CHILDCARE centres could be established to help medical staff remain on the job at Albury Wodonga Health during the coronavirus crisis.
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Chief executive Michael Kalimnios said that step had been flagged as part of modelling how Albury and Wodonga hospitals would cope if schools were shutdown.
"If schools did close....it would have an impact on staff, we're modelling what that might mean, how we might be able to backfill or replace those staff," Mr Kalimnios said.
"We're looking at everything from how we would redeploy staff internally to critical areas if that was to occur, whether we would create...local childcare centres that could be set up for our staff so that they would be able to continue to work and we would be able to provide care for children.
"We're looking at whether we could activate recently retired or other clinicians that might be in the community that could step in to take some of those roles."
News of the planning came as Albury Wodonga Health's pandemic chief Sally Squire said on Thursday there continued to be no COVID-19 cases on the Border.
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Mrs Squire said in two weeks of screening by her service there had been 800 calls with about 170 meeting the criteria for testing.
She said the Wodonga drive-through testing clinic would be open seven days a week but hours may change depending on demand.
The policy for visitors to Albury and Wodonga hospitals is being reviewed with shorter hours and fewer numbers likely to apply.
"(We're) talking with our surgeons, our anaesthetists and other private providers about ways we might be able to manage and alleviate some of our elective waiting lists," she said.
Mr Kalimnios said some staff had been working from home and there would be increased use of telehealth for meetings and clinical services to reduce numbers at the hospital campuses.
Northeast Health Wangaratta also continues to screen for COVID-19 at a dedicated clinic.
Among those going through the process yesterday was a man who decided to seek a test after returning home from a week in Las Vegas with sweating and a headache.
IN OTHER NEWS
As of midnight Thursday, Northeast Health Wangaratta will limit all visitor access to its Illoura Residential Aged Care.
The home's acting director of nursing Jennifer Tull said: "We understand that this may cause anxiety or frustration in some instances, however we believe that at this point in time this is the best way to reduce the risk to our residents and loved ones living at Illoura".
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