23 December 2021
Dear colleagues,
New Qld cases recorded today: 369
We remain on Tier 2 (minus) and are monitoring the situation across all of our facilities very closely. Please take note of the below information to make sure we are keeping our patients, visitors and each other as safe as possible.
New PPE requirements – N95 masks
In case you missed it, new PPE requirements effective immediately will apply to:
- Emergency departments
- Fever clinics
- Known COVID-19 areas
- Anyone performing aerosol generating procedures
For anyone working in these areas, the new requirements high risk PPE mean N95 masks and protective eyewear must be worn at all times. Gowns are not required unless you’re working in the respiratory zones, or if you’re working with confirmed or suspected COVID-19 patients in respiratory zones. For more information, read page eight of the Queensland Health guideline.
Staff Christmas lunches and gatherings
Now that we are in Tier 2 (minus) of our response plan any planned Christmas lunches involving ordered-in or bring-a-plate style food are not to occur and should be cancelled considering the current situation.
Contact tracing
The contact tracing website is being updated multiple times a day. Please continue to check the website and follow testing requirements accordingly if you have been to an exposure venue especially with the easily transmissible Omicron now the dominant strain in Queensland.
Shadowing at staff entrances
There have been numerous reports from facilities of community members shadowing staff members and not going via their designated entrances. A reminder to all to please be aware and report any unusual activity to your local security team.
Stay diligent and stay safe.
Regards,
Louise O’Riordan
Metro North Health Incident Controller
Helpful links
- 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*
| 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 | 97 | 0 | 0 | 61 | 4 | 952 | 4 | 1316 | 267,990 | |
*As at 23/12/2021
**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.