COVID-19 update 348 | 09/02/2022

Dear colleagues,

• Working from home
• Planned care
• Hospital Entry – returning from overseas
• Check in app
• Staff PCR and RAT services
• Fit testing and fit checking

Working from home 

At this morning’s senior executive leadership meeting we confirmed that the current COVID working from home arrangements will end on Sunday.

Staff who are currently working from home due to Tier 4 requirements will return to the workplace as usual from Monday 14 February.

Planned care 

While we are resuming some of our planned care in Tier 3, it is important that we continue to prioritise our COVID response and acute care needs.

Where possible, appointments should be virtual unless this is not clinically suitable.

Non-essential meetings should be postponed. Some essential training can be delivered face to face by exception, such as occupational violence prevention training and fire warden training.

Hospital Entry – returning from overseas 

The Hospital Entry Direction (No.11) was updated over the weekend, to allow exemptions to be considered for hospital staff returning from overseas.

You must apply for an exemption via the Queensland Health 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. Choose the ‘General exemption from a health direction’ option (do not choose ‘specialist/essential worker’)
3. 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.
4. Metro North EOC will liaise with Health Directions and communicate the application outcome as soon as it is known.

Check in app 

Just a reminder that the check in requirement is still in place for our facilities where proof of vaccination is needed.

There may be some confusion about this with visitors due to some other venues no longer requiring check in, so please politely remind them of the requirement.

Staff PCR and RAT services 

The RBWH Education Centre staff RAT collection and PCR testing site moving to the public RNA Showgrounds site this week.

Each directorate will be managing RAT distribution for their staff. You can collect a RAT kit from the Metro North staff collection site closest to your home if needed.

• Community & Oral Health – Brighton Wellness Hub, 19^th Avenue Brighton, Monday to Friday 2pm-4pm. Asymptomatic close contact staff only. RAT collection only. Contact EOC-COH outside these hours.
• TPCH – Outpatients B, 7 days 8am-12pm. RAT and PCR available. Staff can also attend the public fever clinic at Building 26, Hamilton Rd, and speak to the concierge.
• Caboolture Hospital – staff carpark, 7 days 7.30am-3.30pm, PCR and RAT available. RAT kits also available after hours from EOC (phone 5316 5014), hospital coordinators, or ED triage if all other options not available.
• STARS – weekdays 8am-4pm phone 3647 7026 to arrange RAT collection, weekends call after hours nurse manager on 3647 7011 to arrange collection.
• Redcliffe – fever clinic near main entrance, priority staff PCR tests 8am-9am 7 days, RAT kits available 9am-3.30pm 7days at fever clinic.
• RBWH –Education Centre, 9am-4.15pm, PCR available.
• RNA Showgrounds – drive through fever clinic, Gate 5 O’Connell Tce, 8am-4pm 7 days, RAT collection and PCR tests

For the latest opening staff testing hours and locations please visit the Metro North extranet. Please bring your staff ID and Medicare cards.

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. Staff can also visit any of these sites.

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.

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.

Thank you for your work.

Kind 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 27 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.