1
CAVEAT
Eurobodalla Local Emergency Mgt Committee
Last review date 13/8/2020
Next review date 4/11/2020
WALLAGA LAKE COVID-19 ABORIGINAL ACTION PLAN
2020
LAWFUL VISITORS WELCOMED BY THE WALLAGA LAKE COMMUNITY, HOWEVER BE COVID SAFE AND COMPLY WITH PREVENTATIVE MEASURES ON YOUR VISIT
Community Action Plan Wallaga Lake Aboriginal Community
Merrimans Lands Council – CEO Terry HILL and Board Delegates
2
CAVEAT
Eurobodalla Local Emergency Mgt Committee
Level Action Responsibility 1. Prepare: COVID‐19 has not entered the community Ensure communication and
reinforcement of SOCIAL DISTANCING & thorough HAND HYGIENE
Community entry strategies to minimise risk of introducing COVID‐19 applied
Stringent self‐isolation and quarantine for people with cold and flu‐like symptoms
Stay at home and social distancing and hand hygiene reinforced.
High‐risk people advised to remain at home, for example those over 50 or those with other existing medical conditions
Funerals limited to only 10 people pending /updated revised Governmental COVID restrictions.
Non‐essential services closed Practice good hygiene: wash and dry
hands, cough into elbow, don’t touch your face
Establish an Emergency Response Team ‐ Community Leaders, LALC, School, Local Council, Police, AMS, NSW Health.
Identify resources (people, financial and physical) available to be redeployed to support the Emergency Response Team ‐ how many NGO staff are in the community and what role can they play, are there funds available to assist, road barriers or electronic message boards, community members.
Targeted meetings to handle logistics and allocate jobs to the lockdown workforce when required.
Identify what supplies needed in the community. (Essentials identified and provided to community by Katungal, Red Cross, NIAA & other entities – DONE)
Identify strategies for supporting drug and alcohol addiction, violence, community members with special needs, etc.
Minimise movement throughout the Wallaga Lake Community by non‐community members.
Police Liaison & Eurobodalla Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) endorsement. Stakeholders include, AMS Katungal, NSW Health, Aboriginal Affairs, Eurobodalla Council. Sergeant Peter VAUGHAN (OIC Narooma police Sector) the main point of contact (or delegate). Static and electronic signs in place at entrance to community – Umbarra Road . Council road barriers arranged – Umbarra Road entrance until no longer required. The local Board and community representatives have confirmed a preparedness to reinforce community messaging around access to the Wallaga Community to be contained to residents only, where practicable and within COVID Legislation, due to the pandemic health risk & until further notice. Electronic message boards and road barriers in place until no longer required. Katungal AMS (support by SNSWLHD as required)
3
CAVEAT
Eurobodalla Local Emergency Mgt Committee
Processes for testing for COVID‐19 in place.
Community Members who meet high risk criteria (over 55, Chronic Disease Markers, persons of concern, family group elders) identified by Primary Health Care service providers, contacted for FluVax, welfare and medical advice
FluVax/Pneumovax initiative must be delivered in community.
Welfare Checks to community members of concern
Primary Health Care Service Providers. (Done – Ongoing) FluVax/Pneumovax delivered by Primary Health Care
Provider. (Done – Ongoing)
Ensure ongoing health provision (Done and ongoing). Inform and prepare community ‐ social media updates to
advise that the community is in lock down and what the agreed conditions are for entry and exit are, see NSW Health resources at https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/Infectious/diseases/Pages/covid‐19‐resources.aspx#Aboriginal
Display public health messages on social media and in community spaces
Community is supported to self‐isolate – food deliveries, essential supplies deliveries
Community members are supported to quarantine in community if they have symptoms or have been diagnosed with COVID‐19
Develop communication strategy to inform community members of confirmed case(s) and the need for minimal contact
Development of a Pandemic plan should there be an outbreak (Katungul – completed)
Katungal AMS (supported by SNSWLHD as required) AOD, SEWB Resources and assistance available via the local EOC include Aboriginal Medical Service health support (AMS each Thursday), Aboriginal Affairs contact, can be escalated as required. Mental health and drug and alcohol issues being serviced via NSW Health. High risk residents including those over 50 or suffering health concerns have been advised to remain in self‐isolation and have agreed to maintain this arrangement. Monitoring known high‐risk individuals who attend Narooma and suffer alcohol or drug dependencies. Encouraged to take advantage of the support and rehabilitation services available. Three flyers printed and presented to LALC meeting. Numerous copies. Numerous flyers and brochures supplied by AMS Katungal . Significant community, NSW Police and partner agency media messaging
4
CAVEAT
Eurobodalla Local Emergency Mgt Committee
ongoing to promote attempts to restrict the community to current residents only within legislation and COVID requirements. Katungal Website Flyers printed and presented to LALC meeting. Numerous copies. Manage through Health Assess at time of receipt of information. Door to door likely by Health.
2. Contain: Confirmed cases in community Entry and exit measures maximised
Community informed of confirmed
case(s) Supported accommodation for those
in quarantine to recover from mild symptoms
Cleaning of quarantined accommodation
Communication in event of notifiable infection.
Essential services only allowed into the community where practicable and within COVID or other legislation.
Update social media, community text messaging and other digital platforms.
Use vacant houses, hotels or other properties to provide clean, comfortable space for quarantine purposes or identify other evacuation options such as larger regional towns nearby
Provision of accommodation for community members needing to self‐isolate due to coronavirus/respiratory illness.
Engage cleaning contractor so that a high standard of hygiene processes are followed once accommodation becomes vacant
Placement of stricter traffic control measures. – Police or EOC in consultation with stakeholders as to extent of control measures. Whole of community response managed via the Eurobodalla EOC. Manage through advice from Health Eurobodalla EOC if outside scope Assistance through Katungal AMS (Limited capacity though available)
5
CAVEAT
Eurobodalla Local Emergency Mgt Committee
Communication strategies restricted to digital means (handouts negated due to fomite risk/door to door negated through risk of transmission).
Patients/Community members with positive test results at low end of assessment spectrum may choose to be monitored by their primary GP (not preferred method however can be offered/supported by Katungal with support from PHU – arrangement is pre existing).
Katungal AMS
3. Elimination: COVID‐19 is not contained People instructed to stay at home All services and facilities close Rationing of supplies and
requisitioning of facilities Major reprioritisation of health
services Testing to demonstrate for
elimination of virus present in community
Future delivery of COVID‐19 Vaccine when available
All community members instructed to stay indoors – for example no visitors to enter or exit town except health and service professionals within COVID or other legislation.
Food and essential supplies to be rationed and distributed to individual homes.
Health services to coordinate and prioritise those most at risk.
Extensive testing to community.
Vaccination of community when available.
Potential use of overflow facilities – for example suitable venues to be identified until ambulance services can transfer the patient to hospital
NSW Health and AMS Katungal or Eurobodalla EOC if outside Health scope NSW Health and AMS Katungal or EOC if outside Health scope . Katungal AMS (with required support from SNSWLHD if needed) Katungal AMS (with required support from SNSWLHD if needed) Alternative accommodation as per Health/EOC contingency arrangements. Might include Bermagui or Bega commercial accommodation provider or ADF assistance (request through EOC).
6
CAVEAT
Eurobodalla Local Emergency Mgt Committee
WALLAGA LAKE ABORIGINAL COMMUNITY MAP
7
CAVEAT
Eurobodalla Local Emergency Mgt Committee
SOUTH COAST POLICE DISTRICT– Community Action Plan Organisation Contact List Organisation Contact Role Phone / Mobile Email EOC ‐ Eurobodalla Greg Flood LEOCON 4472 0099 / 0408 990 316 [email protected] EOC ‐ Eurobodalla John Sheehan ALT LEOCON 4472 0099 / 0419 433 518 [email protected] EOC ‐ Eurobodalla Rob Bourke LEMO (ESC Rep) 0428 653 632 [email protected] NSWPF – Batemans Bay Sector Chief Inspector Greg Flood OIC Batemans Bay/Moruya 4472 0099 / 0408 990 316 [email protected] NSWPF – Bega Valley Sector Chief Inspector Peter Volf OIC Bega Valley / Narooma 6492 9999 / 0401 990 432 [email protected] NSWPF SCPD SGT Peter Vaughan Narooma Team Leader 4479 3500 [email protected] NSWPF SCPD Eddie Moore SCPD ACLO 4472 0099 / 0404 446 159 [email protected] Merrimans Lands Council Terry Hill CEO 4473 7288 / 0407 002 371 [email protected] Little Yuin Preschool Kim Cooke Director 4473 7396 / 0488 533 978 [email protected] NSW Aboriginal Affairs Melissa Ellis Act/Regional Manager 4478 2668 / 0475 961 290 [email protected] Katungul AMS Joanna Grant CEO 4488 4050 / 0429 644 670 [email protected] Katungul AMS Chin Weerakkody Director of Health Services 4488 4050 / 0459 556 616 [email protected] SEARMS Steve Shannahan Operations Manager 4472 2644 / 0437 993 417 [email protected] NSW Health Jackie Jackson Aboriginal Health Manager 4475 1618 / 0477 727 620 [email protected] NSW FACs Renee Robinson Manager Client Services
Batemans Bay and Bega 64990523 / 0418 717 337 [email protected]
NSW Education Matt Alterator Aboriginal Education Co Ordinator
4475 3300 / 0428 054 163 [email protected]
Red Cross Judy Harper Regional Operations Manager
44284920 / 0400 993092 [email protected]
8
CAVEAT
Eurobodalla Local Emergency Mgt Committee
Annexure
ACLO – Aboriginal Community Liaison Officer ADF – Australian Defence Force AMS – Aboriginal Medical Service (Katungal) EOC – Emergency Operations Centre OIC – Officer In Charge LEMO – Local Emergency Management Officer LEOCON – Local Emergency Operations Controller SCPD – South Coast Police District NIAA – National Indigenous Australians Agency SNSWLHD ‐ Southern NSW Local Health District
