![\"Metro](\"https:\/\/metronorth.health.qld.gov.au\/extranet\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2020\/04\/mn-health-incident-controller2.jpg\" "\\"Metro")
<\/span><\/div>Dear Colleagues,<\/p>\n
Welcome back to another week.\u00a0Now that we\u00a0are\u00a0in Stage 2 of Queensland\u2019s roadmap to easing restrictions,\u00a0I hope you all enjoyed your weekend in a new, different way!\u00a0It\u2019s great to see our hard work continue to pay off. Please keep up the good work and\u00a0continue to be diligent with your hand washing, social distancing, and stay home if you\u00a0are\u00a0sick – especially as it gets colder.<\/p>\n
Today\u2019s updates include:<\/p>\n
- \n
- Updates to testing\u00a0and self-isolation advice<\/li>\n
- Virtual services<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Updates to testing\u00a0and self-isolation advice<\/h3>\n
There has been some clarification over self-isolation advice for those who present to fever clinics for a COVID-19 test. Previously, anyone receiving a swab was directed to go straight home and self-isolate until otherwise instructed. Now, only those with clinical symptoms are required to self-isolate immediately after a swab.<\/p>\n
As outlined in\u00a0Public health alert #14<\/a>\u00a0on 4 June, the testing criteria is broken down into three categories<\/p>\n
Essential testing<\/h4>\n
Clinical criteria present<\/p>\n
- \n
- Fever (\u226537.5\u00b0C) OR history of fever OR acute respiratory illness).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
AND<\/strong><\/p>\n
Epidemiological criteria<\/p>\n
- \n
- Close contact; international, interstate or cruise travel.<\/li>\n
- Health, aged or residential care worker with patient contact.<\/li>\n
- Travelled through hotspot(s) or admitted hospital patients with no other cause for their infection evident.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
This equals a suspect case of COVID-19 and must isolate until results are available.<\/p>\n
Enhanced testing<\/h4>\n
Clinical criteria only present<\/p>\n
- \n
- Fever (\u226537.5\u00b0C) OR history of fever OR acute respiratory illness).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
This does not equal a suspect case of COVID-19. Isolation is NOT required unless clinically appropriate for the patient\u2019s condition.<\/p>\n
Expanded testing<\/h4>\n
- \n
- All patients presenting to fever clinics, including those with atypical symptom presentations for COVID-19.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Isolation is NOT required unless clinically appropriate for the patient\u2019s condition.<\/p>\n
Virtual services<\/h3>\n
To respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, Metro North\u2019s Virtual Ward service was stood up quickly and efficiently under the leadership of Mary Wheeldon.\u00a0Of the 327 people treated for COVID-19 at Metro North, 305\u00a0had been cared for in a virtual ward environment.\u00a0This initiative\u00a0kept\u00a0hundreds of patients out of hospital beds and has allowed our facilities to\u00a0continue to safely treat our other inpatients.\u00a0The governance of virtual care is now sitting under the auspices of Community and Oral Health and we will continue to review and evolve as required to meet the needs of the patients that we care for.\u00a0For now,\u00a0our Virtual Ward service is being stood down until there\u00a0is\u00a0a need to\u00a0respond further to COVID-19 cases.<\/p>\n
Thank you to everyone who jumped at the chance to\u00a0create and run our virtual wards. As they say, necessity is the mother of invention.\u00a0I\u00a0am\u00a0expecting our other virtual services, such as Telehealth and the Virtual Emergency Department to grow dramatically by the end of the year. Watch this space!<\/p>\n
While COVID-19 has posed many challenges, it has also provided us with opportunity to look at how we do things in the provision of care.\u00a0 We have seen wonderful\u00a0initiatives commence which have delivered exceptional outcomes so now is the time to think creatively and a little outside the box to ensure we can sustain the momentum and the innovative thinking. Well done to all involved.<\/p>\n
![\"George](\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\")
<\/p>\nIt\u2019s certainly starting to feel like winter\u00a0now!\u00a0George has\u00a0now\u00a0moved\u00a0back\u00a0to Sydney\u00a0(with my son)\u00a0where it\u2019s much colder than sunny Queensland.\u00a0Jacob (my son)\u00a0assures me he\u2019s all rugged up!\u00a0 I must say George looks\u00a0pretty happy\u00a0in his hoodie!!!<\/p>\n
Make sure you keep warm, stay safe, wash your hands (or paws), and most importantly, stay home if you\u00a0are\u00a0sick.\u00a0Remember to look after yourself physically and emotionally. Our mental health is just as important as our physical health.\u00a0It is a little easy to become a bit more\u00a0blas\u00e9\u00a0as restrictions are relaxed and it is also easy to forget that\u00a0some\u00a0of our colleagues\u00a0may be struggling.\u00a0Whether it be due to workload pressures, financial hardship or just the pressure of life as it is now,\u00a0remember to look after you and don\u2019t forget to periodically check up on your colleagues. A simple question like, R\u00a0U\u00a0OK?,\u00a0may be all that is required to start a conversation and\u00a0help someone who is doing it a bit tough.\u00a0Our employee assistance program Benestar\u00a0is\u00a0available for you to reach out to as well. You can\u00a0find out how to get in touch with them and\u00a0find about\u00a0the services they offer on\u00a0our\u00a0Staff Wellbeing site<\/a>.\u00a0We are\u00a0all in this together, so let\u2019s make sure we all get through these difficult times.<\/p>\n
Kind regards,<\/p>\n
Adjunct Professor Alanna Geary
\nMetro North Incident Commander<\/p>\nMetro North HHS \u2013 Overview of Cases*<\/strong><\/p>\n
\n\n
\n \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n
HHS<\/strong><\/td>\n
Patients being managed by HHS<\/strong><\/td>\n FEVER Clinics<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Total\u00a0In-patients<\/strong><\/td>\n \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n
Virtual Ward \/ HITH \/ or similar<\/strong><\/td>\n
\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n
Deaths<\/strong><\/p>\n
**<\/strong><\/td>\n
\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n Total cases managed by HHS (including recovered)<\/strong><\/p>\n
***<\/strong><\/td>\n
\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n
#<\/strong><\/p>\n
of clinics<\/strong><\/td>\n
\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n Presentations<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n <\/td>\n ICU Pts<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n ICU-NOT Ventilated<\/strong><\/td>\n
\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n ICU-Ventilated<\/strong><\/td>\n
Last 24 hrs<\/strong><\/td>\n \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n TOTAL^<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n MN TOTAL<\/td>\n \u202f0\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\n \u202f0<\/td>\n \u202f0<\/td>\n 0<\/td>\n 3<\/td>\n 324<\/td>\n 4<\/td>\n 438<\/td>\n 25,730<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n *With effect 8 June 2020
\n**Metro North has three recorded deaths (one person a return traveller into NSW, who passed away in NSW)
\n*** These numbers reflect the cases being managed by Metro North.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
- All patients presenting to fever clinics, including those with atypical symptom presentations for COVID-19.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- Fever (\u226537.5\u00b0C) OR history of fever OR acute respiratory illness).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- Fever (\u226537.5\u00b0C) OR history of fever OR acute respiratory illness).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
![\"George](\"https:\/\/metronorth.health.qld.gov.au\/extranet\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2020\/06\/george.jpg\")
<\/p>\n