COVID-19 update 323 | 15/01/2022
Dear colleagues,
- COVID-19 predictions
- QAS
- Queensland Border Restrictions
- Additional RAT supply
- Vaccination for children aged 5-11
Today there are 19,709 reported new cases of COVID-19 in Queensland.
COVID-19 predictions
We are seeing a steady increase in COVID-19 hospital admissions, with 113 current COVID-19 hospital admissions across Metro North facilities today. We are likely to see these admissions continue to increase in the next two to three weeks. Our modelling predicts that COVID-19 cases in Metro North will reach a peak on 27 January.
As we head towards this expected peak, please remember to take care of yourself and your colleagues. We know it is extremely busy and many of you are going above and beyond to ensure we can provide the care our community needs. Thank you.
As COVID-19 becomes increasingly prevalent in the community, please ensure you undertake a PCR or RAT test as soon as possible if you are experiencing symptoms. Please don’t delay getting tested due to work priorities, as this only increases the risk of additional team members becoming infected if you test positive. We are committed to providing the appropriate support to staff who test positive in their recovery and return to work, as well as their teams.
QAS
Our paramedic colleagues at QAS are currently under significant strain due to COVID-positive members of the community who are otherwise well dialing 000. The Chief Health Officer has today issued a reminder to all Queenslanders to only call an ambulance if they are experiencing adverse effects of COVID-19; particularly shortness of breath, chest pain that doesn’t go away, coughing up blood or fainting. As health professionals, it is our responsibility to ensure this information is communicated to our personal networks to help ease the strain on the system.
Queensland Border Restrictions
From 1:00am this morning, 15 January 2022, the following public health directions and protocols were revoked to give effect to the Queensland Government decision to remove border restrictions for domestic travellers:
- Border Restrictions Direction (No. 60)
- Queensland Travel Declaration Direction (No.6)
- Interstate Areas of Concern (Vulnerable Facilities) Direction (No.2)
- Interstate Places of Concern (Stay at Home in Queensland) Direction (No.5)
- Declared Interstate Places of Concern Direction (No.3)
- COVID-19 Hotspots and Border Zone Declaration
- Operational protocol for freight movements entering Queensland
- Operational protocol for disaster management workers entering Queensland.
Additional RAT supply to Queensland
Queensland will be receiving additional supply of RAT tests over the coming days. This vital resource will be supplied to Public Health Units throughout the state to distribute as appropriate.
Vaccination for children aged 5-11
We have received positive news that vaccination rates of Queensland children aged 5-11 has already reached 8.54 per cent. A huge thank you to the team at our Kippa Ring children’s vaccination clinic for their contribution. The clinic continues to operate seven days with appointments between 8.20am and 3.50pm, and also has capacity for walk ins.
Thank you to those of you who are working throughout the weekend. Your commitment is appreciated.
Kind regards,
Jason Brown
Metro North Health Incident Controller
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Current Metro North Health tier activated – Tier 3
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*
| Patients managed by HHS | Fever clinics | ||||||
| Total in-patients | Virtual ward/ HITH/ similar | Deaths** | No. of clinics | Presentations | |||
| Total | ICU patients | Total^ | |||||
| ICU not ventilated | ICU ventilated | ||||||
| 113 | 3 | 6 | 603 | 6 | 6 | 2049 | |
Norfolk Island – overview of cases****
| Patients managed by HHS | Close Contacts in quarantine | ||||||
| Total in-patients | Virtual ward/ HITH/ similar | Total cases including recovered | Deaths | ||||
| Total | ICU patients | ||||||
| ICU not ventilated | ICU ventilated | ||||||
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 37 | 65 | 0 | 19 | |
*As at the above date
**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.
**** 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.