What can you do to stay safe?

8 March 2020

We continue to remain focused on how keep our clients safe. The biggest risk right now is the possibility family members or friends unintentionally exposing you to COVID-19 without realising it. You might have heard news stories about a Melbourne doctor who recently continued to treat patients, because he didn’t realise he was infected. If a medically trained doctor can make a slip-up like that, how easy would it be for one of your family members or friends to do the same?

The best thing for our clients to do is keep close communication with your family and friends and work with ECHO and your doctor to assess the risk. If you, or someone you know, has been travelling overseas, please let us know, so we can help you assess the risk. If your family members have recently been travelling, please remind them of the latest Health Department guidelines. We know they want the best for you, so tell them to stay away for a couple of weeks, until they know they are free from symptoms. If this means you need extra services for a while, because your family can’t be there, let us know and we will do our best to organise more help for you as soon as possible.

You can also reduce your risk of infection with some basic hygiene factors. Keep your hands clean by washing with soap and water or hand sanitiser. Cover coughs or sneezes using a tissue and disposing of it immediately or by coughing into your elbow. If you feel any symptoms coming on, phone your doctor immediately, please let ECHO know, and avoid contact with other people until you know you are safe.