By Alesha Capone
Mercy Health is urging Wyndham residents to get vaccinated against the coronavirus, as it warns that more Werribee Mercy Hospital staff may be forced into isolation as COVID exposure sites increase.
With more than 500 exposure sites listed across Melbourne, including more than 30 in Wyndham, Ambulance Union secretary Danny Hill said last week that paramedics have been told to only take patients in a life-threatening condition to Sunshine and Footscray hospitals’ emergency departments.
He said that as hundreds of employees across the two hospitals have gone into isolation after visiting exposure sites outside of work, paramedics have been told to take people to other hospitals instead, including Werribee Mercy, which he described as being “bombarded” with patients.
A Mercy Health spokesperson said that since COVID-19 re-emerged in metropolitan Melbourne, Werribee Mercy Hospital has had a number of staff members go into isolation.
“As with all contacts, the lengths of the isolation periods have varied depending upon the staff member’s level of potential exposure to the virus,” the spokesperson said.
“At this point, we have been able to manage our services and patient flow.
“However, the more infection there is in the community, the more likely it would be that further staff members may require isolation.
“To better protect everyone from the virus and to reduce any potential strain upon the Victorian public health system, Mercy Health is actively encouraging everyone in our community to be vaccinated, and to be tested if you are a close contact or if any symptoms of COVID-19 emerge.”
The spokesperson said that given Wyndham’s rapidly growing community, Werribee Mercy’s emergency department “is always busy”.
“However, despite the current increased demand upon hospitals in Melbourne’s west, we have been able to maintain services and care for our community,” they said.
There are presently 39 residents of the 3029 postcode and 14 residents of the 3030 postcode who have been diagnosed with COVID-19.
The state government has said it will announce the location of a new-drive through vaccination site in Wyndham later this week, after Wyndham council met last Tuesday night to call for the municipality to get such a hub.
