Information for participants (COVID-19)

Last updated: January 2022

Remember, if you have any questions, please talk to your GP. They will have the best information for you.

We are available Monday to Friday 8.30am – 5.00pm and your Support Planner can be reached on their usual phone number and email address.

Are your contact details up to date?

To ensure we can keep in touch during this time, please let your Support Planner know if your contact details or the contact details of your support network change. If you have recently updated your contact details with us , thank you, we don’t need you to provide this information to us again.

COVID-Ready: People with disability

(This information has been shared from Queensland Health – COVID-Ready: People with disability | Health and wellbeing | Queensland Government (www.qld.gov.au))

Get the facts

Everybody is at risk of getting COVID-19. Most people will only get mild symptoms, like a sore throat and runny nose. But others might be worse.
Wherever you live, whatever your health conditions and whatever your vaccination status, you’ll be cared for. If you get COVID-19 (you test positive), you will receive COVID Care at Home (PDF, 834 KB) or COVID Care in Hospital (PDF, 1 MB) depending on your health conditions and symptoms.
Here are a few simple steps you can take to help keep yourself and others safe:
1. Get vaccinated. It’s not too late to vaccinate. People with a disability, their support persons, and people working in the disability sector are eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. Book your vaccination or ask your support person today.
2. If you’re already vaccinated, you may be able to get a booster shot. Book your booster or ask your support person today.
3. Check that you have all essential items (PDF, 446 KB) you need at home and prepare a COVID-Ready kit (PDF, 510 KB)
4. Prepare a COVID Care Plan
  - For adults (PDF, 1,008 KB)
  - For parents / carers and children (PDF, 1 MB)
5. Read about what will happen if you get COVID-19.

Help for communicating in a hospital or healthcare setting

Read about Julian’s Key, a patient/carer-controlled tool designed to improve communication and empower people with disability, their families and carers to be more involved in their healthcare.

Resources for getting ready

Auslan and video resources on COVID-19, how to stay safe and available services for people with disability, support workers and carers
Where to get help
Person-centred emergency preparedness planning tool (from the Queenslanders with Disability Network)
Coronavirus (COVID-19) Essential Items Checklist (PDF, 446 KB)
Proof of COVID-19 vaccination certificate (PDF) (Services Australia)
10 ways to keep safe and Get COVID-Ready (PDF, 748 KB)

Get COVID-Ready kit

Queensland’s borders are open, so now’s the time to prepare your Get COVID-Ready kit.
If you test positive to COVID-19 (you have COVID-19) and need to isolate, it may be too late to get the essentials in order. Be prepared and do what you can now.

Your kit should include:

- a thermometer
- pain relief
- your regular medications
- a plan for who can look after your children, pets, or people in your care only if you have to go to hospital
- face masks, hand sanitiser and gloves
- a plan for how you’ll get food and essentials for two weeks such as frozen meals, long life milk, and supplies and food for your pets. If possible, arrange a friend or family member who doesn’t live with you to shop for you and leave it at your door
- phone numbers for people you can call if you need help
- stay-at-home activities to keep you entertained
- a COVID Care Plan in case you get COVID-19. You can give it to your health worker or doctor if you need to go to hospital.
Print out a copy (PDF, 510 KB) to put on your fridge.

COVID care plan

If you live in supported accommodation for people with a disability, you won’t need to complete a COVID Care Plan. Your support workers already have the right information on hand.

The COVID Care Plan includes important information about you, your health and people in your household. You can share it with:

your doctor
other health workers
hospital staff
a friend or family member.

Resources

In an emergency always call 000. If you have questions or want to discuss your personal COVID-19 needs, you can contact:

Your GP
Speak to your providers about if services will change and how they might change for you
134 COVID (134 268)
the Disability Information Helpline on 1800 643 787
Queensland Health on 13 HEALTH (13 43 25) – for health-related advice, questions and support.

We hope the frequently asked questions (FAQs) below help to provide you with more information about managing your treatment, care and support services.

FAQs

Where can I find easy to understand information about COVID-19?

The Disability Gateway has information and services to help people with disability, their family, friends, and carers to find the support they need in Australia.

You can also contact the Disability Gateway in the following ways:

Phone (free call): 1800 555 677 (Monday to Friday 8am – 8pm)

If you are deaf, or have a hearing or speech impairment, you can also call the National Relay Service on 133 677.

The lead agencies for health-related information about Coronavirus (COVID-19) are:

The Australian Government Department of Health
Queensland Health
The Queensland Government’s Unite Against COVID-19 website.

Other resources that may also help you with your planning include:

Queenslanders with Disability Network. This is a state-wide organisation for people in Queensland with disability. The network has published some information on the types of things you may need in order to be prepared. For example they’ve published a checklist of essential items you should consider having handy.
Queensland Health’s Spinal Cord Injuries Service (QSCCIS) has a dedicated web page with information on COVID-19 for people specifically with spinal cord injury. However, it may also be useful for other people living with disability.

What do the social distancing and hygiene requirements mean for me?

It is important for you, and anyone you are in close contact with, to follow the latest recommendations set out on the Queensland Health and Australian Government Department of Health websites.

This also applies to service providers. We realise that you may need to have close contact with your support workers, and we rely on our service providers to protect you and themselves, by complying with government requirements.

We encourage you to talk to your GP if you have any concerns.

My support worker didn't show up today when I expected them. What should I do?

What happens if I, or someone in my household, is required to self-isolate?

Self-isolation is required for anyone who has:

a confirmed case of COVID-19
been in close contact with a confirmed case of COVID-19; or
arrived in Australia from overseas since mid-March 2020; or
is waiting for the result of a COVID-19 test. They must self-isolate until they are told their test result is negative.

If you fall into any of these categories, you should contact Queensland Health first. The telephone number is 13HEALTH (13 432 584)

Queensland Health will make decisions on where you need to be for effective management of your condition, including whether that might be hospital or home.

We will continue to work with hospitals to support your accident-related treatment, care and support needs.

If you need to go into self-isolation:

If you need to go into self-isolation, it is important for you to immediately let your service provider(s), and your Support Planner know.

We will work with you, the health system, service providers, and your support network to ensure delivery of your essential services through any quarantine period, if you are remaining at home.

Queensland Health has published information explaining what you need to do, and what government supports are available to you, while in self-isolation. This also contains clear instructions on whether or not you can self-isolate at home, including what this may mean for other people in the home.