COVIDSafe Re-opening Conditions

Conditions necessary to re-open from February 2022.

Preamble

Stewart House’s Executive Leadership Team is responsible for updating and implementing this document. Note that this plan is subject to change as updated information from authorities becomes available and as we continually learn and improve our processes. Stewart House is monitoring updates by Australian authorities and adapting our processes as appropriate. These include:

  • Department of Health (including the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee (AHPPC))
  • NSW Health
  • NSW Department of Education
  • NSW Police
  • Communicable Diseases Network Australia (CDNA)

Stewart House is also monitoring information from broader sources, including the World Health Organisation (WHO), as well as case studies of residential facilities affected by COVID-19, both from within Australia and overseas.

A COVID-19 Safety Plan has been lodged with the NSW Government (a separate document).

Introduction

These new conditions for Stewart House to operate have been deemed necessary following the outbreak in NSW caused by the Delta variant of the COVID-19 virus across the period April-October 2021 and the Omicron outbreak of November-February.

The Board of Directors of Stewart House has and will continue to work closely with other NSW Government Agencies in planning and managing the Stewart House Program in order to reduce the potential risk of COVID-19 transmission within the broader NSW community.

In 2022, additional risk and health restrictions will apply to determine the suitability of children for entry into the Stewart House residential setting due to the ease with which the SARS-CoV-2 Delta and Omicron strains spread within household environments.

The Delta variant is estimated to spread more than twice as easily as the original virus and can also cause more severe illness. The risk of needing hospital care for people infected with the Delta variant is around double that of those infected with the Alpha variant.  Compared to other variants, people infected with the Delta variant are more likely to be admitted to hospitals, including intensive care.

The following conditions will come into effect from the beginning of the school term for NSW public schools with all schools operating in a COVID-Safe way.

View the complete set of conditions required to re-open, along with the list of scheduled groups.