Dear colleagues,

Happy Sunday! It has been a busier weekend that anticipated from a COVID-19 perspective across Metro North. Our small MN EOC IMT team have been kept busy coordinating Metro North support to the Residential Aged Care Facility. I would like to particularly commend the fantastic work being done by the Public Health Unit, the RADAR team and Community and Oral Health testing teams.

Residential Aged Care Facilities

Some excellent news out of the Bolton Clarke residential aged care facility in Pinjarra Hills is that all residents have tested negative to COVID-19 (day 5 testing). Staff at the facility are still being tested but this is an excellent outcome for the residents and their families.  We will continue to provide support to the great team and residents of Bolton Clarke over the next 10 days.

As expected all aged care facilities within this region have been included in the list of restricted aged care facilities list. This means that from 12.01pm today, Sunday 2 August 2020, no visitors including care and support visitors will be allowed to enter any of the facilities.

Latest Update

Metro North currently have one active cases in our catchment and overall Queensland has had one new case in the past 24 hours (recently returned from overseas in quarantine).

I would like to remind you that there are areas declared at risk identified through contact tracing within Queensland. It is important if you have been in the these locations during the relevant times, for you to monitor your symptoms and present immediately for testing should you become unwell.

In the last 24 hours our fever clinics across Metro North tested just over 1200 people with no positive results returned as of midday today.

Metro North Mantra

Regardless of where you work or where you live adhering to our Metro North Mantra is crucial in preventing further community transmission – it includes:

• Physically/socially distance where possible.
• Excellent hand hygiene INCLUDING sanitising at every entrance and exit to our hospitals.
• If you’re sick, GET TESTED AND STAY HOME – do not come to work, your line manager will send you home if you are unwell.
• Avoid crowded places or transit quickly through high foot traffic areas if they can’t be avoided.
• Cough or sneeze into a tissue or your elbow, dispose of the tissue immediately, and wash your hands.
• Do not travel to identified COVID-19 hotspots and avoid anything other than vital interstate travel.
• Follow all health directives and restrictions imposed by the Premier and Queensland Health.

COVID-19 Facility Signage & Collateral

With the help of one of our talented designers we managed to finalise a suite of COVID-19 signage and collateral that will be distributed to facilities via EOCs tomorrow morning with specific instructions for replacement.

Following this, I ask that all facilities remove ALL outdated signage and replace with the new suite by Friday 7 August 2020. Please advise of any gaps in signage you identify during the changeover and we will have these developed.

Wellbeing during this time

If you’re feeling stressed due to the current COVID-19 situation, please remember there is an abundance of wellbeing resources on our Staff Wellbeing extranet page. Tap into our  COVID-19 staff psychology clinic to destress and debrief if needed. Reach out to any number of RUOK?’ers who are on the ground identifiable by their badges. As always Benestar are available 24/7 for support as well.

Stay safe and have a great week everyone!

Dr Liz Rushbrook
Metro North Incident Commander

Metro North HHS – Overview of Cases*

*With effect 02 August 2020, 10:00am
**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.