01 April 2021
Dear Colleagues,
This morning the Premier and Chief Health Officer announced that the Greater Brisbane lockdown would be lifted ahead of schedule at 12 noon today. This is due to record testing numbers in the past 24 hours and no community transmission not linked to the known clusters. There has been one case of community transmission connected to one of the current known clusters.
Restrictions are in place from 12 noon today until Thursday 15 April across Queensland:
- you must carry a face mask at all times and wear indoors, unless you have a lawful reason not to
- gatherings in people’s homes are limited to 30 persons in total, including the people you live with
- you can leave your home for any purpose. You can travel anywhere in Australia. Please note other states and territories may have restrictions in place that prevent you from travelling to them
- visitors to aged care facilities, disability accommodation services, hospitals and correctional facilities are restricted across the state
- restaurants, cafes, bars and nightclubs can only open for seated eating and drinking, no standing allowed.
- Hospitality businesses must keep an electronic customer register.
- Customers must check into venues and provide their contact details in case we need to contact you.
Masks for Queensland
You must carry a face mask with you at all times when you leave home, unless you have a lawful reason not to.
- You must wear a mask in indoor spaces.
- It is strongly recommended you wear a mask when outdoors if you are unable to stay more than 1.5m distance from other people, such as busy walkways and thoroughfares.
- Masks do not need to be worn in some circumstances, including children under 12 years, if you have certain medical conditions, and in workplaces where it is not safe to do so.
- You can remove your mask to consume food or drink.
This includes masks required in all Metro North facilities, including non-clinical areas.
COVID related leave
A reminder that the Queensland Health policy for use of leave related to COVID has recently been updated. See the Queensland Health COVID leave flow chart for information. The HR hotline will operate from 8am to 5pm over the Easter long weekend so if you are unsure, please call 3647 2819 for advice.
Fit Testing
To ensure the safety of our staff and patients, Fit Testing has been fast tracked for staff working in COVID wards at RBWH and TPCH. SureFit Services performed fit testing at TPCH yesterday and are on-site at RBWH today, 1 April 2021.
SureFit Services will be on the ground fit testing:
|
Date |
Facility |
Staff being fit tested |
|
Thursday 8 April 2021 |
The Prince Charles Hospital |
COVID ward staff Infectious Diseases Fever Clinic Emergency Department |
|
Friday 9 April 2021 |
Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital |
COVID ward staff Infectious Diseases Emergency Department including Fever Clinic |
Metro North have selected three suitable mask options in sizes small and regular. From the three options available, if there is a mask you wear currently and are familiar with – please let SureFit Services know and they will happily fit test you with that mask option first.
We have developed educational videos and posters around the correct use of PPE which are readily available on our COVID-19 extranet and in relevant areas around our wards and clinics.
We are offering staff in high risk areas or professions RPE fit testing to help you be sure you are using PPE that fits and that you are using it effectively and safely. Metro North is getting in touch with management in the identified high risk areas to assist with the coordination of staff who will be taking part in the first phase of the Metro North Fit Testing Program.
Fit Testing program dates for your relevant work areas are being negotiated and will be communicated shortly. If you have any questions, please contact Megan Husband at the Health and Safety Unit via MNHHShealthandsafety@health.qld.gov.au or see the FAQs.
Vaccination update
In the past few days we have seen large numbers of people at our vaccination clinics which is excellent. Thank you to all staff involved in vaccinations and those who’ve already received your jab. Well done to the STARS team who vaccinated around 700 people yesterday!
The staff in all our vaccination clinics have been working hard over the past few weeks. The clinics will be closed over the Easter long weekend. Vaccinations will resume on Tuesday.
Regards,
Mark Butterworth
Metro North Incident Controller
Metro North HHS – overview of cases*
|
HHS |
Patients being managed by HHS | FEVER Clinics | |||||||
| Total In-patients |
Virtual Ward / HITH / or similar |
Deaths ** |
Total cases managed by HHS (including recovered) *** |
# of clinics |
Presentations |
||||
| ICU Pts | |||||||||
|
ICU-NOT Ventilated |
ICU-Ventilated |
Last 24 hrs |
TOTAL^ |
||||||
| MN TOTAL | 35 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 522 | 5 | 1,372 | 160,782 |
*With effect 01 April 2021, 1000
**Metro North has three recorded deaths (one person a return traveller into NSW, who passed away in NSW)
*** These numbers reflect the cases being managed by Metro North.