There is no restriction for coming to hospital to receive healthcare and staff and visitors are no longer required to wear masks while we are in Green status. Additional PPE such as face masks may still be required in certain areas of a health facility or hospital (e.g. care of a confirmed case of COVID-19, immunocompromised patients).

Visitors are currently welcome at Metro South Health facilities, and are asked to help keep patients safe by:

• maintaining physical distancing, where possible
• practising hand hygiene.

Please do not visit our facilities if you:

• have COVID-19 symptoms
• tested positive to COVID-19 in the past 7 days
• are waiting a COVID-19 test result
• are a close contact of a person with COVID-19 in the past 5 days.

Exemptions to these restrictions may be granted to visit end-of-life patients or in other special circumstances, however facility approval is required before entry. To apply for an exemption, please talk to ward staff.

Please note, there is no longer a requirement for visitors to be vaccinated against COVID-19, or to wait 7 days after arriving from overseas.

Current traffic light level – Green

When the traffic light is green, you should:

• wear a mask if required by a healthcare provider
• stay home if you are sick
• keep up to date with your vaccinations
• maintain good hygiene
• take a rapid antigen test (RAT) if you get COVID-19 symptoms.

If you get COVID-19:

• register your RAT result
• wear a mask for 7 days after you test positive
• avoid visiting hospitals, aged care, or disability care for 7 days after you test unless you are receiving care
• stay home until you are well again
• use the healthdirect Australia COVID-19 Symptom and Antiviral Eligibility Checker
• ask household members to closely monitor symptoms.

People who are older or have medical conditions can be more vulnerable to serious illness if they get COVID-19. 

COVID-19 designated zones, beds or wards

Visitors are not permitted for patients who are in areas where COVID-19 patients are cared for including zones, beds or wards.

Exemptions may be granted in some circumstances. For example, if the patient:

• is a child
• has a cognitive impairment 
• needs a full-time support person (due for example to frailty, self-care needs or where a communication partner is required).

Visitors to a COVID-19 designated area may be permitted for the purpose of an end-of-life visit at the discretion of the hospital.

Please note: Staff do their best to accommodate visitors and support people while maintaining physical distancing, however this may not always be possible in areas with limited space. To protect patients and staff when physical distancing cannot be maintained, visitors and support people may be asked to wait in another area. Thank you for your understanding.

Thank you for your support in keeping patients, staff and our community safe.