Community Supported Accommodation for Wilcannia to Gradually Scale Back
After consultation with the local community leaders, the Community Support Accommodation (CSA) facility in Wilcannia will be gradually scaled back this month, given declining local case numbers and sufficient accommodation being available to meet isolation requirements.
The Wilcannia CSA was established in early September to support the community to safely self-isolate where a household member or close contact had tested positive for COVID-19, if they could not do so at home. A community of motorhomes was established at the council-owned campervan site (Victory Park) in Wilcannia, with access to power, water, and waste disposal services.
The CSA provided a respectful and appropriate environment to safely isolate for the Wilcannia community and was always designed to be established quickly, and scaled up or down easily if required.
The Wilcannia community is recovering from its COVID-19 outbreak. Of the 152 cases in the outbreak (as at 9 October 2021), only two cases remain active (both are in isolation) and 150 have recovered. The vaccination rate for Wilcannia residents is estimated (as at 25 September) to be 83 per cent first dose and 65 per cent fully vaccinated.
With the decrease in case numbers, there is sufficient accommodation in Wilcannia to meet any isolation requirements outside of the CSA. At this time, only six of the motorhomes have been used since the CSA was established and all are currently unoccupied.
In response to this recovery phase in Wilcannia, preparations are underway to relocate the majority of motorhomes at Victory Park to Dubbo to ensure they can be quickly established if required in other areas of Far West and Western NSW.
Ten of the motorhomes will be transported to Wentworth to support the establishment of a Community Supported Accommodation there, to assist local residents to isolate safely if they cannot do so at home.
A COVID Community Response Team will remain in place at Wilcannia to ensure a safe and timely coordinated health and welfare response in Wilcannia for the foreseeable future.
This plan has been supported by the Local Emergency Management Committee as well as key members of the Wilcannia community.