The Year that Was 40th Environmental Health Australia (SA Branch) Conference 2021 Racing Towards the Future - South Australia
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40th Environmental Health Australia (SA Branch)
Conference 2021
Racing Towards the Future
The Year that Was
Dr Chris Lease
Deputy Chief Public Health Officer
> I would like to acknowledge this land that
we meet on today is the traditional lands
of the Ngarrindjeri people and that we
respect their spiritual relationship with
their country and acknowledge elders
past and present.
SA Health
COVID
SA Health
SA Health
End of 2020
> Restrictions, border closures and lock
downs familiar
> November 2020 – Parafield/
Woodville/Thebarton Cluster – “Circuit
Breaker” lockdown
> Quarantine hotels biggest concern
SA Health
SA Health
First half of 2021
> Feb-March - vaccination program begins
> Restrictions ease - baseline
> Discussions commence between SA
Health and Local Government about
COVID compliance
SA Health
Second Half 2021
> July - SA Health and Local Government
take on business restriction compliance
monitoring in metropolitan areas
> July – Modbury Cluster – 7-day lockdown
> August – September – truck driver
incursions
SA HealthWhere are we now
> Borders to NSW and Victoria hard closed
> Changing border situation with
Queensland
> Light level social restrictions, caps on
major events
> Ramping up response
• Vaccination
• Testing
• Outbreak management
SA HealthWhat’s next…
> Heading towards 80% vaccination
> Post 80% restrictions
SA HealthSouth Australia’s Success
SA HealthSouth Australia’s Success
SA HealthSouth Australia’s Success
SA HealthNot COVID – our real job
SA HealthLife goes on….
> Review of South Australian Public Health
(General) Regulations 2013
• Three-phase review commenced in April 2021
• Phase 1 of consultation is now underway
• Three working groups have been established for the
following focus areas;
- skin penetration and beauty therapies
- waste management
- public aquatic facilities
> Wastewater Setback Distances Project
• The outcomes of the project will inform clear, evidence-
based standards for the revised South Australian On-site
Wastewater Systems Code 2013 (which is currently under
review)
SA HealthLife goes on….
> In the food space
• Modernisation of the bi-national food regulation system,
including Improving Food Safety Culture and revising the
Food Regulation Agreement.
• Progressing a national standard on food safety
management that will introduce mandatory requirements
for food handlers and record keeping
• Working with businesses and Local Government to
address impacts on the sector created by COVID-19,
including changing business models.
SA HealthLife goes on…
> Updated SA Health Website
• A new webpage specifically for Environmental Health
Officers has been created on the SA Health website
• Repository for information and guidance tools dedicated to
EHOs
• Instructional videos
- first suite of videos has been created for mosquito management
training
- content for videos focussing on Legionella and the inspection of
cooling towers is currently under development
SA HealthWhat we’ve learnt
> Cost of disinvestment
> Power of partnerships
> Understanding EM systems is essential
> Systems can be built quickly (with a will)
> Everyone is now an epidemiologist and
infection control expert (but not an EHO)
SA HealthSA Health
Racing towards the future
> Heading towards 80% vaccination
• Post 80% restrictions
• Open borders
> Chief Public Health Officer
> Public (Environmental) Health positioning
> Building emergency management
capacity
SA HealthDrive safely….
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