep Victorians safe
9 August 2021 Lockdown to lift in regional Victoria
8 August 2021 Victoria expands access to Astra Zeneca at state centres
5 August 2021 Seven day lock down to keep Victorians safe
27 July 2021 Lockdown lifted across Victoria
20 July 2021 Extended lockdown and stronger borders to keep us safe
15 July 2021 Statement from the Premier
28 June 2021 Strong Border Enforcement To Keep Victoria Covidsafe
23 June 2021 Statement from the Acting Premier
16 June 2021 Statement from the Acting Premier
9 June 2021 Statement from the Acting Premier
27 May 2021 Statement From The Acting Premier
27 May 2021 Vaccine Roll Out To Expand To All Victorians 40 And Over
25 May 2021 Additional COVIDSafe Measures To Keep Victorians Safe
2 May 2021 Doors Open For 50+ At Vaccination Centres Across Victoria
29 April 2021 Planning To Begin On Dedicated Quarantine Hub
28 April 2021 All Public Sector Aged Care Facilities Visited For Vaccine
18 April 2021 Vaccine Rollout Ramps Up Across Victoria
8 April 2021 Vaccination Program Continues To Expand In Victoria
23 March 2021 Victoria to further relax COVIDSafe settings
9 March 2021 Vaccine Hubs Continue To Open Across Regional Victoria
1 March 2021 Vaccine Rollout Continues To Ramp Up Across Victoria
27 February 2021 Protecting Victorians And Staying COVIDSafe
26 February 2021 Victoria To Return To COVIDSafe Settings
22 February 2021 Free Coronavirus Vaccines Underway In Victoria
19 February 2021 High-Risk Workers To Receive First Vaccine In Victoria
14 February2021 Massive Expansion Of Victoria’s Public Testing Capacity
4 February 2021 Hospitals Hold Firm Coming Back To COVID Normal
3 February 2021 Victorian Health Services Ready For Vaccine Rollout
31 December Celebrating the new year in a COVID safe way
20 December Further measures to protect Victoria (Greater Sydney and Central Coast declared a red zone)
6 December Statement from the Premier - COVID-safe summer
22 November Statement from the Premier
12 November Putting The Mental Health Of Victorians First
8 November Statement from the Premier
8 November Summary of statement restrictions for the third step and last step to reopening [PDF]
7 November New Wellbeing Package For Our Health Heroes
6 November Statement from the Premier
4 November Hospitals Continue To Perform Through The Pandemic
26 October Statement from the Premier
25 October Statement from the The Premier
27 September Statement from the Premier - second step easing of restrictions
26 September Statement from the Premier - resignation of Health Minister Jenny Mikakos
22 September School camps return for rural and regional Victoria
16 September Safely re-opening elective surgery for Victorians
15 September Strengthening Our Health Response And Keeping People Safe
6 September Statement from the Premier
6 September Coronavirus roadmap to reopening
2 September Protecting the progress we've made in the virus fight
31 August Working together to re-open Victoria safely
30 August Vaccinations vital to keeping our children safe
25 August Coronavirus update for Victorians
25 August Protecting Our Healthcare Heroes (media release)
25 August Protecting our healthcare workers (summary document)
18 August Victorians Reminded To Keep Getting Tested
17 August Regional Victorians Urged To Get Tested
17 August Keeping Family Violence In Sight During Coronavirus
16 August State Of Emergency Extended To Drive Down Virus
13 August Regional Victoria On Alert With Expanded Testing Push
10 August Stories From Coronavirus Survivors
9 August Fast-Tracked Mental Health Support For Victorians In Need
5 August Childcare And Kinder Access For Permitted Workers
5 August Surgeries On Hold In Regions To Boost Hospital Capacity
4 August Caring For Families Vital In Victorian Aged Care Response
3 August Statement from the Premier
2 August Statement On Changes To Regional Restrictions
2 August Statement On Changes To Melbourne’s Restrictions
1 August Victoria’s Health System Rising To The Pandemic Challenge
30 July Statement from the Premier 'Today is not a good day' - new restrictions for regional Victoria
28 July Working Together To Protect Our Aged Care Residents
28 July Homes For Homeless Victorians During Pandemic And Beyond
26 July Supporting Victoria's last line of defence
23 July Supporting Victorian Workers To Get Tested And Stay Home
19 July Face coverings mandatory for Melbourne and Mitchell Shire
19 July Support for aged care residents and aged care workers across Victoria
16 July Victorian hospitals ready to fight coronavirus
14 July Coronavirus testing for elective surgery patients
14 July More Australian Defence Force Personnel to join Victoria's coronavirus response
13 July Supporting the mental health of young Victorians
10 July Facemasks to help fight Coronavirus in Victoria
10 July More survival support for Victorian business
9 July Stage 3 restrictions for Flemington and North Melbourne estates
9 July Temperature checks to be introduced for term 3
7 July Statement from the Premier (return to stage 3 stay-at-home restrictions)
6 July Supporting housing residents through quarantine
5 July Extra support for housing estates and hotspots
4 July Statement from the Minister for Housing
4 July Statement from the Premier (biggest jump in cases since 28 March)
1 July 'Hot zone' residents urged to get tested at new sites
30 June Statement from the Premier (includes the 10 post codes)
28 June Mandatory testing for returned travellers
21 June State of emergency extended to keep slowing the spread
20 June A statement from the Premier (information about re-introduction of some restrictions and $1500 payment for people with confirmed COVID-19 who cannot access sick leave)
6 June More health support for our frontline heroes
27 May More time to design a better mental health system for Victoria
15 May Continuing reform of Victoria's mental health system
12 May Nurses upskill to prepare health services for the future
11 May A statement from the Premier (information about easing restrictions)
11 May Crack investigative teams for coronavirus outbreaks
4 May Victoria passes halfway in testing blitz
3 May Treating more people at home to save lives
30 April Hotels for heroes expanded to more frontline workers
30 April Coronavirus testing expands at shopping centres
27 April Major Coronavirus testing blitz targets 100,000
26 April Stockpile of medical equipment keeping health workers safe
22 April Elective surgeries to increase after ANZAC day weekend
20 April Victoria's coronavirus (COVID-19) modelling confirms staying at home saves lives
12 April Surge funding helping our mental health system during crisis
12 April State of emergency for coronavirus extended to save lives
10 April A safe place to escape family violence during coronavirus
10 April Safe places for the homeless to recover and isolate
7 April Victorian students to learn from home, as VCE timelines revised
5 April Supporting workers on the frontline of coronavirus fight
4 April More disease detectives to help fight coronavirus
2 April Giving Victorians easier access to life-saving vaccines
1 April Huge expansion of our health system to fight coronavirus
31 March Coronavirus update for Victoria
30 March Premier announces the commencement of stage 3 restrictions
25 March Elective surgery wound back to prepare for coronavirus
19 March Extra funding boost for health system COVID-19 response

WorkSafe Victoria - infectious diseases guidance for the healthcare sector

ANMF requested WorkSafe Victoria develop specific guidance for the healthcare sector and healthcare workers.

Aged care

View the Department of Health Residential Aged Care COVID-19 information and resources.

Mental health services resources

Planning responses in coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreaks - Surge and hot spot teams for clinical mental health services (12 March 2021)
Wellbeing initiatives to support Victoria’s mental health and AOD workforce (Doc)
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for the provision of mental health care (PDF) (1 September)
Intensive mental health community care guidelines (PDF) (22 April)
Framework and guidance for mental health care during COVID-19 (PDF) (5 May)
Home Visits and Community Clinics Depot Administration (PDF) (26 May)

Maternity and newborn resources

Maternal and child health nurses and immunisation nurses

latest updates

Victorian Department of Health fact sheets and guidance

Protecting our healthcare workers (25 August 2020)
COVID-19 - Guidance Physical distancing in health services (2 November 2020)
Movement of health workers and health service employees during COVID-19 (22 September 2021)
Daily Attestation Guidance (October 2021)
Managing adult patient rapid response calls for known or suspected COVID-19 patients (15 June 2020)
Perinatal workplace wellbeing program COVID-19 resources
Coronavirus disease
(COVID-19) – getting tested when you do not have symptoms (asymptomatic testing) What you need to know
Providing acute mental health care in the community – intensive mental health community care coronavirus COVID-19 response (updated: 22 April 2020)
Framework and guidance for mental health care during COVID-19 (updated 5 May 2020)
Healthcare worker wellbeing during covid-19: resource list for health service organisations (updated 19 May 2020)
COVID-19 Residential Aged Care Facilities Plan for Victoria (Word) (4 May)
Health service planning - COVID-19 (includes physical distancing in the workplace and hospital visitors)

For more clinical guidance and resources visit the Victorian Department of Health page

Pharmacies employing/engaging nurse immunisers

DHHS advises pharmacies may employ or engage nurse immunisers who can act under the Nurse Immuniser Secretary Approval to provide immunisation services in the pharmacy or as part of an outreach or mobile vaccination service of the pharmacy or pharmacy depot. However, the nurse immuniser must be a registered nurse, and not an enrolled nurse, and must have completed an approved immunisation training course. The nurse immuniser also needs to have access to a medical practitioner for advice in accordance with the requirements of the Secretary Approval. Pharmacist immunisers cannot supervise nurses or other persons to immunise patients on their behalf.

Receive updates to alerts and newsletters

Subscribe to DHHS Coronavirus update newsletter by emailing COVID-19@dhhs.vic.gov.au and DHHS alerts, advisories, newsletters and digests.

Social media

Follow the Victorian Department of Health's Facebook and Twitter pages

Victorian Department of Health