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DAISI is committed to protecting the safety of its volunteers, partners & beneficiaries. The following COVID precautions should be adhered to by all DAISI volunteers to the South-Pacific.

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1. All reasonable measures should be taken by volunteers to the South Pacific to reduce the risk of contracting or transmitting COVID-19 virus including:

  1. Compulsory completion of the COVID Screening Questionnaire less than seven days prior to departure.
  2. Excluded from volunteer trips during the COVID pandemic are the following high risk people:
    1. a positive COVID swab result.
    2. a history of recent COVID contact.
    3. symptoms of fever, flu-like illness (Fever, runny nose, cough, or sore throat, malaise, shortness of breath, altered sense of smell or taste)

2. In addition, those most vulnerable to infection must not be permitted to volunteer on DAISI trips during the COVID pandemic including:

  1. The elderly (70+)
  2. Those with respiratory condition and poor respiratory reserve.
  3. Those immunocompromised.

3. Standard COVID precautions employed in Australian and New Zealand Hospitals should be adhered to in hospitals in the South-Pacific by volunteers wherever possible. These include:

  1. Use of personal protective equipment (PPE) including the wearing of face masks and protective eyewear in all clinical settings.
  2. Use of 70% alcohol hand sanitiser between patient to patient contact.
  3. Social distancing practices whenever possible including avoidance of large congregational gatherings of more than 20 people.
  4. Rigorous infection control & sterilising measures for high risk procedures including bronchoscope & gastroscopy.
  5. The cancelling of non-urgent, high risk procedures that promote aerosolization of fluids such as gastroscopy and bronchoscope.

4. Prior to departure for the South-Pacific all volunteers must produce documented evidence of a negative COVID Swab testing result within seven days of departure date.

5. Upon return from the South-Pacific all volunteers must:

  1. Comply with all Government quarantine requirements including mandatory hotel quarantine for two weeks at volunteer’s own expense.
  2. Complete testing for COVID-19

6. All volunteers are encourage to source and bring with them their own face masks, protective eye wear and hand sanitizer, as adequate supply of these in the South-Pacific cannot be guaranteed.

7. Proof of COVID vaccination (two doses) and recent COVID negative swab (less than 72 hours prior to departure) is mandatory of all DAISI volunteers to the South-Pacific.