Dear colleagues,

We start the week with three new cases overnight in Queensland. While this number is small, we must continue to do the right thing and respect the eased restrictions put in place over the long weekend.

It is great for Queenslanders to enjoy another public holiday! It seems like only yesterday we were at home with our families for the Easter long weekend. Despite all that we have been through over recent months, the year is going by so quickly.

Labour Day commemorates the achievements of workers in the late 1800s who succeeded in implementing the eight-hour working day and better working conditions. I know that many of you have been putting in extra hours and working long days to ensure we can manage COVID-19 in our facilities and our community. Thank you to all of you and a special shout out to everyone who is working today!

As the saying goes, no news is good news. There are just a few things I would like to mention today:

• Reopening of Qld schools
• COVIDSafe app
• Returning to work

Reopening of Qld schools

Today Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk announced a staged return to Queensland classrooms, with kindergarten, prep, year 11 and year 12 students to go back to school from May 11. She also said the government would reassess on May 15 for other grades with the intention of sending all students back to school on May 25.

As these first students return to school, there will be no excursions and no large gatherings at school, for example assemblies. There will be strict hygiene protocols including the regularly cleaning of door handles, desks and other high touch surfaces. Parents are encouraged to use the ’stop, drop and go’ method where possible, rather than have children walk to school or parents gathering unnecessarily in school zones.

COVIDSafe app

As I’ve already mentioned, it’s very important you download the Australian Government’s COVIDSafe app. This app speeds up contacting people exposed to coronavirus (COVID-19) and is there to slow the spread as much as possible through an alert system. If you haven’t already downloaded it, please do so.  MNHHS is fully supportive of this very important government initiative.

Returning to work

Tomorrow we will be welcoming staff back to the workplace who have spent some time working from home. The health and safety of Metro North staff and families remain our highest priority and our practices continue to be guided by advice from the Queensland Health and the Australian Public Service Commission.

To ensure we can maintain good social distancing and keep one another healthy and safe, I strongly encourage you to:

• Continue to host meetings and catch-ups virtually.
• Take your lunch outside, especially while we can enjoy this lovely weather before it truly becomes winter!
• Consider modifying your workstation so that you can sit 1.5m away from your colleagues.
• Clean your desk regularly throughout the day, use some spray and wipe on your keyboard, mouse, pens and phone.
• We have installed extra hand sanitizer stations across all facilities – please use them!
• Please respect lift restrictions and note they might be different depending on the different lift sizes across Metro North. If you’re wanting a way to keep fit, maybe even try using the stairs!

Please note that vulnerable staff can continue to work from home if necessary and I strongly encourage you to speak directly to your line manager if you have personal requirements that may make it difficult to return to the workplace at this time.

As you can see, my poor grand-furrbaby Zoey is starting to get quite lonely! She is missing her friends as I am sure many of you are too.  While the restrictions have been eased, we do need to remain mindful of what is in place.   Please keep up the great work with thorough hand washing, social distancing and limiting travel so we can catch up with those we miss most (and so Zoey can play with her pals Ellie and Ruby again!)

Today is my last day in MN EOC for a few days.  As you know Liz and I are doing 3 on 3 off, so you will have the very good Dr Rushbrook as your Incident Commander for the next 3 days.  Speak again on Friday when I return.

Kind regards,
Alanna Geary
Metro North Health Incident Controller

Metro North HHS – Overview of Cases*

*With effect 1000 4 May 2020

**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