Advice for snowfields businesses with guests who test positive for COVID-19

The best way to minimise the risk of COVID-19 is to allow the guest to remain at your facility and self-isolate within their room. Some extra precautions will allow you to maintain the safety of your guests and staff and minimise disruption to your business.

Those who test positive to COVID-19 must follow the advice for people Testing positive to COVID-19 and managing COVID-19 safely at home.

• Reasons for leaving room - COVID-19 positive guests are required to remain in self-isolation for 7 days from date they of their positive test. They are permitted to leave self-isolation in the event of an emergency, to seek medical care, or to travel home to continue their self-isolation. Leaving the room to meet other people or for food and/or beverages is NOT permitted. COVID-19 positive guests may travel home, however they must take steps to travel safely. For further information, see the NSW Health COVID-19 self-isolation guideline. 
• Food and deliveries - When delivering food or other items to the guest’s room, you should place the items on the floor outside and depart prior to them opening the door. Guests should wear a mask when they open the door.
• Shared facilities - Where possible, COVID-19 positive guests should use a separate bathroom. If this is not possible, processes for enhanced cleaning of shared spaces and maximising physical distancing must be in place. COVID-19 positive guests should wear a mask when using the shared bathroom. Other communal areas are not to be utilised by COVID-19 positive guests.
• Cleaning - Room cleaning should not be conducted until the COVID-19 positive guest has departed. See Information about routine cleaning and disinfection in the community.
• Staff safety - All staff should be made aware of the symptoms of COVID-19 and know what to do if they develop any. If a staff member develops symptoms, they should be advised to test for COVID-19, and isolate until they receive a negative result.  Staff should minimise face-to-face contact with COVID-19 positive guests and their contacts. Support to the affected guest should be given through contactless communication (e.g. telephone call) as much as possible. For further information about safe work practices refer to Safe Work Australia – Information for Workplaces.
• Privacy - Individuals in self-isolation have a right to protection of their personal health information. This means that identifying information about their health should only be discussed with those staff members directly involved with assisting in their management, such as cleaners of the guest's room and relevant laundry and food service staff. The details of COVID-19 cases and their contacts must not be discussed with other patrons, members of the public, or the media.
• Household and close contacts: If they do not have symptoms, household contacts and close contacts are not required to isolate, but must follow the NSW Health household and close contact guidelines.

• Venues may set their own COVID Safe conditions of entry– businesses should exercise judgement on what measures are appropriate for their premises to ensure the wellbeing of their staff and customers.
• Maintain supplies – A readily-available supply of rapid antigen tests (RATs) may improve staff and patrons’ willingness to participate in testing for COVID-19.  Having a supply of surgical masks for guests who test positive and their contacts (in addition to personal protective equipment for staff) can also help protect staff and other patrons.
• COVID-19 Safety Plans – Continue to maintain your COVID-19 Safety Plan. Each business should have a COVID-19 Safety Plan that covers (but is not limited to):
  • Cleaning and disinfecting rooms, laundries and shared bathrooms,
  • Cleaning and disinfecting rented ski equipment,
  • Transporting COVID-19 positive cases to carparks, or transport hubs where they have left their private vehicles such as Bullocks Flat. Having alternate arrangements for vehicle collection and guest transport is advisable as cases cannot travel on any form of public transport. 

If you have any questions or concerns, you can contact the Public Health Unit on 1300 066 055.

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