Melbourne processing centre case confirmed

We are working closely with the Victorian Health Department to ensure all necessary and appropriate steps are being taken, including required cleaning.

It is important to note that there is no impact to the safety or availability of Australia’s blood supply as a result of this case.

The individual is currently self-isolating at home and all close contacts are being traced.

Our preliminary investigations have identified that only a small number of team members have had close contact with the individual, and they have also been instructed to self-isolate and be tested for COVID-19.

The health of our employees and the safety of Australia’s blood supply remain Lifeblood’s highest priorities.

Lifeblood facilities are strictly regulated by the Therapeutic Good Administration, and as such our ongoing operating procedures must always comply with the highest safety and hygiene standards, including extensive cleaning.

The risk of transmission to other employees remains low, due to the many measures already in place to minimise the risk of infection and contamination, including:

• Restricting access to the processing centre to essential staff only
• Daily cleaning by specially licenced personnel to the highest of medical standards
• Rostering employees into split shifts to minimise employee overlap
• Implementing social distancing in all work areas and common areas, including lunch rooms and elevators
• Installing additional hygiene stations
• A clear directive that unwell staff should not come to work
• Supporting working from home where possible
• Generous leave entitlements and support for employees who are unwell or required to self-isolate or quarantine.

The confirmed case is an employee within a testing unit at our processing centre in Melbourne.

Our donor centres are not affected. We have strict criteria in place for blood donors and anyone unwell is not eligible to donate. We conduct wellness checks, including non-contact temperature checks, at each donor centre before a donor can enter the collection area.

Additionally, there are no confirmed reports of coronavirus being transmitted by blood transfusion anywhere in the world.

The safety of our people and our donors, and the safety of Australia’s blood supply, are our highest priorities.

We wish our employee a swift recovery to full health and hope they are feeling completely well soon.