Visiting people in aged or disability care
How to stay flu and COVID safe when visiting aged or disability care facilities, including visiting people who are older, have a compromised immune system or chronic medical condition.
COVID-19 rapid antigen test updates
From 1 October 2023, you can no longer:
- register a positive rapid antigen test (RAT) result with Service NSW. This is because the Service NSW RAT portal closed on this date
- collect free RATs at Service NSW locations.
NSW Health still recommends you should stay at home and not visit high-risk settings such as aged care facilities and hospitals if you have cold or flu symptoms. This is to help protect other people. Find out what to do if your RAT is positive or negative.
If you are at higher risk of severe illness from COVID-19, speak to your doctor and make a plan about testing and antiviral medicines before you get sick. If you are unwell and can’t contact your doctor, call healthdirect on 1800 022 222 or use the online Service Finder.
Before you visit
Visitors, residents and staff should read the NSW Health advice for residential aged care facilities and disability care facilities. You should also contact the facility to check current arrangements.
To help protect those in the facility, you should consider using a rapid antigen test before entering a high risk setting and wear a mask while visiting.
If you have tested positive to COVID-19, please don’t visit anyone in aged or disability care for at least 7 days. Stay home and follow the advice for people testing positive.
Exceptions apply such as if you require care yourself, or you have permission from the facility to visit in exceptional circumstances (e.g. end-of-life visits).
Visiting residential aged or disability care
There are steps you can take to keep people safe if you visit residential aged care or residential disability care facilities:
- stay up to date with your recommended vaccinations, including COVID-19 and flu
- take a rapid antigen test before visiting to ensure you are not spreading COVID-19
- wear a mask
- do not visit if you have any cold or flu-like symptoms, including;
- fever (37.5C or higher)
- cough
- sore or scratchy throat
- shortness of breath
- runny nose
- loss of smell or
- loss of taste
- frequently wash your hands thoroughly for at least 20 seconds with soap and water, or an alcohol-based hand rub
- cover your nose and mouth when coughing and sneezing with tissue or a flexed elbow
- maintain physical distancing.
Information and services on COVID-19
Explore the support services and information available to people who are at higher risk of severe illness from COVID-19 and their carers.
Other services
- Carer Gateway - practical information about for people who care for someone
- Carers NSW supports all carers across the state
- COVID-19 advice for seniors
- National Disability Insurance Scheme - COVID-19 information and support
- Department of Communities and Justice seniors, people with disability and carers