Dear colleagues,

I hope that you all enjoyed your long weekend and were able to take a break. As Queensland continues to record no community transmission of COVID-19, Metro North remains at a Tier 0 response. Keep up the great work everyone, and don’t forget to keep up COVID-19 safe practices such as applying hand sanitiser when entering and leaving facilities and clinical areas. It is these small practices that will continue to keep us safe.

Queensland border update

As many of you may be aware as of Thursday 1 October changes were made regarding the Queensland and New South Wales border zones under the Border Restrictions Direction (No. 15):

• The New South Wales border zone has been extended
• The Queensland border zone no longer exists
• Queensland residents can travel anywhere in the New South Wales border zone for any purpose
• New South Wales border zone residents can travel anywhere in Queensland for any purpose

Aged Care Direction (No.11) 

From 4 October 2020, the following changes came into effect under the Aged Care Direction (No.11):

• Clarifies that people who live or have been in the New South Wales border zonemay visit loved ones in residential aged care facilities
• Clarifies that health workers who wear appropriate personal protective equipment and follow recommended infection control precautions are not considered ‘known contacts’ of confirmed COVID-19 cases for the purposes of entry to a residential aged care facility

This Direction replaces the former Aged Care Direction (No. 10) made on 11 September 2020.

Disability Accommodation Services Direction (No. 4)

From 4 October 2020, the following change came into effect under the Disability Accommodation Services Direction (No. 4):

• Clarifies that people who live or have been in the New South Wales border zone may enter disability accommodation services to visit loved ones or to attend work

This Direction replaces the former Disability Accommodation Services Direction (No. 3) made on 31 August 2020.

Aerosol Generating Behaviours (AGB) work group 

Thank you to everyone who submitted an expression of interest for the working group to develop guidelines to manage people who have Aerosol Generating Behaviours. The Metro North EOC will review the expressions of interest and convene the group in the next week.

Metro North EOC expressions of interest

Thank you to everyone who submitted an expression of interest to work in the Metro North EOC. We were impressed by the substantial number of high-quality applications received and we have been working through them to offer contracts. It is great seeing a few new faces in the EOC.  We thank staff (and managers who are releasing them) for their willingness to contribute to Metro North’s COVID-19 response in this way.

Message of thanks

I would like to acknowledge the huge efforts of Community and Oral Health and the Metro North Public Health Unit who continue to manage people in hotel quarantine. The following compliment received from a person in hotel quarantine echoes this message of thanks:

“Thanks to all involved in the hotel quarantine scheme in Brisbane. Compliments to the Police, ADF, nurses, hotel staff and others behind the scenes who have put in place a system for keeping us safe and healthy while in quarantine. The administration and logistics of such a scheme must be enormous and uniquely complex, and I have high praise for all involved… Tomorrow I leave hotel quarantine, and will go through a discharge process. In my experience, the Police Officers, Qld Health, hotel staff, etc. have all been diligent, courteous and helpful in what, for them, must be exceptionally trying circumstances. I can only say a very big Thank You to all.”

Have a great week everyone. We will check in again with you at the beginning of next week.

Kind regards,

Michelle Stute
Metro North Incident Controller

Current MN Response Tier Activated – Tier 0

Metro North HHS – Overview of Cases*

*With effect 6 October 2020, 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.