COVID-19 update 341 | 02/02/2022

Dear colleagues,

• International travel – staff exemptions 
• Infection prevention guidelines update 
• Staff testing and RAT kits 
• School vaccination clinics 
• Fit testing and fit checking 

Today there are 9630 reported new cases of COVID-19 in Queensland.

International travel – staff exemptions 

Under Hospital Entry Direction (No. 10), people who have been overseas in the past 14 days need to apply for an exemption from the Chief Health Officer to enter our facilities. Only vaccinated travellers coming from safe travel countries are eligible.

Staff will need to apply for the exemption (before travelling if possible) via the Queensland Government exemptions portal. To do make your return to work easier, please follow these steps:

1. Submit your exemption request via the Queensland Government exemptions portal.
2. Email the details of your request and your application reference number (RITM) to your directorate EOC, including your proposed return to work date. This will be provided to Metro North EOC.
3. Metro North EOC will liaise with Health Directions and communicate the application outcome as soon as it is known.

Under the Quarantine and other Requirements for International Arrivals Direction (No. 21), fully vaccinated international arrivals are not required to quarantine if:

• you have undertaken a COVID-19 test within 24 hours of your arrival in Queensland, and
• you isolate at your residence, accommodation or boat until you receive a negative result.

An international arrival who undertook a COVID-19 test in another State or Territory within 24 hours of arrival in Australia and received a negative test result, does not have to undertake a COVID-19 test within 24 hours of arrival in Queensland.

Infection prevention guideline update

Queensland Health’s Infection prevention and control guidelines for the management of COVID-19 in healthcare settings has been updated.

The guideline now says: “an apron or a non-fluid resistant gown may be used in situations where physical contact is minimal and there is little chance of body fluid splash (e.g. medication delivery, observations, fever clinics)”.

All clinical areas are required to implement the required changes for PPE selection for care of patients under COVID precautions.

Staff should select an apron or non-fluid impervious gown in situations where physical contact is minimal and there is little chance of body fluid splash (eg medication delivery, observations, fever clinic).

Staff should select fluid impervious gowns where there is anticipated physical contact and/or risk of body fluid splash, such as during aerosol generating procedures or therapies and resuscitation activities. 

Staff testing and RAT kits 

Where can I get RAT kits from? 

RAT kit packs for eligible staff and their immediate family can be obtained from:

• Staff Wellness Centre, Brighton Health Campus, Cnr Nineteenth Ave & Hornibrook Highway, Brighton, Monday to Friday 9am – 2pm
• RBWH Education Centre (outside Pulse Café), Monday to Friday 9am – 4.15pm, and Saturday and Sunday from 9am-3.45pm.

You will need to meet the close contact criteria and will need to show your ID and complete registration.

For the latest opening hours and locations please visit the Metro North extranet.

If you are unable to attend these sites, please discuss with your line manager. 

Where can I get a PCR test done? 

Metro North staff only testing centres:

•  RBWH Education Centre, Monday to Friday, 9am to 4.15pm, and Saturday and Sunday from 9am -3.45pm.
• TPCH located in Outpatients B (former Children’s Outpatients Department), Monday to Friday, 7am to 2pm.
• Caboolture Hospital staff carpark, Monday to Sunday, 7.30am to 3.30pm

For the latest opening hours and locations please visit the Metro North extranet.

A full list of alternate COVID-19 testing services open to the public is updated daily and can be found on the Queensland Health fever clinic site.  

School vaccination clinics 

We are seeing good numbers through our school pop up clinics this week. Around 40% of people attending are adults coming for their boosters.

These clinics will operate this week:

Fit testing and fit checking

Metro North Health is committed to prioritising fit testing for all our frontline staff. Please check the fit testing schedule on the extranet for local information.

The National Guideline, referenced in the Queensland Health guideline, recommends that you do a fit check every time you don an N95 mask to ensure you have a good seal. In an emergent situation, if your fitted mask cannot be located, please escalate to your team leader/hospital coordinator. A fit checked P2/N95 can be worn, as a last resort, until you are fit tested. You should not participate in aerosol generating procedures if you are not wearing a fit tested mask.

Have you been fit tested at a different HHS to where you currently work? You might not need to be fit tested again, if:

• you have your fit testing report
• you were fit tested in the past 12 months
• your facial features have not changed significantly
• you were fit tested to a mask available in your current HHS.

You can show your line manager a copy of your fit test report and have this information recorded in the system. You don’t need to have another fit test.

If you have any concerns about fit testing, you can submit them via the fit testing feedback portal. Urgent issues should be escalated to your supervisor and local EOC for resolution.

Staff boosters 

While the COVID-19 vaccination booster is not mandatory, it is strongly encouraged to protect yourself, your loved ones, your colleagues, and our patients.

Metro North has vaccination clinics running 7 days, including our Kippa Ring clinic for children aged 5-11. Find your nearest clinic via the Queensland Health vaccination locations page.

If you have had your booster and would like to record it, you can do this via the COVID-19 Vaccination Hub (available only via a Queensland Health computer or external access to the QH website, using Microsoft Edge, Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox browsers.)

The process is similar to recording your first two doses:

• Download your COVID digital certificate from your myGov account
• Go to the COVID-19 Vaccination Hub
• Choose the +Booster Vaccination option
• Add your booster details
• Upload or drag and drop your certificate
• Save

For staff who do not usually have Queensland Health computer access, you can complete the form on the extranet, send to your line manager for verification, and then submit to MN-COVID-Staff-Vaccination-Forms-only@health.qld.gov.au for processing.

Thank you for all that you do. Your work is appreciated.

Regards,

Louise O’Riordan
Metro North Health Incident Controller

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Helpful links

• Register your positive RAT result
• Upload evidence of your vaccine
• Qld Health contact tracing list
• Register for your vaccine
• Qld Health general COVID-19 page
• Metro North COVID-19 extranet
• COVID vidcast recordings on QHEPS

Metro North HHS – overview of cases*

Norfolk Island – overview of cases****

*As at the above date

**Metro North Health has 23 recorded deaths (one person a return traveller into NSW, who passed away in NSW)

*** These numbers reflect the cases being managed by Metro North Health.

**** As part of an Intergovernmental Agreement, from 1 January 2022 Metro North Health is providing a number of health support services to Norfolk Island. This includes advice and support to staff on island in terms of managing COVID patients.  The numbers in this section of the table refer to COVID patients who remain on Norfolk Island and are receiving direct care by staff on Norfolk Island.