Kotara Family Practice in Kotara, New South Wales | Medical and health

Kotara Family Practice

Locality: Kotara, New South Wales

Phone: +61 2 4956 0888

Address: Westfield Shopping Centre 2289 Kotara, NSW, Australia

Website: http://www.kotarafamilypractice.com.au

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25.01.2022 PORT STEPHENS / MAITLAND COVID CASE There has been a positive COVID case identified in Port Stephens. The person is now in isolation but anyone in the general Port Stephens area should seek COVID testing IF you develop symptoms (see below). The infected person visited the SALAMANDER SHOPPING CENTRE on 15 July - anyone who was there on that day should be on alert for symptoms and seek testing immediately if symptoms develop. They also visited the WINDSOR CASTLE HOTEL in MAITLA...ND on the evening of 13 July - patrons attending that evening are also encouraged to monitor for symptoms and seek immediate testing if symptoms develop. SYMPTOMS: The most common symptoms of COVID are: cough, sore throat, shortness of breath, fever, loss of smell or loss of taste Symptoms can also include: fatigue, body/muscle aches and pains, runny/blocked nose, diarrhoea, nausea/vomiting. ** PLEASE ISOLATE IF YOU DEVELOP SYMPTOMS ** TESTING: A pop-up testing clinic has opened at the Tomaree Community Hospital - appointments required - call 4964 7497 if you have symptoms. You can also arrange testing through private facilities with a request from your GP. People in the Maitland area can attend the Maitland Hospital COVID clinic if they have symptoms - no appointment required.

23.01.2022 HAVE YOU BEEN TO A SYDNEY HOT SPOT LOCATION? NSW Health has published list of "COVID Hot Spot" Locations - if you have been to one during the critical timeframe you may need to seek COVID testing immediately and self-isolate for 14 days. The most recent list of locations is linked here... https://www.nsw.gov.au/covid-19/latest-news-and-updates

23.01.2022 ** NEW COVID-19 CASE CONFIRMED IN NEWCASTLE **

21.01.2022 POWER OUTAGE We are currently experiencing a power outage. Our phones are down as well. This is across Westfield. Apologies if you are unable to contact us at this stage.

20.01.2022 VIRUS FRAGMENTS DETECTED IN CENTRAL COAST SEWERAGE Central Coast residents are being asked to continue getting tested if they have even the mildest COVID-19 symptoms, after the state’s sewage surveillance program detected traces of the virus at a treatment plant in Kincumber serving the Gosford area on Monday 21 December. The sewerage system includes the suburbs of Niagara Park, Narara, Lisarow, Wyoming, West Gosford, North Gosford, Somersby, Kariong, Point Clare, Tascott, Koolewong, Springfield, Erina, Terrigal, Wamberal, Forresters Beach, North Avoca, Avoca Beach, Copacabana, Macmasters Beach, Bouddi, Green Point, Yattalunga, Kincumber, Kincumber South, Bensville, Saratoga, Davistown, Empire Bay, St Huberts Island, Daleys Point, Killcare, Killcare Heights, Hardys Bay, Pretty Beach and Wagstaffe, in which around 140,000 people reside.

20.01.2022 WHY DO WE HAVE 2 VACCINES - PFIZER AND ASTRA ZENECA? There are many labs around the world developing vaccines. Without knowing which ones were going to be ready first or be the most effective, the Australian Government placed orders on several different vaccines. The Pfizer vaccine was one of the first to be deemed safe and effective and so there has been significant demand for it around the world. Unfortunately, it is manufactured in Germany and the United States so it will be even harder to secure supplies. The Astra Zeneca vaccine has also been found to be safe and effective and has been approved for use by the TGA. Fortunately, it can be manufactured right here in Australia, making it easier for the Government to secure stock for the bulk of our population.

17.01.2022 CORRECT USE OF FABRIC MASKS - VIDEO Some great advice here on safe and effective use of re-usable fabric masks. https://youtu.be/9Tv2BVN_WTk

16.01.2022 ** NEW COVID-19 CASE IN NEWCASTLE ** A teenager from PIUS X High School has tested positive for COVID-19. Public Health is advising the following: ANYONE WHO ATTENDED PIUS X ON MONDAY 3 AUGUST: - Watch for symptoms... - If symptoms develop, even if mild - seek testing and isolate until results return - HNE Public Health will identify CLOSE contacts from the school and contact them with further advice BUT if you think you may be a close contact and have not yet heard from Public Health please isolate now to be safe. ANYONE ON THE 26 SCHOOL BUS FROM HAMILTON TO ADAMSTOWN ON MONDAY 3 AUGUST (around 8.20am): - you must isolate immediately for 14 days - seek testing now, regardless of symptoms - seek re-testing if symptoms develop while in isolation If you are unsure about what you may need to do contact your usual GP (please call, DO NOT attend) for advice.

16.01.2022 IF YOU ARE COMING TO THE PRACTICE PLEASE WEAR A MASK In line with NSW Health advice we are asking all patients to bring (and wear) their own mask when attending the practice and in consultation with their nurse/GP. Surgical masks or cloth masks are fine. If you are able to wear your own it will help to alleviate the pressure on our own PPE supplies. Thank you for helping to keep our team, other patients and our community safe.

15.01.2022 ** TOP TIPS FOR USING MASKS ** Great to see so many people wearing masks out and about in the shops now. Here are some tips for using masks safely and effectively... TOUCHING YOUR MASK In short... DON'T! The mask is there to protect your face from virus particles in the air. Instead of being on your face the particles end up on the mask - so if you touch the front of your mask you contaminate your fingers which will then contaminate whatever you touch next. If you do touch th...e front of your mask be sure to sanitise your hands. If you take your mask off try to only touch the elastic straps and put it directly into a snap-lock bag...then wash/sanitise your hands. If you put it back on from the snap-lock bag, only touch the straps again and wash/sanitise your hands. Be sure to wash your mask at least daily. MASK MATERIAL For cloth masks, the more layers in the mask and the tighter it fits the better for protecting against airborne particles... BUT... there is a balance to find with being able to breathe comfortably!! Generally the recommendation is for 3 layers of cloth fabric. NSW Health has a good guide on how to make your own mask and what materials you could use... https://www.health.nsw.gov.au//how-to-make-a-cloth-mask.pdf MASKS DO NOT REPLACE OTHER STRATEGIES Containing the spread of COVID-19 requires a combination of strategies - wearing a mask is just ONE strategy and does not replace the importance of social distancing, hand hygiene or isolating if you are sick. PLEASE do not forget to do these things too. https://www.nsw.gov.au/covid-19/face-masks

14.01.2022 COVID VACCINATION QUESTIONS? Australia's COVID-19 vaccination roll-out is starting. Here's a simple animation video that's helpful for understanding how vaccination works to protect you from COVID-19 disease. https://youtu.be/0AssZJ0N2Ls

14.01.2022 LATEST COVID-19 INFORMATION Here's the link to all the latest on the current COVID-19 outbreak. To be cautious as this outbreak continues to unfold, from Monday 21 Dec we will be asking all patients who have visited the Greater Sydney area, including the Blue Mountains and the Central Coast, since 11 Dec to avoid coming into the practice. This also applies to anyone who has been to any identified hotspot locations outside of Greater Sydney. Telehealth (video or phone) consul...tations will be available instead. Thank you for understanding. https://www.nsw.gov.au/covid-19/latest-news-and-updates

14.01.2022 PRACTICE CLOSED - SATURDAY 6 MARCH Please note that our practice will be closed from 4.00pm on Friday 5 March and all day Saturday 6 March for Team Education. Apologies for any inconvenience. For emergency care please go to your nearest hospital Emergency Department or call 000 for an ambulance. For all non-urgent care please contact Newcastle After Hours Medical Service on 4957 7778 (Clinic Appointment) or 4943 6666 (Mobile Medic Home Visit Service). KFP will re-open as usual at 8.30am Monday.

13.01.2022 LATEST COVID UPDATE FROM NSW HEALTH

13.01.2022 FAREWELL 2020 I'm pretty sure we are all happy to put 2020 behind us. It taught us some lessons, it brought us together... but damn it was hard. I don't expect 2021 to be much different but at least we know what we are doing by now! Looking forward to meeting the challenges of 2021 head on!

12.01.2022 WESTS CLUB NEW LAMBTON If you attended WESTS Club in New Lambton on Sunday 2 August between 5.00pm-7.30pm you will need to seek testing now and isolate for 14 days. Previously only the Hopsmith Sports Bar was identified but this has now been expanded to included all of Wests Club.

11.01.2022 AND NOW FOR SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT... What a lovely, sweet, heart-warming reminder of the power of finding the thing that motivates you the most to achieve your health goals... What's your motivation? https://www.facebook.com/saints.mark/videos/10157945462566478/

11.01.2022 ** NEW VENUES IDENTIFIED **

10.01.2022 COVID HOT SPOTS UPDATED Another 3 cases have being linked to the Northern Beaches cluster and additional hot spots identified... Please follow the link to NSW Health for more details... https://www.nsw.gov.au/covid-19/latest-news-and-updates

09.01.2022 ** NEW ONLINE BOOKING SYSTEM IS LIVE ** Our NEW online booking system is now LIVE and easier to use! At the moment we are only taking Telehealth appointments via the online booking system so that we can continue to safely triage face-to-face appointments for COVID symptoms/contacts. You can access Online Bookings via the link below, or from our website. https://kotarafamilypractice.healthsite.io/#booking

09.01.2022 PLEASE ISOLATE IF YOU ARE UNWELL AND IF YOU ARE TESTED With another 484 cases of COVID diagnosed in the last 24 hours in Victoria, authorities have reported that of the 3810 cases diagnosed between 7 July and yesterday 3400 of them (about 90%) DID NOT ISOLATE when they were unwell or after they were tested. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE - if you are unwell stay home. If you go for COVID testing you MUST isolate yourself until you receive a negative test result (and ideally, stay away from others until your symptoms resolve). It is everyone's responsibility to stay on top of this, the situation in Victoria shows us how quickly things can get out of control. Thanking you all in advance for doing the right thing!

07.01.2022 ** REVISED HOTSPOTS ** Thank you everyone who commented that Lambton Park Hotel has also been added to the Newcastle Hotspots. The same person who visited Jesmond Hotel and Wallsend Diggers also visited Lambton Park Hotel. The revised information from HNE Health is as follows: Hotel Jesmond on 29 July between 7pm and 9pm Wallsend Diggers on 29 and 30 July between 9pm and 11pm... Lambton Park Hotel on 30 July between 8pm and 9pm If you visited any of these venues at these time you must strictly isolate for 14 days and be tested for COVID, regardless of symptoms (AND if you develop symptoms later you must be re-tested). You must isolate for 14 days even if you return a negative swab result. If you visited these venues at a later time/date your risk is lower but please monitor for symptoms and seek testing is any symptoms develop, no matter how mild, AND isolate until your results are returned. Other Hotspots remain as: Toronto Court House (Drug Court) on 27 July between 7am and 2pm Salamander Bay Woolworths on 17 July, 18 July, 19 July and 20 July For these venues people should monitor for symptoms and seek testing (and isolate) if symptoms develop.

06.01.2022 WHY MASKS ARE EFFECTIVE... Wearing a mask can be really important in situations where it is difficult to socially distance - that is, staying more than 1.5m away from others. Not only does a mask minimise the spread of particulates when speaking, coughing or sneezing (as shown in the video link) but they are also effective in catching particulates and minimising what you might breathe in. Surgical masks are most effective but even cloth masks offer some protection, for yourself and others - the more layers the better. I've taken to wearing a mask when I go to the supermarket now because it is just too difficult to maintain distance from other customers. I might look odd but in the interests of protecting myself and others I'm happy to do it.

06.01.2022 ELECTRONIC PRESCRIPTIONS ARE HERE Next time you need medication you can choose to have your script sent to you electronically via email or SMS. Your pharmacist* can then scan your electronic script directly from your phone to dispense your medication. Simple! Watch the video below to see how it works. *Most pharmacies are now ready to use electronic scripts but to be sure you should check with your pharmacy before requesting an electronic script from your GP. https://youtu.be/3nCXHneBexc

05.01.2022 PHONE TROUBLE We are currently experiencing some technical issues with our phones... it appears that Telstra have disconnected them!! We are trying to get this sorted ASAP... For any medical emergencies please call 000 for an ambulance. Hopefully we will be back up and running soon...

04.01.2022 CAN WE TRUST THE COVID VACCINES...? THEY WERE MADE SO QUICKLY! You're right... it usually takes a long time to make a new vaccine, but because of the rapid spread and severity of the COVID-19 virus, scientists all over the world have been working together to develop safe and effective vaccines as quickly as possible. The research and vaccine development has NOT been compromised - the vaccines that have been approved for use in Australia are SAFE and EFFECTIVE. This short video animation explains it beautifully... https://youtu.be/QpmniQIyI-I

04.01.2022 SUSHI REVOLUTION in HAMILTON has also been identified as a venue attended by one of the positive cases. If you visited SUSHI REVOLUTION in HAMILTON on Saturday 1 August between 12.00noon and 1.00pm you are asked to seek testing now regardless of symptoms and isolate for 14 days. If symptoms develop later you are asked to seek re-testing.

03.01.2022 WHEN WILL I BE ABLE TO HAVE THE COVID VACCINE? All Australians will have access to free COVID-19 vaccination... but the number of vaccines will be limited at first while manufacturers build up their supply. To protect our most vulnerable populations from serious illness, it will also be important to vaccinate those groups who are MOST AT RISK first. This is why the government is rolling out vaccines in a phased approach. You can find more information about the phased roll-out plan here: https://www.health.gov.au//when-will-i-get-a-covid-19-vacc

03.01.2022 HOW DO WE KNOW THE COVID VACCINES WILL BE SAFE? All COVID-19 vaccines that will be offered in Australia have to go through rigorous independent assessment of safety, quality and effectiveness, with the Australian TGA (Therapeutic Goods Administration). Vaccines will ONLY be approved if they are found to be SAFE and EFFECTIVE. AND the TGA will continue to monitor every batch of vaccines before they are distributed and respond rapidly to any evidence of safety concerns. If you want more information on how the TGA approval process works this animation should answer your questions... https://youtu.be/XxJ7dnltvtI