COVID-19 screening tool for residential aged care services

Key messages

Older Victorians, who may also have co-existing illnesses, are at increased risk of serious complications if they contract COVID-19.

Research into COVID-19 highlights different symptoms may be present in older people. Instead of fever and sore throat, atypical signs such as seeming unwell, being upset or sleeping more may indicate illness and require further investigation.

Broader and regular screening of older people living in aged care is encouraged to ensure early identification and response to symptoms of deterioration.

On this page

Downloads

Using the COVID-19 screening tool

Use this screening tool to identify typical and atypical signs of COVID-19 in the residents you care for. We encourage you to screen each resident every day.

Download the tool

Screening takes less than five minutes to complete for each resident.

The screening tool is based on evidence and includes the public health screening criteria for COVID-19. It will help you identify subtle changes in residents and escalate any concerns.

Implementation toolkit

This provides a step-by-step guide to planning, implementing and evaluating the use of the screening tool in residential aged care services. It contains:

background on the development of the screening tool and the benefits of using it
how to implement the screening tool, including shared experiences from pilot services
how to evaluate the use of the screening tool using measurement.

Download the toolkit

Download our flyer to help communicate the change to staff