Carinity has received official notification from Queensland Health that all results for three rounds of COVID tests on residents and staff at our Karinya Place aged care community in Laidley have come back negative.
Residents are now out of quarantine and are able to enjoy each other's company for the first time in two weeks.
The past two weeks has been a very trying time for residents, their families and friends and Karinya Place staff. Carinity has been buoyed by support and prayers from the community.
We congratulate our staff for their professionalism and diligence while continuing to care for and support our residents during this difficult time.
Eleven staff were required to quarantine yet Carinity managed to keep full rosters, to ensure the continuity of care for our residents.
Staff from as far away as Brisbane, Ipswich and Gold Coast volunteered to work at Laidley and Carinity chaplains from Brisbane and Toowoomba supported residents and their families.
We are pleased that the situation was contained to one COVID case and the training of Carinity staff in infection control procedures and their vigilance in using PPE (personal protective equipment) helped to minimise the risk to residents.
All of the work over the last eight months has paid off which again is a testament to the commitment our staff have for protecting residents and their workmates.
We are encouraged by comments of Queensland Chief Health Officer, Jeannette Young, who publicly praised Carinity's preparedness and response to a COVID case.
We appreciate the professional efforts of Queensland Health and West Moreton Health in working with Carinity to minimise the COVID risk for our residents, staff and the community.
While residents were released from quarantine today, visits to Karinya Place can only occur on compassionate grounds, as per Queensland Government directives.
