Message from the Metro North Health Incident Controller – COVID-19 update 411 | 31/05/2022

Dear colleagues,

• Move to Tier 2
• Hospital visitors

Move to Tier 2

At 7am tomorrow, Wednesday 1 June, Metro North will move to Tier 2 in our COVID response plan. This will allow us to increase planned care across our facilities.

Tier 2 includes:

• Category 1, 2, long wait category 3 elective surgery and category 4 and 5 procedures and long waits
• Virtual outpatient appointments where appropriate
• All OPD patients must wear masks in waiting rooms
• Optimise use of STARS for planned care
• Optimise outsourcing for surgery/ procedures
• Dental inpatients wear level 1 surgical masks
• Maintain dental activity and critical referrals in from other HHSs
• COVID-19 Virtual Ward – increased capacity
• Redcliffe, Caboolture, TPCH and RBWH continue to care for COVID-19 positive patients in designated areas
• STARS, COH and Mental Health refer new COVID-19 patients to acute facilities
• HITH – increase in capability including virtual capability
• Meetings – adhere to social distancing & mask wearing
• Training – adhere to social distancing & PPE, consider venue and delivery mode for training sessions

There is no change to PPE requirements.

Hospital visitors

The Chief Health Officer relaxed the restrictions for some hospital visitors yesterday.

The update removes the requirement for the visitors to use the Queensland Check-in app and to show proof of vaccination, and removes the restrictions on the number of visitors allowed per patient.

There are still restrictions for some people in line with the Management of Diagnosed Cases of COVID-19 and Close Contacts Direction (No.2) and the Requirements for International Arrivals Direction.

Restrictions still apply for people who:

• Have travelled from overseas within the past 7 days,
• Are a close contact of a person with COVID-19
• Are awaiting COVID-19 test results
• Have been diagnosed with COVID-19 in the past 14 days who are the support person for a mother during childbirth.

People who meet these criteria must get approval from the hospital via the online form either on our website prior to visiting or via the QR code at entrances.

People who have been diagnosed with COVID-19 in the past 14 days and wish to visit for any reason other than supporting a birthing mother must still apply for a Queensland Health exemption.

There are no changes to visitor restrictions for residential aged care facilities, disability accommodation facilities, and correctional facilities.

Employees, volunteers engaged by Metro North (and not by another organisation), and students are not considered visitors, and should follow the requirements of the Workers in a healthcare setting (COVID-19 Vaccination Requirements) Direction.

Regards,

Louise O’Riordan
Metro North Health Incident Controller

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Helpful links

• Register your positive RAT result
• Upload evidence of your vaccine or booster
• Vaccination locations
• 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 recorded deaths (one person a return traveller into NSW, who passed away in NSW)
*** 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.