26 March 2021 – second message

Dear colleagues,

Thank you to everyone who is responding today to the effort required after the announcement of a community case within our catchment. There is a big body of work underway to find, isolate, and test close contacts efficiently and effectively to be sure we can contain this outbreak. Today, we have already supported well over 1 000 people getting tested – a huge effort.

I encourage you all to watch for updates and pay very close attention to physical distancing and the use of PPE, both at work, and when moving about the community. Whenever you can’t physically distance, please wear a mask (e.g. in supermarkets, in shopping centres, when attending large gatherings).

In case you missed it:

• Greater Brisbane and the Moreton Bay Region have been declared restricted areas. This will apply for the Aged Care, Disability Accommodation Services and Hospital Visitors Directions. I expect this will be in place until at least early next week.
• In addition, we will move immediately to Moderate Risk in accordance with the PPE Escalation matrix within the Pandemic Response Guideline: Personal protective equipment in healthcare delivery. Again, I expect this will be in place until at least early next week.

Please keep an eye on the Queensland Government active contact tracing alerts website.

This website is updated regularly and will indicate close and casual contact, venues and sites, and will indicate the actions you need to take if you have been to these venues and sites at the nominated times.

Without exception, anyone who has COVID-19 symptoms, no matter how mild, should be tested and isolate until they get a negative result.

Vaccination Clinic Advice – Side effects 

Some side effects from COVID-19 vaccination might be similar to symptoms of COVID-19 (e.g. fever, headache and tiredness). If these general symptoms occur within the first 12-24 hours, then you should rest and/or use paracetamol or ibuprofen if not contra-indicated.

If these general symptoms persist beyond 24 hours, or if you develop any respiratory symptoms (e.g. runny nose, cough, sore throat, loss of smell or loss of taste), then you should get tested for COVID-19 and isolate until you receive a negative test result.

If you are identified as a close contact of a current COVID-19 case, you should isolate, follow the public health advice and delay your vaccination.  

Vaccination Clinic – STARS 

We continue to vaccinate eligible phase 1a border workers and health staff through our STARS vaccination hub. This will continue until at least the end of next week. At this time, there is no opportunity for displacing phase 1a staff and workers to vaccinate those in phase 1b. However, next week, there will be ample opportunity to be vaccinated through your Directorate vaccination hubs, and I encourage you to do so as soon as you are able.

This is a great weekend to ‘stay in’. If you do need to venture out – take care, remember your mask, and keep at least a pool noodle distance from everyone else.

Regards,

Dr Liz Rushbrook
Metro North Incident Controller

Metro North HHS – overview of cases*

*With effect 26 March 2021, 1200
**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.