13 September 2021

Dear colleagues,

Queensland cases and eased restrictions

We have two new local cases of COVID-19 in Queensland today, both linked to the Sunnybank school cluster and already in home isolation. This is good news for Queenslanders as they present a low risk due to the home isolation requirements.

As a result of the limited new cases and low risk, restrictions set on Saturday for hospitals, aged care and disability facilities across the Logan City Local Government Area and the area of Brisbane City Council south of the Brisbane River (Metro South) are now eased. We will immediately return to normal practices.

Please continue to monitor the list of COVID-19 exposure venues, and keep up the physical distancing, hand washing, and mask wearing which are all still key requirements here at Metro North.

Student information

• Only students fully vaccinated against COVID-19 can enter hospitals, residential aged care facilities, and disability accommodation services in theses LGAs to undertake a clinical placement.
• A student who is not vaccinated because of a contraindication cannot enter an impacted hospital for clinical placement.

Checking in

All staff must also continue to check-in using the QR codes. This is a great way to register your movement in and about our facilities in the event that a COVID-19 positive case visits our hospitals or work-areas.

Regards,

Louise O’Riordan
Metro North COVID-19 Health Incident Controller

Metro North remains on Tier 1

Despite this ease of restrictions, Metro North will continue to remain on Tier 1 in our COVID response plan and moderate risk PPE, with fever clinic staff and emergency department triage staff wearing P2/N95 masks. We will be assessing this status over the next few weeks.

PPE guidelines are online for healthcare delivery and for residential aged care and disability accommodation.

Helpful links

• Qld Health contact tracing list
• Register for your vaccine
• Qld Health general COVID-19 page
• Metro North COVID-19 extranet

Metro North HHS – overview of cases*

*As at 13/09/2021 at 1120
**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.