Page 1059 - Week 04 - Tuesday, 3 May 2022
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regard to ACT public schools, the Deputy Chief Minister announced that they would maintain term 1 restrictions for the first two weeks of term 2 to enable appropriate planning and consultation to take place.
The standing exemption for essential workers has been revoked due to the changes in the management of household contacts, which permits individuals to attend their workplace under similar requirements previously outlined in the standing exemption.
However, for the sake of the public record, I note that, prior to these changes, the ACT had extended the essential worker standing exemption for household contacts to federal election workers. This included any person employed or engaged on behalf of the Australian Electoral Commission to perform functions of election delivery. The updated standing exemption commenced from midday on 14 April. This was in addition to previously exempted workers in food and grocery support, freight and transport, veterinary services, community pharmacy and national security.
A temporary exemption was also issued to the Canberra Airport from 6 am on 14 April until 11.59 pm on 25 April. This temporary exemption covered security workers and airline check-in and baggage workers and reflected the workforce pressures being experienced at the Canberra Airport at a time of increased demand for services over the school holidays, Easter and Anzac Day long weekend.
Madam Speaker, for an increasing number of Canberrans, COVID-19 can lead to debilitating symptoms that last for months after the initial infection has subsided. For some people, this can include fatigue, poor sleep, reduced respiratory capacity and very reduced exercise tolerance. These symptoms can impact a person’s ability to return to work, exercise and engage in social activities and family commitments.
The recently opened post-COVID recovery clinic at the University of Canberra Hospital is taking an individualised approach to assisting patients with symptoms impacting on their daily lives more than 12 weeks after contracting the virus. Eligible patients are aged 16 and over and considered clinically stable and appropriate to undertake a physical rehabilitation program having identified achievable, time appropriate rehabilitation goals.
These patients can seek a referral from their GP and are then supported through a specialist rehabilitation program run by an interprofessional team, seeing a rehab medicine specialist, physiotherapist, occupational therapist, exercise physiologist and social worker. Most patients also have a respiratory assessment through the department of respiratory and sleep medicine at Canberra Hospital. There is significant ongoing collaboration between the respiratory team and the team at the post-COVID recovery clinic.
The rehabilitation is provided at UCH with an option for home-based functional rehabilitation if needed. The rehabilitation pathway may include one-on-one therapy; group therapy, including pulmonary rehabilitation; self-management education; and telehealth interventions. This clinic is playing an important role to help Canberrans return to their pre-COVID activities and live a full and happy life.
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