North East aged care home has contacts return negative results

"Royal Freemasons can confirm that following the return of negative test results from both close-contact staff members, the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) advised that the home can stand down additional precautions and return to standard COVID precautions," she said.

"The home will remain under precautionary restrictions until all residents and staff return negative test results.

"Royal Freemasons have sufficient personal protective equipment and all other supplies necessary to continue to provide support and services to the residents and staff at Benalla.

"We will continue to monitor staff and residents for signs or symptoms of COVID-19.

"We would like to extend our gratitude for the support and understanding of our residents, their families, our staff and the local community during this precautionary lock-down."

Earlier:

An aged care facility in Benalla has been locked down after staff members attended a tier one public exposure site - BP Euroa.

Benalla Royal Freemasons confirmed one staff member was classed as a primary close contact, while another is a secondary close contact of a member of the community who also attended the site.

No staff or residents of the facility have tested positive to COVID as yet.

In a statement the facility said the majority of residents have been vaccinated against COVID-19.

The home has been locked down as a precaution and all staff and residents are being tested.

"This means that all residents will be self-isolating in their rooms and staff are now wearing full personal protective equipment," the statement said.

"Royal Freemasons has sufficient personal protective equipment and all other supplies necessary to continue to provide support and services to the residents and staff.

"Please be assured that, at this time, we have no staff or residents who have tested positive to COVID-19 and/or have any signs or symptoms.

"We are closely monitoring all residents and staff for signs and symptoms.

"As you can imagine this is a stressful time for all our staff, residents and their families and as such have put in place communication and support services to ensure all are supported during this time."

In August last year, the facility went into lockdown after a staff member was found to be a close contact of someone who has tested positive posted to COVID-19.

No cases of COVID resulted from that scare.

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