COVID-19 information for health professionals

A GP/doctor’s referral is now required for COVID-19 PCR testing throughout WA.

• PHLN guidance on laboratory testing for SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID-19) (external site)
• Testing criteria for SARS-CoV-2 in Western Australia #42 (PDF 373KB)
• COVID clinics, select private pathology collection centres and GP respiratory clinics (external site) 

• CDNA National Guidelines (SoNG) for Public Health Units (external site)
• HealthPathways (external site) includes the latest information for COVID-19 patient assessment and management.

Infection prevention and control

• Coronavirus Disease – 2019 (COVID-19) Infection Prevention and Control in Western Australian Healthcare Facilities (PDF 574KB)

Hospitals

• Clinical Care of Paediatric Patients with COVID-19 (external link)
• How to identify Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander clients (PDF 307KB)

Position statements

The following recommendations and/or position statements have been endorsed by the WA Department of Health

• Aboriginal ethical position statement (PDF 933KB)
• WA Psychotropic Drug Committee (WAPDC) Advice on Clozapine Monitoring during COVID-19 (PDF 160KB)
• Impact of COVID-19 on the risk of falling for older people (PDF 173KB)

Mental health

• COVID-19 FAQs for mental health services (external site)
• COVID-19 Guideline for management of acute behavioural disturbance (PDF 692KB)
• COVID-19 Advice for the mental health inpatient setting (PDF 218KB)

Palliative care

• Clinical resources for End-of-Life and Palliative Care in the COVID-19 environment
• Goals of Care and End-of-life in the COVID-19 environment

Pharmaceutical

• Serious shortages medicines substitution - information for prescribers and pharmacists (PDF 396KB)
• Regulatory advice for pharmacists during COVID-19 (PDF 326KB)
• Medicines for COVID-19 in residential care facilities and Aboriginal health services (PDF 125KB) 

COVID-19 Medicines 

• Process for GPs Accessing COVID-19 Disease Modifying Treatments in WA (PDF 708KB) 
• WA Department of Health Prioritisation of COVID-19 Medicines (PDF 243KB)

Molnupiravir (Lagevrio^®)

• WA Department of Health guidelines for use of molnupiravir for COVID-19 (PDF 229KB)
• Molnupiravir (Lagevrio^®) – What prescribers and pharmacists need to know (PDF 308KB)
• Molnupiravir (Lagevrio^®) Patient Information (PDF 335KB)
• Molnupiravir (Lagevrio^®) WA Patient Consent Form (PDF 474KB)

Nirmatrelvir + ritonavir (Paxlovid^®)

• WA Department of Health guidelines for use of nirmatrelvir + ritonavir for COVID-19 (PDF 585KB)
• Nirmatrelvir plus Ritonavir (Paxlovid^®) – What Prescribers and Pharmacists Need to Know (PDF 284KB)
• Nirmatrelvir plus Ritonavir (Paxlovid^®) Patient Information (PDF 502KB)
• Nirmatrelvir plus Ritonavir (Paxlovid^®) WA Patient Consent Form (PDF 584KB)

Remdesivir (Veklury®)

• WA Department of Health guidelines for the use of remdesivir (PDF 379KB)
• Remdesivir (Veklury®) Patient Information (PDF 147KB)
• Remdesivir (Veklury®) WA Patient Consent Form (PDF 306KB)  

Hospitals and healthcare settings

• Coronavirus Disease – 2019 (COVID-19) – Infection prevention and control in Western Australian healthcare facilities (PDF 471KB)
• Guidance on the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) in hospitals (external site)

Non-healthcare settings

• Advice for use of personal protective equipment (PPE) for workers in community settings (PDF 329KB)
• Advice on face mask use (Healthy WA)
• Advice on how to access personal protective equipment
• Infection prevention and control advice on cleaning and disinfection (PDF 546KB)

Resources

• Doffing coveralls in the context of COVID-19 (PDF 3MB)
• How to wash hands poster (PDF 1MB)
• Protect yourself and others poster (PDF 882KB)
• Stop the spread poster for hospitals, GPs, businesses, aged-care facilities, schools and childcare centres (PDF 848KB)
• PPE: Donning and doffing for healthcare settings (PDF 1.6MB)
• Stay safe at work posters (PDF 2.7MB)

Latest advice and updates on the COVID-19 immunisation including:

• Immunisation education requirements
• COVID-19 vaccine ordering
• Safety of COVID-19 vaccines
• Clinical guidance on COVID-19 vaccine in Australia
• Potential side effects from COVID-19 vaccines
• Reporting adverse events following immunisation

Information about COVID-19 vaccines targeted at the community is available at HealthyWA website (external site).

Health professional resources

• COVID-19 Caring for people with disability (PDF 847KB)
• COVID-19 information for health care and residential care workers (external site)
• Royal Australian College of General Practice (RACGP) – coronavirus information for GPs (external site)
• Protect yourself, your family and your community - Cover Your Cough and Sneeze (external site)
• Australian Department of Health Coronavirus (COVID-19) resources – translations (external site)
• HealthyWA COVID-19 (coronavirus) translated resources (external site)