Key data sources

• RCH – also PPE,  COVID Clinical Practice Guideline and Learning Hero resources (intranet only)
• State – DHHS (includes Chief Health Officer update, case definition, stay at home restrictions,  other guidelines and Community services sector plan)
  • Free testing for migrants and asylum seekers
• Victorian government updates (includes links to health, financial supports, schools, public sector)
• Federal – Department of Health and Australian live guidelines
  • Australian government updates -  including restrictions in States/Territories and 'restriction checker' by activity for jurisdictions
  • DHA -  advice in language
• Australian numbers 
• Global numbers and WHO Coronavirus
• Research database 
• National Refugee-led Advisory and Advocacy group - COVID-19 consultation report 

Timeline related to migration

• 31 Dec 2019 – Pneumonia cases in Wuhan, China reported to WHO regional office
• 25 Jan 2020 – Australian restrictions on travel to and arrivals from China
• 30 Jan 2020 – WHO declares public health emergency of international concern
• 01 Mar 2020 – Australian restrictions on travel to and arrivals from Iran
• 11 Mar 2020 – WHO declares pandemic
• 13 Mar 2020 – Expanded MBS telehealth item numbers
• 16 Mar 2020 – Victoria declares State of Emergency
• 16 Mar 2020 – IOM and UNHCR suspend travel for refugees. People with a 202 visa may still travel to Australia pending flight availability, quarantine applies to international arrivals
• 18 Mar 2020 – DFAT issues standing advice to not travel overseas, with subsequent closure of many transit hubs
• 18 Mar 2020 - Guard at Kangaroo Point APOD in Qld tests positive for coronavirus - see media reporting
  
• 21 Mar 2020 – Victorian Government announces $1.7B economic survival package, including a $500M Working for Victoria fund
• 23 Mar 2020 – Stage 1 restrictions Victoria
• 24 Mar 2020 – Prime Minister announces a ban on all overseas travel (with limited exceptions), and advice to avoid all non-essential domestic travel
• 24 Mar 2020 – Detention visitor program suspended
• 25 Mar 2020 – Stage 2 restrictions Victoria – non-essential businesses close
• 28 Mar 2020 – Enforced 14 day quarantine for all international arrivals in Victoria
• 29 Mar 2020 – New  Coronavirus supplement announced – $550/fortnight in addition to existing payments through JobSeeker, Youth Allowance, Special Benefit, Parenting Allowance and others - see fact sheet
• 30 Mar 2020 – Stage 3 restrictions Victoria – to apply for 4 weeks, no more than 2 people in a gathering, only 4 reasons to be out (essential supplies, healthcare, exercise, work/study if required), playgrounds closed), restrictions now enforceable
• 30 Mar 2020 – Federal Government announces $130B JobKeeper payments – providing affected businesses with $1500/fortnight per employee (70% median wage) – for citizens, permanent residents, and special category visa (SCV) holders – see fact sheet
• 31 Mar 2020 – OHCHR, IOM, UNHCR and WHO joint press release - The rights and health of refugees, migrants and stateless must be protected in COVID-19 response
• 31 Mar 2020 – CDNA guidelines for COVID in correctional and detention facilities - later revised June 2020
• 2 Apr 2020 – Federal government announces free childcare – see Department of Education, Skills and Employment Fact sheet, and  media reporting
• 4 Apr 2020 – National COVID-19 Clinical evidence taskforce announced
• 7 Apr 2020 – Victorian government announces school students to learn from home in term 2
• 12 Apr 2020 – Additional Victorian Government funding ($59.4M) for mental health during COVID – see media release
• 17 Apr 2020 – Additional Victorian Government funding ($40.2M) for crisis accomodation and specialist services for family violence
• 23 Apr 2020 - Additional Victorian Government funding (S77.5M) for vulnerable children and families - including additional payments for foster carers
• May 2020 - Additional Victorian Government funding ($17M) for people with disability
• 6 May 2020 - NRAAG - COVID-19 consultation report
• 6 May 2020 - RCOA Summary of April 2020 Working Group on Resettlement Briefing on Covid-19.
  
• 3 June 2020 - UNHCR Policy Brief - Covid-19 and People on the Move - also see commentary by Gillian Triggs, Assistant High Commissioner for Protection.
  
• 18 June 2020 - UNHCR and IOM announce resumption of resettlement travel for refugees
• 30 June 2020 - Victorian government announces further lockdowns by postcode - see Premier's media release. 
• 3 July 2020 - Lockdown of public housing high rise towers in Flemington - see DHHS information and media reporting
• 7 July 2020 - Victoria announces return to Stage 3 restrictions from midnight Wed 8 July 2020
• 10 July - Victoria asks all people to wear masks in public where social distancing not possible - see DHHS information and media reporting
• 12 July 2020 - Victoria announces return to remote learning for students in prep-year 10
• 13 July 2020 - Guard at the Mantra Preston APOD tests positive for coronavirus - see media reporting
• 19 July 2020 - Face masks mandated in Victoria from 22 July 2020 - for all people aged 12 years and older
• 21 July 2020  
  • Job Keeper program extended to 28 March 2021, with new changes announced including tiered payments (full time workers $1200/fortnight, part-time workers <20 hours/week $750/fortnight), increased checks of eligibility (business turnover), and new conditions for childcare commencing immediately. Changes to payments commence 28 Sep 2020, with further reductions from 4 Jan 2021.
  • Job Seeker/Coronavirus supplement payments will reduce on 24 September 2020 to $250/fortnight (between 25 Sep 2020 - 31 Dec 2020, and further decisions pending), also with mutual obligations reinstated, and increased threshold for additional income prior to reduction of payments (to $300).

Telehealth

Like many services, Immigrant health is transitioning to telehealth for many consultations - a high proportion of our patients rely on public transport to travel to and from RCH, and there are challenges with social distancing in a family based clinic model working with interpreters. We will limit direct attendances to targeted visits where examination, tests, or immunisations are essential and will generally complete all 1^st visits by telehealth, which will allow us to ascertain transport and technology options. 

Quick tips

• Data usage: HealthDirect telehealth uses ~230 MB on a mobile device and 450 MB on a PC for a 20 minute call – similar to Skype or FaceTime, and less than half the data of an HD YouTube video. Data use is more on three party consults, and less on lower speed internet connections. There is no data use while waiting for the consult to start.Phone companies ( Telstra,  Optus,  Vodafone) are offering free additional data (5-25GB) and supports for April 2020
• Functions: HealthDirect allows clinicians to open a chat function, share a screen and use a whiteboard function – see tip sheet (pending)
• Three party consultations: work well for interpreting or for JMS supervision -  see tip sheet (pending). Interpreting should be remote wherever possible, and we need to assist this workforce
• Billing: 
  • Consults should record consent for telehealth and bulk-billing – verbal consent is adequate if the consult is not recorded. See ACRRM consent form for an outline of benefits and risks.
  • Previous telehealth item numbers –  Item 112 – attendance by video conference, patient not admitted, and located within a telehealth eligible area and at least 15km away from physician – see health workforce calculator - select ASGS - area RA2 or greater eligible (RA1 = metropolitan). Use together with 110, 116, 132, 133.
  • New temporary (until 30 Sep 2020)  telehealth item numbers are available – for bulk-billed, non-admitted patients across a range of disciplines. See table of MBS item numbers:
    • Specialist telehealth – 92422¹³²   92423¹³³ 91824¹¹⁰  91825¹¹⁶  91826^{minor attendance}   92140¹³⁵   92141¹³⁷
    • Specialist telephone – 92431¹³²  92432¹³³  91834¹¹⁰   91835 ¹¹⁶   91836^{minor attendance}    92143¹³⁵  92144¹³⁷

Telehealth resources

• Health Direct - Guidelines for clinicians and patients, and translated
• RCH Telehealth site
  
• RACP telehealth resources
• BMJ Editorial –  Video consultations for covid-19

Translated resources

• DHHS - Coronavirus translated resources (56 languages – note increasing number of excellent resources, inc picture-based resources and videos)
  • Face masks - subtitled videos (also how to make a mask)
• Department of Home Affairs - 63 languages, wide range of information
• SBS audio resources - 63 languages
• Health Direct - translated
  
• Health Translations – Coronavirus 
• Department of Health – Coronavirus translated resources (12 languages, includes Arabic, Chin-Hakka, Farsi, Hazaragi and Kurdish, does not include English versions for comparison)
  
  
• Job Keeper - translated information
• Job Seeker - translated information (drop down box)
• NDIS - Translated information on coronavirus and NDIS
• RCH - Translated resources for parents
• Refugee Council of Australia (RCOA) - COVID resources
• WHO – WhatsApp Covid-19 Facts - includes Arabic, French, Spanish, English
• US Society of Refugee Healthcare Providers resources

Supports

Emergency relief and food

• Emergency relief packages (DHHS, for individuals in isolation or quarantine)
• Emergency relief - temporary/provisional/undocumented migrants (Red Cross)
• Foodbank (Statewide service)
• Groceries – priority assistance (people: with a disability, required to self isolate, compromised immunity) – Woolworths, Coles
• RCOA - services - select area, then select 'food' or 'everyday things'
• Rental relief payments (Housing Victoria, up to $2000) - criteria - revised rental agreement with reduction/mediation (not deferral), and income/proportion of income spent on rent thresholds (Note - no residency requirements)

Childcare and schools

• Free childcare – see media release,  DESE Fact sheet and  media reporting - free childcare does not seem to be limited by residency status at this time
• Department of Education and Training (DET) -  General,  Learning from home for schools,  Learning from home for parents – and  translated versions (23 languages)
• FUSE (includes grade/level based resources from early childhood onwards, DET)
  Khan academy – free multilingual teaching and learning resources
  

Employment related and income support

• Coronavirus supplement  until 24 Sep 2020 – $550/fortnight in addition to existing payments through JobSeeker, Youth Allowance, Special Benefit, Parenting Allowance and others. There are provisions around faster access, and waiving the newly arrived residents waiting period (NARWP). After this time extra payments reduce to $250/fortnight (between 25 Sep 2020 - 31 Dec 2020, with further decisions after this time pending), also with mutual obligations reinstated, and increased threshold for additional income prior to reduction of payments (to $300).
• JobKeeper payments – providing businesses with $1500/fortnight per employee (70% median wage) - for citizens, permanent residents, and special category visa (SCV) holders – see  fact sheet. Payments will remain in place until 28 Sep 2020, after this time Job Keeper changes include tiered payments (full time workers $1200/fortnight, part-time workers <20 hours/week $750/fortnight), increased checks of eligibility (of business turnover), with further reductions from 4 Jan 2021.
• Household support payments – 2 separate payments of $750 for social security and income support recipients and eligible concession card holders (includes carer allowance and carer payment). The first payment will be made from 31 March 2020 and the second payment will be made from 13 July 2020
• Foster carers - State government funded supplementary payments of $600 per child (announced Apr 2020, will occur late May 2020)
• Other possible payments - Services Australia
• RCOA - services - select area, then select 'getting work'
• Detailed information - eligibility for payments and Medicare for temporary visa holders (Red Cross)

Mental health 

• DHHS – mental health resources
• Beyond Blue – Mental health and COVID-19
• Paediatrics.online – collated resources

Other

• RCOA - service guide (search by area and then select area of need)
• Family violence
• Mobile phone data –  Telstra,  Optus,  Vodafone are offering free additional data (5-25GB) and supports for April 2020
• Health workforce response – EOI (DHHS) – this may be an option for refugee background Victorians who are overseas trained health providers
• Summary of the Australian Government  Treasury response
• NDIS - Early Childhood Intervention

People seeking asylum 

• Are not eligible for supports directed to permanent residents/citizens, see Asylum seekers webpage for additional resources.
• Refugee Council of Australia - service guide (search by area)
  
• SRSS – evidence for new applications is unchanged, however review for continuation of service is now more straightforward, clients should contact their case management agency.
• Free childcare – see media release,  DESE Fact sheet and  media reporting - free childcare did not seem to be limited by residency status but is now ending (mid-July 2020). 
• Free testing for migrant and asylum seekers
• Disability supports, including through HACC

Other resources

• Australian Government Coronavirus app
  
• NDIS and COVID-19 –  Minister's media release, and information and support
• Patient transport guidance (DHHS)
• PPE - Community services providers (DHHS)

• Resources for children – Raising Children Coronavirus, and paediatrics.online – collated resources

^{Immigrant health clinic resources. Author Georgie Paxton, Sophie Oldfield, Linny Phuong, 2 April 2020, updated 21 July 2020. Contact: georgia.paxton@rch.org.au}