COVID-19 information for health professionals

• CDNA National Guidelines (SoNG) for Public Health Units (external site)

Clinician alerts - archive

View the previous clinician alerts.

Testing for COVID-19 must occur in accordance with the COVID-19 Testing Directions (external site).

• CDNA National Guidelines (SoNG) for Public Health Units (external site)

Testing criteria

• Testing criteria for SARS-CoV-2 in Western Australia #32 (PDF 221KB)

Testing locations

• COVID clinics, select private pathology collection centres and GP respiratory clinics (external site)

GeneXpert COVID rapid test

• Approval process for GeneXpert COVID rapid test and guidance for the use of point-of-care testing in primary care (PDF 1.3MB)

Point of Care Serology Testing (POC)

Given the serious limitations and risks associated with the COVID-19 point of Care (POC) serology tests for acute detection and diagnostic purposes, the Chief Health Officer deemed them an unacceptable risk to be used in that way and has prohibited them under the Public Health Act 2016 (external site). The prohibition applies to all persons, whether health professionals or not and includes the acute screening of staff for work purposes.

Their use as a screening tool for people post infection and for research public health screening purposes is not prohibited. Other POC polymerase chain reaction tests are not affected by these restrictions.

• COVID-19 Point of Care serology testing (PDF 87KB)

Laboratory Serology Testing

An individual develops antibodies as part of an immune response to a virus. Serology testing for COVID-19 involves measuring antibody levels in a blood sample. It does not play a role in the diagnosis of acute illness, however it may be useful for the diagnosis of past COVID-19 infection. Widespread use of serology testing to determine whether a person has previously had COVID-19 is not recommended, but it can be useful in identifying historical cases of infection in a person with a compatible illness and identified risk factors, such as overseas travel or contact with a confirmed case. It can also be a useful tool to identify an index (first) case, when the source of an outbreak is unclear. 

GPs to receive COVID-19 test results

COVID-19 Clinic staff are now collecting GP information (where available) with the consent of the person presenting for testing.

This information will be added to the PathWest request form and PathWest will process and send out results as per usual.

Communication of both negative and positive results to GPs, particularly for Covid-19 positive patients recovering in their homes, provides the opportunity for more comprehensive follow up as appropriate.

Laboratory testing information

• PathWest website (external site)

Clinical guidelines

Up-to-date clinical guidelines for GPs, hospitals and health professionals.

Infection prevention and control

• Coronavirus Disease - 2019 (COVID-19) Infection Prevention and Control in Western Australian Healthcare Facilities (PDF 574KB)

Hospitals

• Cardiac Society of Australia and New Zealand (CSANZ) COVID-19 guidelines (external site)
• Framework for ICU decision making (PDF 358KB)
• Guidelines for management and contact tracing of COVID-19 with exposure in the hospital setting (PDF 308KB)
• Guidelines for neonatal services (PDF 263KB)
• Guidelines for outpatient services (PDF 99KB)
• How to identify Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander clients (PDF 307KB)
• Hospital discharge guidelines for suspect or confirmed COVID-19 patient (PDF 805KB)
• Management of COVID-19 infection in pregnant women (PDF 1MB)
• Public hospital visitor guidelines (PDF 164KB)
• Release from isolation - information for all clinicians (PDF 113KB)
• Paediatric guidelines for suspected or confirmed-COVID-19 cases (PDF 1.1MB)

Pharmaceutical

• Serious shortages medicines substitution - information for prescribers and pharmacists (PDF 396KB)
• Guidance for community pharmacies (PDF 269KB)
• Advice for pharmacists supplying medicines to patients during the COVID-19 public health state of emergency (PDF 245KB)
• Regulatory advice for pharmacists during COVID-19 (PDF 559KB)
• Use of digital images for supply of medicines during COVID-19 telehealth arrangements (PDF 1MB)

Position statements

The following recommendations and/or position statements have been endorsed by the WA Department of Health

• Aboriginal ethical position statement (PDF 933KB)
• Cancer services response (PDF 300KB)
• WA Psychotropic Drug Committee (WAPDC) Advice on Clozapine Monitoring during COVID-19 (PDF 160KB)

Mental Health

• Guidance for managing patient leave and visitors in mental health inpatient settings (PDF 193KB)
• Management of acute behavioural disturbance in COVID-19 (PDF 1MB)
• Mental Health Infection Control Directions (No.2) - Guidelines (PDF 170KB)

Palliative care

• Goals of Care and End-of-life in the COVID-19 environment

HealthPathways

HealthPathways (external site) includes the latest information for COVID-19 patient assessment and management.

Self-isolation means you must stay in your home, hotel room, or other accommodation even if you are perfectly well with no symptoms. If you live in a unit or apartment block you must stay in your unit or apartment. You cannot attend public places such as work, school, shopping centres or go on a holiday. Only people who usually live with you should be in the home. Do not see visitors.

You must stay in your place of isolation and NOT GO OUT, except to seek medical care. You should call ahead for advice.

If you require urgent medical assistance call 000 and let them know that you are in self-isolation due to COVID-19. 

Can I leave quarantine early?

No you cannot without the express permission of the WA Police Force or an authorised Officer.

A Centre Direction is a legal document and is enforceable by WA Police Force.

Any person who leaves or attempts to leave quarantine early is committing an offence and will be investigated by WA Police Force who may lay charges.

COVID-19 Pandemic Infection Prevention and Control Clinical Advisory Group – Terms of Reference (PDF 201KB)

Hospitals and healthcare settings

• Coronavirus Disease - 2019 (COVID-19) Infection Prevention and Control in Western Australian Healthcare Facilities (PDF 568KB)
• Donning and Doffing the CleanSpace Halo CS3000 (external site)
• Guidance on the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) in hospitals (external site)
• Statewide Guidelines on the use of HALO CS3000 Powered air-purifying unit (PDF 1MB)

Non-healthcare settings

• Advice for use of personal protective equipment (PPE) for workers in community settings (PDF 329KB)
• Advice on face mask use (Healthy WA)
• Advice on how to access personal protective equipment
• Donning and doffing for healthcare teams in State quarantine facilities (PDF 2MB)
• Standard for non-State quarantine facilities providing accommodation for guests in quarantine or isolation (PDF 624KB)
• Environmental cleaning for the non-healthcare setting (homes and workplaces) (PDF 173KB)
• Infection prevention and control for healthcare teams in State Quarantine Facilities (PDF 390KB)
• Information for taxi and ride-share drivers (PDF 886KB)
• Stay COVID-safe on your ride - for taxi and ride-share passengers (PDF 941KB)
• Personal protective equipment (PPE) advice for WA police (PDF 255KB)

Resources

• Donning and fit checking the Cupped respirator (external site)
• Donning and fit checking the Duckbill style P2 or N95 respirator (external site)
• Donning and fit checking the flat fold respirator (external site)
• Donning and doffing PPE poster (PDF 1MB)
• How to wash hands poster (PDF 1MB)
• N95 and P2 respirator options for WA Health care facilities (PDF 207KB)
• Protect yourself and others poster (PDF 882KB)
• Stop the spread poster (PDF 848KB) for hospitals, GPs, businesses, aged-care facilities, schools and childcare centres
• Wearing a cup style respirator (PDF 899KB)
• Wearing a flat style respirator (PDF 899KB)

Latest advice and updates on the COVID-19 vaccination program including:

• WA Health response
• Vaccination information for health providers
• Safety of COVID-19 vaccines
• Vaccination clinic signage
• Subscribe to vaccine updates

More information

Health professional resources

• COVID-19 Caring for people with disability (PDF 847KB)
• COVID-19 information for paramedics and ambulance first responders (external site)
• COVID-19 information for health care and residential care workers (external site)
• Public Health Laboratory Network (PHLN) guidance on laboratory testing for 2019-nCoV (external site)
• Cancer Australia – Cancer care in the time of COVID-19: A conceptual framework (external site)
• Australian Health Protection Principal Committee (AHPPC) recommendations for managing health risk as restrictions lift (external)
• Australian Government – Guide for GPs assessing patient risk of severe illness (external link)
• COVID19 in Western Australia Bulletin 1: The impact on lifestyle
• Visits to health care facilities and residential aged care facilities by people in quarantine – general principles (PDF 223KB)

Contact tracing training modules

• Surveillance Officer training – module 1 (external site)
• Surveillance Officer training – module 2 (external site)
• Surveillance Officer training – module 3 (external site)
• Surveillance Officer training – module 4 (external site)

Patient resources

• Coronavirus (COVID-19) discharge information for patients (PDF 253KB)
• Poster A3 for patients attending an ED/GP – English (PDF 206KB)
• Poster A3 for patients attending an ED/GP – Mandarin (PDF 733KB)
• Infection Control – Cover Your Cough and Sneeze (external link)
• Coronavirus (COVID-19) resources in Simplified Chinese (external site)

Webinar

• COVID-19 Update and managing the patient who tests positive (external site)
• Royal Australian College of General Practice (RACGP) – COVID-19 and Influenza update (external site)
• Royal Australian College of General Practice (RACGP) – coronavirus information for GPs (external site)

Podcast

• Royal Australian College of General Practice (RACGP) special COVID-19 podcast l WA Health COVID-19 update (external site)