Holiday Opening Hours and Resources

16/12/2020 Off By admin

It’s a Wrap from WAAC – please see below reduced hours of operation over the coming weeks:

WAAC office and services:

Closes: 1.00pm on Wednesday 23 December 2020

Re-opens: 9.00am on Monday 4 January 2021.

Clinical Services – Please note that if you had screening in December that you may experience delays in your results until after the 4th of January 2021. We apologise for the inconvenience caused.

M Clinic

Last Day of Routine Screening – Friday 18 December 2020

Treatments and Follow-ups ONLY with Phone Lines ON

Monday 21 December 2020 – Wednesday 23 December 2020

Phone lines and clinic CLOSED 24th of December – 3rd of January 2021

Regular clinic hours resume Monday 4 January 2021

LINQ

Closes– Friday 18 December 2020

Re-opens Wednesday 6 January 2021

Call to arrange a booking!

Needle Syringe Exchange Program

WAAC- West Perth

Closes: – 1:00pm Wednesday 23 December 2020

Opens: – 9:00am Monday 4 January 2021

Fremantle Xchange

Closes: – 3:00pm Wednesday 23 December 2020

Opens: – 12.00pm Monday 4 January 2021

NSEP Van

Armadale and Gosnells

Closes – 6.00pm Friday 18 December 2020

Opens – 1.00pm Friday 8 January 2021

Mirrabooka and Joondalup

Closes: 6.00pm Tuesday 22 December 2020

Opens: 12.00pm Tuesday 5 January 2021

Rockingham

Closes: 3.00pm Monday 23 December 2020

Opens: 1.00pm Monday 4 January 2021

Belmont and Midland

Closes: 6.00pm Thursday 17 December 2020

Opens: 1.00pm Thursday 7 January 2021

Freedom Centre

Closes: 8.00pm Wednesday 23 December 2020

Opens: 5.00pm Monday 4 January 2021

You are not alone in thinking that this is a stressful time of year. Many of us stretch ourselves thin when it comes to our finances and relationships, as well as having big feelings of expectation when rounding out another trip around the sun, this year especially.

Some of us, particularly people living with, or affected by HIV, and members of the LGBTQI+ community, can be reminded of personal challenges during this time.WAAC’s opening hours are reduced over the coming weeks, but there are other organisations available to support you over the festive season.

Should you require immediate assistance, please call:

Health Direct 24-hour health advice – 1800 022 222 or visit website www.healthdirect.gov.au

Lifeline 24-hour crisis support – 13 11 14 or visit website www.lifeline.org.au

Q Life – 3.00pm to Midnight every day – 1800 184 527 or visit website www.qlife.org.au

Beyond Blue – 24-hour support – 1300 224 636 or visit website www.beyondblue.org.au

Carers WA – 1300 227 377 (general) or 1800 007 332 (Counselling) or visit website www.asn.au

If you are in an emergency, or at immediate risk of harm to yourself or others, please contact emergency services on 000.

Sex

The holiday season is one of wonder and adventure. If you are planning on having sex, remember to plan ahead and keep yourself and others safe. You can do this by:

Using condoms: Condoms are great way of reducing STI’s, and provide maximum protection when used before engaging in sexual activities such as oral sex and nudging and rubbing.

Open communication: Talk with your partners, ask when their last STI screen was, talk about their HIV status – be direct and ask “what’s your HIV status?”, if they are HIV positive and have and undetectable viral load, then there is virtually no risk of transmission, if they are HIV negative ask about PrEP use.

U=U: undetectable means untransmittable! This happens when someone living with HIV takes their medication, which suppresses the virus to such low levels, it is unable to be transmitted sexually. Click here for more information: https://youtu.be/wx6pDjJz4iM

PrEP: is an antiretroviral medication that is taken as a preventative for HIV. It is taken for 7 days prior to sexual intercourse and continues to be taken until 28 days after your last at-risk event if you wish to stop and is prescribed by a GP. It gives the person up to 99% protection against HIV and only HIV. PrEP does not protect against other STI’s.

PEP is also an antiretroviral medication that is taken to reduce the risk of HIV after an at-risk event; this includes things such as unprotected intercourse and condom breakages. PEP must be commenced within 72hrs of the event, and the sooner the better. If you have concerns after having sex, and worried about HIV you can call the PEP Hotline on 1300 767 161 or visit their website https://www.getpep.info/get-pep-now/wa/

Symptoms: Many of the Sexual Health Clinics will be unavailable during the festive period, however you can follow up with your GP for support and testing, or if you have severe pain/discomfort please visit the emergency department or call HealthDirect on 1800 022 222 for health advice. For a list of GP’s try: https://www.mclinic.org.au/finding-health-professional

Managing your meds

During the holiday season, many pharmacies will be closed. It is important to make sure you have enough of your medications to last you through to New Year. If you are travelling to friends or family, make sure that you have some packed to go with you, perhaps in an unmarked pill box. New Years can be particularly disruptive; staying up late, and sleeping in. Think about how you’re going to take your medications, so that you miss as few doses as possible (hopefully none). Try setting an alert on your phone or stick a post it note on your fridge to help remember.

COVID-19

With WA opening its borders once more, the potential for an outbreak increase. Here is where to go if you are worried about potential symptoms:

Corona Virus Help Line – 13 268 43 or visit https://healthywa.wa.gov.au/Articles/A_E/COVID-clinics

If you experience these following symptoms, you should be screened

fever of 37.5°C or above OR fever in the last few days (for example, night sweats or chills)
coughing, shortness of breath, sore throat, runny nose
loss of smell or taste.

Food Security

With the complexities that comes with 2020, food security has been a challenge for many this year.

For support within the community, try https://www.foodbank.org.au/WA/food-assistance/?state=wa or https://waconnect.org.au/food/

For support with any of these issues

https://www.myservices.org.au/

https://www.cci.health.wa.gov.au/Resources/Looking-After-Yourself

https://www.thinkmentalhealthwa.com.au/mental-health-support-services/emergency-and-other-mental-health-support-lines/

Drugs and Alcohol

Useful links:

SMART Recovery Website (http://smartrecoveryaustralia.com.au )
Various twelve step programs (http://www.aa.org.au/; http://www.crystalmeth.org.au/; http://na.org.au/).
Remind yourself of your rights whilst partying with this helpful resource from the Inner City Legal Centre (http://www.iclc.org.au/party-rights/ ).
For a list of needle and syringe programs, try https://waaids.com/item/1143-nsep-holidays.html and https://healthywa.wa.gov.au/Articles/U_Z/Where-to-find-needle-and-syringe-programs-in-WA

Resources and Support

QLife

1800 184 527 or www.qlife.org.au for online chat
Telephone Counselling and Information Line operates 7 days from 5.30pm – 10.30pm (Includes Christmas Day!)

Suicide Call Back Service