Dr Liz Rushbrook
Chief Medical Officer
Emergency Management and Business Continuity
On Monday night the public health emergency declaration for COVID-19 ended. This doesn’t mean COVID is gone, but we have moved to living with COVID.
Queensland Health has implemented a traffic light advice system based on the prevalence of COVID in our community. Under the traffic light system, green means low community transmission, amber is moderate, and red is high. We will have consistent signage across our facilities with the relevant traffic light.
What this means for the community
We are currently in GREEN. The advice for the community is:
- Stay home if you’re sick
- Keep up to date with your vaccinations
- Maintain good hand and respiratory hygiene
- Take a RAT if you get COVID symptoms
- Wear a mask if the place when requested
- If you get COVID-19:
- Register your RAT results
- Stay home until you’re well
- Wear a mask for 7 days after your test
- Avoid visiting hospitals, aged care or disability care for 7 days after your test
- Ask household members to closely monitor their symptoms
What this means for our facilities
Masks
Masks are no longer required in a healthcare facility, however staff and visitors and are strongly encouraged and supported to wear a mask within Metro North hospitals particularly when providing care to, working with, supporting, or visiting vulnerable persons.
The minimum requirements for patient care align with Infection Control: Standard Precautions 004711 (health.qld.gov.au) and Infection Control: Transmission Based Precautions 002850 (health.qld.gov.au).
Management of COVID-19 cases
The COVID-19 Infection Prevention and Control Manual: For acute and non-acute healthcare settings | Queensland Health guides healthcare facilities on the appropriate response including the PPE escalation for our services.
Staff, contractors and students
Staff, contractors and students who are COVID cases are not to enter a Metro North Health hospital, aged care or disability care facility for seven days following their positive test result. This includes all buildings or workplaces where any patients attend or are located.
Staff, contractors and students with COVID who work in facilities where no patients attend or are located are not to enter from the day of the positive test if they have had a fever in the past 24 hours or have ongoing or worsening respiratory symptoms. These staff can return to work when their fever has resolved. Masks are required outside of their home for seven days following the positive test result.
Visitors
Visitors who are COVID-19 cases are requested not to enter a Metro North hospital, aged care or disability care facility for seven days following their positive test result unless the facility has approved their attendance in accordance with the facility’s local COVID-Safe Visit Process. The clinical area can safely facilitate a visit with the support of Infection Management Service if required.
Management of household contacts
Staff who are household contacts of someone with COVID-19 are not required to stay away from work. Household contacts should wear a mask for at least 5 days, be vigilant for symptoms, and take a test if any symptoms develop within 7-10 days of exposure. It’s recommended these staff take a RAT every two days for the first five days after exposure. RATs should be made available for these staff.
Regards,
Dr Liz Rushbrook
Chief Medical Officer
Emergency Management and Business Continuity