Gastro outbreak in aged care: what staff should do

Recognise it early

Two or more residents with vomiting or diarrhoea within a short period (often 24–48 hours) may be the start of an outbreak. Report straight away — don't wait for more cases.

What usually changes during an outbreak

• Affected residents stay in their rooms where possible, with signage on the door.
• Staff wear gloves and gowns or aprons for care, and masks and eye protection where splashing is likely.
• Hand hygiene is done with soap and water — some gastro viruses aren't reliably killed by alcohol hand rub.
• Cleaning frequency increases, using the products and contact times in the outbreak plan.
• Staff may be cohorted to affected or unaffected areas, and visitors may be restricted.

Cleaning up vomit and diarrhoea

Use the spill kit and full PPE, remove the bulk material, clean, then disinfect with the product your service specifies and leave it for the full contact time.

If you get sick

Stay home and tell your supervisor. Your service will tell you how long to stay away after symptoms stop.