A repatriation plan is being developed by the administration of St Basil’s Homes for the Aged and Australia’s federal government after the facility in Fawkner was evacuated less than a week ago.
From this Friday, the facility that was struck by COVID-19, will reopen under its previous management. From the state’s 162 deaths as of yesterday, 125 were the result of outbreaks in aged care facilities with St Basil’s struck the hardest.
On Wednesday, the deadliest day since the pandemic came to Australia, there were 15 deaths with 12 of these linked to aged care – six were Greek Australians – four from St Basil’s.
The 80 St Basil’s residents, scattered in hospitals across Melbourne, will gradually return to the facility now that it has been deep cleaned.
St Basil’s Chairman Konstantin Kontis has been in contact with Neos Kosmos throughout the unfolding pandemic.
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The repatriation plan will first return residents who are not in a critical condition to return from hospitals in groups of five. Those with COVID-19 will be quarantined and kept separate to those without the virus.
Regular staff, who were temporarily replaced by government nurses on 22 July, would now return to St Basil’s.
The facility is managed by the Greek Orthodox Church and the reopening would be subject to the centre meeting the government guidelines required.