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Managing infectious respiratory diseases in aged care

Managing COVID-19 in aged care

Find the latest information and advice on COVID-19 for aged care providers, aged care workers and people who access residential or home care.

Australian Government-funded aged care providers should develop an emergency management plan or outbreak management plan, depending on the type of services delivered.

Aged care COVID-19 reporting and reviews

Aged care homes must report all resident and worker COVID-19 cases through the My Aged Care Service and Support Portal

  • report additional cases as they occur
  • close the record at the end of the outbreak.

This information helps us to plan support for the sector.

Resident deaths should also be reported through the portal, when a resident:

  • passes away from COVID-19 or with COVID-19, or 
  • a clear alternative cause of death has not been found.

For information about COVID-19 cases in aged care settings see:

Residential aged care

An outbreak of COVID-19 is declared when 2 or more residents test positive to COVID-19 within a 72-hour period.

Residential aged care providers must: 

  • increase infection prevention and control (IPC) measures, including cleaning and use of personal protective equipment (PPE)
  • activate outbreak management plans with the first residents that test positive to COVID-19, influenza or RSV 
  • conduct a risk assessment to determine exposure to all residents
  • respond to changing circumstances 
  • conduct early resident Rapid Antigen Tests (RAT) or polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing
  • consider where and how residents and workers can be cohorted according to risk
  • communicate with workers, residents, families, and visitors about changes
  • report cases to us and relevant state and territory health departments.

Resources are available to help you develop your outbreak management. 

For lessons learned in managing a COVID-19 outbreak, read the:

Workforce planning

You should have a workforce management plan to ensure continuous care and services. You are responsible for ongoing delivery of safe, quality care to residents in the event of an outbreak.

Aged care workers should not attend work after testing positive for COVID-19 for at least: 

  • 5 days if they have no symptoms and can provide a negative COVID-19 test
  • 7 days if they have no symptoms and no fever for 24 hours with testing not required. 

Temporary surge workforce support is available to eligible aged care homes:

  • impacted by a COVID-19 outbreak and having critical workforce shortages
  • with evidence that existing partnerships and recruitment channels have been exhausted
  • in a MM 3 to 7 location.

Emergency leave for residents

Emergency leave is available for permanent aged care residents that allows them to stay with family or friends during a COVID-19 outbreak.

Emergency leave is available until 31 December 2025. 

Declaring an outbreak over

A decision to declare an outbreak over should be made by the outbreak management team and can be in consultation with the public health unit.

An outbreak can be declared over 7 days after:

  • the last COVID-19 case tests positive, or 
  • the date of isolation of the last resident COVID-19 case, whichever is longer.

Repeat testing may be recommended by the public health unit in the 7 days following an outbreak being considered over.

Respite aged care

During a COVID-19 outbreak, residential respite providers should:

  • continue to accept people needing respite care
  • discuss care needs with recipients, their families and carers
  • help recipients apply for approvals if they need to extend their respite care period.

If you are unable to submit a respite extension request through the My Aged Care Service and Support Portal, seek help from an Aged Care Assessment Team.

In-home care

Home Care Package (HCP) and Commonwealth Home Support Programme (CHSP) providers must deliver quality and safe care to older people, including during outbreaks of COVID-19.

HCP protocols

Delivery of HCP services that are necessary for the health and safety of care recipients must continue:

  • where it is safe to do so
  • in line with the relevant state or territory public health order
  • even if the care recipient:
    • is awaiting test results
    • has tested positive for COVID-19
    • is unvaccinated or will not disclose their vaccination status
    • refuses a COVID-19 test.

Emergency care plans

HCP providers must have an emergency care plan which details their responsibilities to:

  • support care recipients to access alternative care arrangements, if needed
  • continue services without arranging an alternative model of delivery
  • ensure all care recipient information is current, including emergency contacts and GP details.

Developing an emergency care plan with care recipients can be incorporated into the usual care management planning discussions. Recipients, their family, authorised representatives and their GP or other health practitioner should discuss emergency planning and triggers.

Security of tenure requirements

HCP providers are bound by security of tenure requirements and must deliver the agreed care and services for as long as the care recipient needs those services (see Section 17 of the User Rights Principles 2014).

Providers may only pause or stop delivering home care where they meet the requirements under the User Rights Principles 2014.

Where a provider cannot continue services for a care recipient, you must continue in a safe manner until they move to another provider willing and able to accept them.

Read more information on security of tenure.

CHSP providers

CHSP providers are responsible for addressing the safety of employees and volunteers delivering services to a client or carer in their home.

This includes operating under the provider’s emergency plan and adhering to the infection control procedures, where applicable.

Read more information about CHSP provider responsibilities.

Resources

Planning

Infection prevention and control

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