Providing disability support services during COVID-19
Resources and advice for disability service providers and workers. Find out when you must not go to work, getting coronavirus (COVID-19) testing, identifying symptoms, and protecting yourself and the people you care for.
When you must not work
If you are disability support worker, do not go to work if you have:
- returned from overseas in the past 14 days
- been in contact with someone diagnosed with COVID-19
- a fever
- a symptom, even a minor symptom, of respiratory illness (cough, shortness of breath, sore throat, runny nose or nasal congestion).
Let your employer know if you need to quarantine at home.
Identifying symptoms
Monitor the health of people in your care and watch out for symptoms of COVID-19.
Keep in mind that some people with intellectual or developmental disability may:
- be at greater risk of serious illness due to COVID-19 if they have some medical conditions and co-morbidities
- have difficulty understanding and adhering to social distancing, handwashing and other risk reduction strategies, which increases their risk
- not show or be able to communicate early COVID-19 symptoms.
Getting tested
If you develop fever or respiratory symptoms, even if mild, do not go to work, and get tested straight away.
If someone you care for has symptoms, you or they should seek advice from their GP or the National Coronavirus Helpline about whether they should be tested.
Read about testing and explaining the testing process to a person with disability.
Stopping the spread
To help slow the spread of COVID-19, practise good hygiene and physical distancing and follow the limits on public gatherings.
For more on how you can protect yourself and those in your care, complete the 30-minute COVID-19 infection control training.