COVID-19 update 334 | 26/01/2022

Dear colleagues,

• PPE and fit testing
• Staff Psychology service sessions 

Today there are 13,551 reported new cases of COVID-19 in Queensland.

PPE and fit testing  

We are continuing to expand fit testing services across Metro North.

There is more training this weekend for staff who want to become fit testers including non-clinical staff. Please talk to your line manager and contact your local EOC if you would like to be trained or to support fit testing services in another way.

Please see the fit testing schedule on the extranet for the latest local information.

If you cannot see your fitted masks when you arrive for your shift, please contact your shift coordinator or hospital coordinator for stock.

Please remember that a fit tested mask must still be fit checked at the start of every shift to ensure a correct fit. Fit checking videos and posters are available on the PPE resources section of the COVID extranet.

As per the Australian Government’s Infection Control Expert Group’s advice, ‘in situations where fit testing has not yet been carried out, and a P2/N95 respirator is recommended for use, a fit-checked P2/N95 respirator is preferred to a surgical mask’. See the Infection Control Expert Group Guidance on the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) for health care workers in the context of COVID-19 for details.

If you have any concerns, you can submit them via the fit testing feedback portal. Urgent issues should be escalated to your supervisor and local EOC for resolution.

Staff Psychology service sessions 

The Staff Psychology service is conducting weekly sessions in our clinical directorates over the next few weeks. These are open door Teams meetings where staff can chat with colleagues and a staff psychologist.

Session	Date/Times	Teams Link
STARS	Mondays 2:30 – 3:15pm	Click here to join the meeting
CABOOLTURE	Mondays 2:30 – 3:15pm	Click here to join the meeting
REDCLIFFE	Tuesdays 2:30 – 3:15pm	Click here to join the meeting
COH	Thursdays 2:30 – 3:15pm	Click here to join the meeting
TPCH	Thursdays 2:30 – 3:15pm	Click here to join the meeting
PUBLIC HEALTH	Fridays 2:30 – 3:15pm	Click here to join the meeting
METRO NORTH	Fridays 2:30 – 3:15pm	Click here to join the meeting
RBWH	Thursdays 12:30 – 1:15pm	Click here to join the meeting

If you’re unable to attend the session or would like to speak to someone privately, you can contact the Staff Psychology service on 3647 9673 or by email at MNStaffPsychology@health.qld.gov.au.

Staff wellbeing resources can also be found on the extranet and on QHEPS.

The Australian Government’s Infection Control Expert Group advises ‘in situations where fit testing has not yet been carried out, and a P2/N95 respirator is recommended for use, a fit-checked P2/N95 respirator is preferred to a surgical mask’. See the Infection Control Expert Group Guidance on the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) for health care workers in the context of COVID-19 for details.

If you have any concerns, you can submit them via the fit testing feedback portal. Urgent issues should be escalated to your supervisor and local EOC for resolution.

Working from home 

Our Chief Digital Health Officer Dr Jason Brown joined the vidcast today to provide advice on working from home IT requirements.

There are working from home and remote access resources on the working virtually section of the extranet.

Many systems can be accessed from home if you have the right working from home set up. Some of the ways to do this are through:

• My apps (requires Citrix software & VPN)
• Follow me desktop (requires VPN)
• Queensland Health device with VPN – must login at work first to establish profile before it will work at home
• BYOD – register your personal device for free
• Office 365 – if you use Sharepoint for your files at work you can access them remotely by logging into your work account.

There are manager resources available on the extranet as well.

If you have specific questions about accessing your work systems while working from home, you can email DigitalMetroNorth@health.qld.gov.au.

For IT support, please contact eHealth via 1800 198 175 or through the Service Now portal.

Vaccination and testing services 

Metro North’s vaccination clinics will be open tomorrow. If you it has been three months since your second vaccination, you are now eligible for a booster.

All our vaccination clinics take walk ins and bookings:

• Doomben community vaccination centre, ages 12+
• Caboolture Square community vaccination centre, ages 5+ (check days for 5-11 year olds)
• Kallangur First Nations vaccination clinic, ages 5+ (pop up clinic)
• Brighton Health Campus, ages 12+
• Kippa Ring community vaccination clinic, ages 5-11

Clinic locations and times are available via the Queensland Health website.

Details on how to record your booster are available on the extranet staff boosters page.

COVID testing services 
Staff (and accompanied family member) PCR testing and RAT kit collection are available on Wednesday 26 January from:

• TPCH located in Outpatients B (former Children’s Outpatients Department): 7 days, 7.00am to 2.00pm (public fever clinic open 8.30am to 4.00pm, 7 days)
• Caboolture Hospital staff carpark: 7 days, 7.30am to 3.30pm (the staff car park is open for all Metro North staff accessing the clinic)
• RBWH Education Centre, Central Drive: 9.00am – 4.15pm, Mon to Fri and 9.00am – 3.45pm Sat and Sun.

Kind regards,

Mark Butterworth
Metro North Health Incident Controller

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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*

Norfolk Island – overview of cases****

*As at the above date

**Metro North Health has ten 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.