A resident of a NSW Central Tablelands aged care home for the past 10 years has pleaded with the public to be on guard to protect the community from coronavirus.
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Reg Golding, of Orange, hasn't been able to leave the home or see his sister since March due to lockdown restrictions but he said his biggest concern was for people who did not treat the virus seriously.
"The complacency of people is frightening," he said.
"A lot of people are blase' about these things. Don't be under the impression it won't happen to you.
Be assured there is not any virus or has there been in Calare Aged Care Orange.
- Reg Golding, aged care home resident
"Please, the Orange community and all communities keep vigilant, don't let your guard down. Abide and obey all official directions and common sense and we will beat this enemy and killer. This is all our war, every one of us," he said.
Mr Golding, 84, said he had been a drover "out in the back country" for 30 years and founded Riding for the Disabled in Orange. Now he gets around the Calare Aged Care facility in March Street in a wheelchair.
He said the facility was again under restrictions that banned contact with family and friends except for essential visits, largely where a resident was near the end of their life or was experiencing emotional or mental stress.
"Virtually we haven't been able to have people for months," he said.
"I haven't seen my sister [June Carrington], she's older than me, she's 89, she's in Cherrywood [Grove aged care facility], since March.
"With the lockdown we can't go out." However, he said he wanted the public to know the residents felt safe and were well looked after.
"Be assured there is not any virus or has there been in Calare Aged Care Orange," Mr Golding said.
"The lockdown is once again a prudent and far reaching precaution against any infections.
"We have a very happy atmosphere in here. People feel safe.
"You just joke and you say this old virus is not going to get into here. Getting into here is like breaking into Fort Knox."
Mr Golding said residents enjoyed plenty of organised and casual activities during the lockdown. "I get out every morning to feed the birds," he said.
A statement from Allity, which runs the aged care home, said stricter restrictions on access to all its facilities in NSW and Victoria were re-introduced on July 15.
They include staff being required to wear face masks.
Anyone who has been in a coronavirus hotspot in the past 14 days is also banned.