- VIC | State of Emergency Update
- VIC | Support for aged care residents and aged care workers across Victoria
- VIC | Coronavirus Worker Payment to support those who don't have access to sick leave
- VIC | Relief fund for international students
- VIC | Business Support Fund
- VIC | Community Support for Victorians to stay connected
- VIC | Dental Health Services of Victoria telehealth
- VMC | Community ambassador videos
- MELB | Return to Stage 3 Restrictions Translated Materials
- MELB | Same-Day Doorknock For Cases Who Don’t Answer Calls
- MELB | Translated videos about face masks
- CoPP | Port Phillip Emergency Food Guide: a guide to food, meals, parcels and food vouchers
- SCFO | Scanlon Foundation Community Grants
- CMY | Schools standing up to racism
- CCEH | Health Translations newsletter
- ORYGEN | Supporting the mental health of young Victorians
- VIC | Help from Energy and Water Ombudsman
- CoPP | Information and support in navigating Federal and State issues available
- AUST | Coronavirus hotline
- AUST | Helpers and Reliable Sources Along the Way
- Acknowledgment to Sources
- Self-Isolators, Non-Essentials And The Homebound
1. Victorian State of Emergency Update
On 19 July 2020, Premier Daniel Andrews revised our state’s continued measured approach.
People living in metropolitan Melbourne and Mitchell Shire are now required to wear a face covering when leaving home for one of the four reasons, following a concerning increase in coronavirus cases in recent days.
Based on the latest advice from the Chief Health Officer, we’re urging Victorians: just as you remember to take your keys when you leave the house, you need to remember to take something to cover your face – to help keep you and our community safe.
To give people time to purchase or make a face covering, this new rule won’t be enforced until after 11.59pm on Wednesday 22 July – but for those who can, please start wearing yours immediately. The fine for not wearing a face covering will be $200.
There will be some reasons not to wear a face covering. For example, those who have a medical reason, kids under 12 years of age, those who have a professional reason or if it’s just not practical, like when running – however you will still be expected to carry your face covering at all times to wear when you can.
Read the 19/7 announcement from Premier Daniel Andrews.
From Sunday 2 August at 11.59pm Victorian Government Department of Health and Human Services announced it is mandatory for all Victorians to wear a mask when leaving home for any of the four reasons to help reduce the spread of COVID-19.
Further restrictions are being introduced for people who live in the City of Greater Geelong and the Shires of Colac Otway, Golden Plains, Moorabool, Surf Coast and the Borough of Queenscliffe. From 11:59pm on Thursday, 30 July you will no longer be able to have visitors to your home or visit others in their homes.
From 11:59pm on Sunday 2 August everyone in Victoria will need to wear a face covering when they leave home, unless they have a lawful exception:
- Children under 12 years do not need to wear a face covering. Children aged two years or younger must not wear face coverings as they are a choking and suffocation risk.
- There are lawful exceptions for not wearing a face covering including if you have an illness or condition that makes wearing a face covering unsuitable, if you are doing strenuous exercise or if you are unable to do your job while wearing a face covering.
- People who do not wear face coverings and do not have a lawful excuse can be fined $200.
- Other lawful exemptions for not wearing a face covering
Read the 19/7 announcement from Victorian Government Department of Health and Human Services.
DHHS will be distributing 2.1 million reusable face masks
2. VIC | Support for aged care residents and aged care workers across Victoria
Both tiers of Government, in partnership with Victorian Aged Care Industry leaders, will introduce measures to reduce the transmission of COVID-19 into Aged Care services.
The measures include funding to be made available by the
Federal Government to residential and home care providers to:
- Ensure aged care employers can cover any additional entitlements to enable employees to work at a single site;
- Engage and train additional staff where existing employees are unable to work due to self-isolation requirements and/or where a more intensive workforce mix is required;
- Support aged care workers who are unable to work due to symptoms, self‑isolation or travel restrictions, regardless of whether they would usually receive paid leave.
- Provide alternative accommodation so workers who live or work in hotspots can continue to work.
The
Victorian Government is providing financial support to Victorian workers who are self-isolating or in quarantine. A one-off $1,500 payment will financially support Victorian aged care workers who have been instructed by the department to self-isolate or quarantine at home because they are either diagnosed with COVID-19 or are a close contact of a confirmed case, but can’t rely on sick leave while missing work.
Other areas:
- Industry program to reduce workforce sharing across sites
- More Infection control training
- Enhanced surveillance and contact tracing
- Increased contact tracing
- Testing
- Additional capacity to care for aged care residents from outbreak sites
Read the 19/7 announcement from Victoria's Health Minister
3. VIC | Coronavirus Worker Payment to support those who don't have access to sick leave
On Thursday 23 July, the Victorian Government announced eligible Victorians will receive a $300 support payment from the time they are tested until the time they receive their results. If you subsequently test positive for COVID19 - and are eligible, a one-off payment of $1,500.
Eligible Victorians for this assistance is workers who are unable to work during their isolation, have no income during this period, and are not entitled to any paid sick leave, special pandemic leave or other income support.
To read the full statement, click here.4. VIC | Relief fund for international students
Applications are now open for the Victorian Government’s $45 million International Student Emergency Relief Fund. Delivered through Study Melbourne and Victoria’s universities and TAFEs, the Fund supports international students in Victoria who are facing financial hardship through lost wages and work as a result of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
Find out more and apply
5. VIC | Business Support Fund
The reinstatement of Stage 3 restrictions across metropolitan Melbourne and Mitchell Shire is necessary to slow the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19), but the impact on businesses is significant.
Announced
Friday 10 July, Victorian Treasurer Tim Pallas has announced a $534 million business support package for businesses and workers doing it tough amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
The $534 million package includes:
- $5000 support grants for more than 80,000 eligible businesses
- $30 million fund for hardest hit hospitality businesses
- $36 million for mental health support for business owners
- $20 million fund for CBD businesses
- $40 million: regional tourism fund
Applications for the program (is in addition to the first round of the Business Support Fund, which closed on 1 June 2020) and closes on
19 August 2020.Read the 10/7 announcement from Treasurer Tim Pallas here.
Find out or apply
6. VIC | Community Support for Victorians to stay connected
The Victorian Government is helping communities to stay connected during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and beyond with the Let’s Stay Connected Fund. The fund provides grants between $5,000 and $200,000 to support community-led initiatives that build connection, reduce feelings of loneliness and isolation that can be implemented quickly – providing much-needed support across the state.
Find out more and apply 7. VIC | Dental Health Services of Victoria telehealth
DHSV (Dental Health Services of Victoria) is now offering free telehealth appointments. This means you can speak to them via internet video call about your oral health needs. You don't need to travel to DHSV for an appointment. You can use telehealth on most laptops, desktop computers, tablets, or smartphones. The telehealth video call service is available from Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm. All Victorians are eligible for this service and it is bulk billed.
Find out more8. VMC | Community ambassador videos
Community ambassadors from a range of cultural backgrounds have come together to help explain important information about coronavirus (COVID-19). Share these
video and audio messages with your community to ensure everyone understands the four reasons to be out, how they can stay safe, and where to get in-language support if they need it.
View videos and download 9. MELB | Return to Stage 3 Restrictions Translated Materials
Due to an increase in the number of COVID-19 cases in Victoria, Greater Melbourne and Mitchell Shire have returned to Stage 3 restrictions. A range of translated materials are available encouraging people in Melbourne and Mitchell Shire to stay home, including posters, social media content and audio recordings.
Download the stakeholder pack
10. MELB | Same-Day Doorknock For Cases Who Don’t Answer Calls
On Friday 24 July, the Victorian Government announced it has sought assistance from the ADF of more than 1400 members to support our state-led operations in both enforcing the border around Melbourne and Mitchell Shire and other critical tasks in the response to the global pandemic.
If you've had a COVID19 test, and as a result have tested positive, the Department of Health and Human Services will call you. This call is to conduct a contact tracing interview.
If you aren't answering your phone, or cannot because it is a religious day of worship - you can expect Defence Force personnel accompanied by an authorised officer to visit your home address.
This is no cause for alarm or concern - they are simply trying to make contact to check that you are isolating at home and to gather information about your close contacts.
To read the full statement, click here.11. MELB | Translated videos about face masks
The Victorian Department of Health and Human Services have translated the Victorian Chief Health Officer’s video about face masks into 14 different languages. From 11.59pm on Wednesday 22 July, if you live in metropolitan Melbourne or Mitchell Shire and you need to leave home for one of the four essential reasons, you must have a covering over your mouth and nose.
Download Stakeholder Pack- Audio — face coverings: Short scripts in 23 languages are available, as well as audio messages in .mp3 files. These messages say that if you live in metropolitan Melbourne and Mitchell Shire you must wear a face covering when you leave your home.
- Social media — face coverings: Social media graphics for Facebook and Instagram are available for download, as well as recommended post text. Please download and share across your personal and organisation's social media channels.
- Posters — face coverings: Posters and flyers on wearing face coverings are now available in 23 targeted languages. Please download and share through your networks and print and hang in your organisations and businesses.
12. CoPP | Port Phillip Emergency Food Guide: a guide to food, meals, parcels and food vouchers
This directory is to help people within City of Port Phillip who are having difficulty accessing food and grocery supplies due to the current COVID-19 pandemic and restrictions.
As well as information about local shops and supermarkets, the directory also includes information about emergency food relief.
Port Phillip Emergency Food Guide (533 Kb PDF)
13. SCFO | Scanlon Foundation Community Grants
This year’s community grants will provide funding up to a maximum of $25,000 to projects that support the transition of migrants into employment. The grant is open nationwide. Projects should consider the experience of migrants and of receiving communities and aim to nurture positive outcomes. Please see
www.scanlonfoundation.org.au/grants for more information, or contact
foundation@scanlonfoundation.org.au with any questions.
Applications close Friday 18 September.
Find out more and apply14. CMY | Schools standing up to racism
Schools Standing Up to Racism is a collaboration between the Centre for Multicultural Youth (CMY) and the Victorian Department of Education and Training (DET), offering a range of resources to support schools to address racism and discrimination in their school environment. The resources include e-learning modules, factsheets, lesson plans, case studies, action plans, podcasts and a video.
Find out more15. ORYGEN | Supporting the mental health of young Victorians
Orygen's
MOST (Moderated Online Social Therapy) platform was launched this week – an online tool which allows young people to access tailored online therapy and peer support, when and where they need it. Designed with, and for, young people and youth mental health services, MOST provides targeted, personalised therapy to young people with mental ill-health.
Find out more16. CCEH | Health Translations newsletter
The
Centre for Culture, Ethnicity & Health Health Translations newsletter includes multilingual resources on early childhood intervention, volunteering, working with interpreters by phone in a family violence setting, business support, testing for COVID-19 in Victoria, telehealth, home care during COVID-19, industry code for visiting residential aged care homes during COVID-19, diabetes and more.
Read the newsletter17. VIC | Help from Energy and Water Ombudsman
The Energy and Water Ombudsman Victoria is aware of the many challenges that the residents of the North Melbourne and Kensington, who experienced a hard lockdown, are facing, along with agencies who are supporting these residents. Residents may have outstanding gas, electricity or water bills or that they may have arrangements in place that they may not currently be able to meet.
EWOV is a free and independent service that can help residents and the company to negotiate an affordable payment plan and other assistance.
Find out more18. CoPP | Information and support in navigating Federal and State issues available
For Federal Government information and supportGet in touch with
Josh Burns MP if you need help with accessing Centrelink, a visa or any other federal government support, please contact Josh Burns’ office on
9534 8126 or
josh.burns.mp@aph.gov.au.
For State Government information and supportGet in touch with
David Southwick MP.
For further information and support relating to State Government health advice, restricted activities and areas, education and State Government financial assistance, please contact David Southwick MP at
9527 3866 or at
david.southwick@parliament.vic.gov.au
19. AUST | Coronavirus hotline
- Coronavirus hotline: If you are concerned, call the coronavirus hotline on 1800 675 398 (24 Hours).
- If you are an NDIS participant you can also call the national hotline on 1800 020 080.
- Information and referrals for people with disability and their supporters about Coronavirus: Contact the Disability Information Helpline on 1800 634 787.
- If you are deaf, or have a hearing or speech impairment, you can also call the National Relay Service on 133 677.
- Interpreting service: If you need an interpreter, call TIS National on 131 450.
- Testing locations: Find a testing location near you.
- Triple Zero: Please keep Triple Zero (000) for emergencies only.
20. AUST | Helpers and Reliable Sources Along the Way
21. Acknowledgment to Sources
This is a consolidated account of information current at time of issuance, sourced, collated and provided by Victorian Jewish Community COVID-19 Taskforce, Ethnic Communities' Council of Victoria, Buddhist Council of Victoria, various Government Authorities, community organisations and public domain, received with gratitude.
Best wishes for skilful collaborations, less Suffering, causes for less Suffering, Good Health and Time to Enjoy it.
Bye bye to Essentialists for now, please leave to attend to the essential work. That is all from GEIFN's caretaker at this time.
22. Self-Isolators, Non-Essentials And The Homebound
Let us cheer on the global scientists, medical fraternity, authorities and essentialists racing across the clock separately and together in new found ways, to find a cure, manage the situation, and if not, create mass-producable innoculation.
Meanwhile, if with a surplus of time, this and following collation is offered. Discuss with sincerity. Deny untruth. Dismiss unuseful. Accept useful. Adapt to change. Adopt least effort most benefit. Adept with sharing. Enjoy throughout. As each case may be. Round. And again. Or not.
