COVID-19 Update: 14.01.22

Safety in the hub

In order to operate in the current environment, we are safeguarding our staff and participants in the hubs through the following:

1. Our COVID-safe protocols follow NSW Health guidance for high risk settings, which are more strict than settings for the general community.
2. Avenue uses Rapid Antigen Testing at all locations, in a targeted manner, as an extra precaution.
3. Staff vaccination including a booster is mandatory, along with the vast majority of our participants.
4. Any staff or participant deemed a close contact of a COVID positive person must seek a PCR test, isolate for seven days from the community, and isolate a further three days (10 days in total) from our service. In addition, they must return a negative Rapid Antigen Test at the end of their isolation period in order to return to their hub.
5. Masks are mandatory for staff and strongly encouraged for participants.
6. Well-being checks are conducted for all staff and participants before entering the hub each day, and individuals with cold/flu like symptoms cannot enter the hub.
7. Where we have a positive case in our service, Avenue will initiate our risk management protocols which include additional deep cleaning and Rapid Antigen Testing for everyone entering the hub following the case (staff and participants).
8. Stringent cleaning and hand hygiene protocols are enforced at all times.

Update on isolation periods

Where you/your person is COVID positive, a close contact or symptomatic, the following rules apply in terms of their isolation period and return to the hub:

We ask that you notify your hub as soon as possible if you have either tested positive for COVID-19 (either Rapid Antigen Test or PCR), are a close contact and/or are symptomatic. Based on current government advice for our sector, the isolation period we have put in place in regards to close contacts and positive COVID-19 cases is now 10 days.

– If you test positive for COVID-19: You are unable to return to the hub until after your Day 10 date. You must be in isolation for this time and inform the local hub Manager ASAP.

For example: If you tested positive on the 1st of January, your Day 10 would be the 10th of January. If you have no ongoing symptoms you can return on the 11th January.

– If you are a close contact/household contact: You can return to the hub after your 10 day isolation period (as above). Day 1 is the date in which you were informed you were a close contact.

– If you have COVID-19 symptoms: You must get tested as soon as possible, either via a Rapid Antigen Test or PCR test. If the test result is negative, you may return to the hub  (pending no more symptoms and you’re not a close contact of a positive case).

A reminder that in NSW you are now required to register your Rapid Antigen Test positive test result online with NSW Health.

Please note, following your 10 day isolation period if you are still symptomatic or living in a house where other people are COVID positive you may need to isolate for longer. In this case, we would assess your return date on a case by case basis.

Logging On: Avenue Online

During the current COVID-19 wave, continuing to provide services is critical in supporting our community who do not choose to access our hubs.

Avenue Online is helping Avenue participants to remain engaged and connected. We invite you to join the online fun!

• • • Avenue Online offers a mix of learning workshops, exercise classes and fun social activities every weekday (Monday to Friday).  The workshops are run from 10am-3pm, with a break between 12 and 1pm, and you can choose how much or how little you would like to attend.
    • Click here to view the Avenue Online Timetable and Program Info

The feedback from our participants currently enrolled in Avenue Online has been fantastic and we’re looking forward to adding new activities to the program in the coming weeks.

Join Avenue Online

If you would like to join the Avenue Online program, please contact your local hub team as follows: