Coronavirus Update: RDAA President On What Our Regional Communities Should Be Doing

RDAA President Dr John Hall caught up with Bronte & Sam by delivering tips so that rural and remote Australians can get ahead of the game with COVID-19.

This includes social distancing and avoiding non-essential travel & large gatherings. 

If you've been exposed to Coronavirus, these are the steps you should be taking:

• If you know you have been exposed to the virus, or you think you may have been - please do not turn up to your local general practice or hospital unannounced.
• FIRST, ring the Coronavirus Health Information Line (1800 020 080) for advice. If you require translating or interpreting services, call 131 450.
• Contact your local GP or hospital – but please ring them first, rather than turning up to the waiting room. They will be able to give you advice on what action to take. If they feel that they need to see you in person, it will give them time to get infection control measures ready.
• If you have returned from overseas in the past 14 days and you develop respiratory illness with or without fever.
• If you have been in close contact with a confirmed COVID-19 case in the past 14 days and you develop respiratory illness with or without fever.
• If you have severe community-acquired pneumonia and there is no clear cause.

Here are some tips on how you can implement basic personal hygiene techniques & social distancing:

•  Stay home as much as possible, and away from public spaces
• Putting off large gatherings of friends and family
• As children can be key vectors of viruses, ensuring grandparents and other older people are careful in their interactions with children, and consider limiting contact with children
• Wash your hands frequently
• Try not to touch your mouth, face and nose
• Sneeze into a tissue and then putting the tissue in the rubbish (and washing your hands) – or sneezing into your elbow if you don’t have a tissue
• Keep 1.5 metres away from others where possible and not shaking hands
• Self-isolate if you are feeling unwell or suspect you may have coronavirus

For more information & to hear what Dr John Hall had to say, you can listen here: