Dear colleagues,

Again, Queensland has recorded no new coronavirus cases overnight and we have now reached 29 days without any known community transmission! We currently have only seven active cases and a massive 1,079 have recovered from the virus which is excellent news.

Here are a few things to keep in mind:

• Queensland borders
• Quarantine exemptions
• EOC operations

Queensland borders

As mentioned yesterday, Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk confirmed there are no intentions of opening the Queensland borders until community transmission of COVID-19 in Victoria and NSW is under control.

We are expecting an updated border directive in the next 24 hours or so.  As soon we have the update, we will provide this to you.

Queensland’s Chief Health Officer Jeannette Young has indicated that states would need to be free of community transmission for one month before borders are reopened, to allow for two incubation periods. Ms Palaszczuk has mentioned that she is not expecting the border reopening to Victoria on this side of Christmas. I understand this might be challenging and heart-breaking for many family and friends, but all we can do is keep up the good work on our end and hope that those in Victoria are doing the same while in lockdown.

Quarantine exemptions

As previously mentioned, not all healthcare workers are exempt from the Queensland quarantine requirement. Since June, more than 14,000 exemption requests have been received and 90% of the requests relate to entering Queensland and quarantine. Here are some examples from the Queensland Health website that show what are not exceptional circumstances and will not be considered for an exemption:

• To visit your holiday house in Queensland
• To attend or participate in a wedding
• To look after grandchildren
• To quarantine at your own home
• To visit your partner who lives in Queensland

It is unlikely you will receive an exemption, so I reiterate, please do not travel to Victoria, NSW or the ACT unless absolutely necessary.

You can find more information on the Border Restrictions webpage and the Entering Queensland webpage.

EOC operations

Even though we seem to be managing COVID-19 well in Queensland, we remain very busy in the Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) supporting a wide range of activity throughout our hospitals and health centres.

Our Metro North team also continue to lead and support airport operations, hotel quarantine and community testing. I’d like to give a great big shout out to everyone who has been working in the COVID space over the last few months. I know that I thanked our wonderful EOC staff but equally we need to thank everyone. For those of you who have worked on concierge desks, cleaning facilities, providing equipment, ensuring that supplies are available, moving patients around, providing administrative functions, giving clinical care, supporting clinical care, writing and coordinating policies and procedures, disseminating information, providing security to patients and staff and the many other roles that have been happening during this time, thank you!!!  You are amazing and collectively an outstanding wonderful team.  Please be proud of what you do and the professionalism by which you do it. It has been an incredible effort from so many people from so many parts of the organisation, and all of this work will stand us in good stead to meet whatever challenges happen next. It’s been wonderful to see so many people meet from different parts of Metro North who, otherwise, might never have had the chance to meet – talk about a silver lining!

We are all COVID-19 Warriors. Congratulations. You are continuing to help beat COVID-19 every day with your thorough and regular hand washing, physical distancing and covering coughs and sneezes. Until tomorrow, stay safe, stay focussed and remember how important you are in this amazing journey!!!

“If life were predictable, it would cease to be life and be without flavour”

Kind regards,
Alanna Geary
Metro North Incident Commander

Metro North HHS – Overview of Cases*

*With effect 18 August 2020, 1000

**Metro North has three recorded deaths (one person a return traveller into NSW, who passed away in NSW)

*** These numbers reflect the cases being managed by Metro North.