13 December 2021

13 December 2021

Dear colleagues,

Today Queensland’s border restrictions eased, allowing many people to be reunited with their loved ones. This means fully-vaccinated people returning from a hotspot are able to enter our facilities, including staff, provided they have had a negative PCR test result in the 72 hours prior to departure from the hotspot. They must also undertake a Day 5 test upon their return.

From 5am Friday, 17 December 2021, restrictions for unvaccinated people entering our facilities will be in place. All visitors presenting to our facilities will be required to show proof of their full vaccination status in order to enter the facility.

In some instances, exemptions may be provided for unvaccinated visitors who meet specific criteria outlined in the current Hospital Entry Direction, such as proof of medical contraindication or as a COVID-19 vaccine trial participant. This may also be possible for unvaccinated people visiting a facility to see another patient, including:

end of life,
as a support person during childbirth,
as a parent of a child or minor,
as a carer,
or in an emergency.

All details around facility entry for unvaccinated visitors are listed in the Hospital Entry Direction here.

Please note that all patients will be allowed to enter the hospital to receive care, regardless of their vaccination status.

Staff are reminded to download their vaccination status for convenience and link it to the QLD Check In App, as well as ensuring they are using the app to check in at our facilities.

COVID-19 vaccine boosters are now available for those who have had their second vaccine course, five months ago. Be sure to drop in to one of our facility vaccination hubs if you are due for your booster.

Regards,
Louise O’Riordan
Metro North Health Incident Controller

Helpful links

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					Yesterday	TOTAL^
MN TOTAL	16	0	0	1	4	841	3	257	259,691

*As at 13/12/2021
**Metro North Health has four 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. 

Download a PDF version