The support measures will remain in place until the end of September as COVID-19 outbreaks spread to 983 aged care facilities in Australia.
Defence Force personnel are being used to fill staff shortages in aged care homes, including at this centre in Victoria.Australian Defence Force support for Australia's aged care sector has been boosted and extended until at least the end of September, with COVID-19 outbreaks infecting 6,000 residents and 3,250 staff across the country.
"It's not just extending the military support to aged care, it's actually increasing it up to 250 personnel through until the end of September."Thousands of aged care residents infected as COVID-19 hits a third of facilities across Australia "Given the number of outbreaks that we've got right now, this is the right thing to do and I've got no doubt that those personnel will equip themselves professionally and fantastically in the way they do their work," he said.
Aged and Community Care Providers Association interim chief executive Paul Sadler says up to 15 per cent of staff are isolating or quarantining at home, with the coming weeks set to put intense pressure on residents and workers.