Message from the Metro North Health Incident Controller – COVID-19 & Influenza update 423 | 15/07/2022

Dear colleagues,

• Current situation
• PPE
• Isolation
• Metro North Interpreter Service
• Useful resources

Current situation

We currently have 896 active cases of COVID in our care, including 167 inpatients with 4 in ICU. We also have 12 inpatients with influenza.

There are also 641 staff away from work due to either being COVID positive or requiring isolation due to being a close contact. Today we have 111 staff returned as Critical Essential workers.

There have been a few questions about working from home and we acknowledge our high vaccination rate and staff compliance with PPE. Thank you for your diligence in this area. We have not enacted working from home arrangements across the board, however some non clinical areas are reducing the number of staff in the office as long as normal service provision is not affected and staff aren’t required to cover frontline duties. Your line manager can tell you how this may work your area using your usual flexible working arrangements processes.

PPE

Metro North is on Tier 3 of our COVID-19 and Influenza Response Plan. This includes a minimum of P2/N95 and protective eyewear (goggles) for all clinical areas. The Chief Health Officer’s Face Masks direction still applies to all our sites with surgical masks are required in non-clinical areas.

Please also consider your personal responsibility for your own safety outside of work. Face masks may not be mandatory in the wider community, but they are recommended especially for people at higher risk or in crowded spaces.

Isolation

With the change in isolation advice, there’s a greater emphasis on people who test positive for COVID but don’t require hospitalisation to contact 134COVID for support if needed. Please also refer to Queensland Health’s useful guide on how to isolate at home.

Metro North Interpreter Service

Metro North Health Interpreter Services continues to experience a temporary service disruption. To book interpreters during this time please call 3115 6999 (not 3624 1257). When calling please have your area cost centre ready as this is used to track bookings. If you are unaware of your cost centre please ask your supervisor.

Please note, you may experience delays in reaching booking officers and obtaining booking details. We anticipate the situation will be resolved by close of business today.

Useful resources

• You can find a COVID vaccine provider using the Department of Health COVID Vaccine Clinic Finder website.
• There are a range of PCR testing providers listed on the Queensland Government website.
• People with respiratory symptoms can make an appointment (often same day) through GP Respiratory Clinics.

Regards,

Mark Butterworth
Metro North Health Incident Controller