![\"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
I hope you all had a great weekend!\u00a0It\u2019s my first day back after\u00a0a\u00a0week’s\u00a0holiday and I am feeling\u00a0refreshed\u00a0and ready for the week ahead.\u00a0As\u00a0school holidays start today,\u00a0I hope that you might be able to find some downtime to spend\u00a0with your family and treat yourself to a\u00a0getaway in our amazing Queensland backyard.<\/p>\n
I\u2019d like to raise a few things\u00a0with you\u00a0today:<\/p>\n
- \n
- Domestic travel restrictions<\/li>\n
- International travel and quarantine<\/li>\n
- PPE\u00a0usage<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Domestic travel restrictions<\/strong><\/p>\n
Alanna raised travel restrictions in a message last week,\u00a0but I\u2019d like to provide some further clarification.<\/p>\n
You can\u00a0only\u00a0<\/strong>enter Queensland if you are a Queensland resident, cross-border resident or fall under an exempt person category.\u00a0If you have visited a\u00a0COVID-19 hotspot<\/a>\u00a0in the last 14 days you must self-quarantine for 14 days, or as directed by an Emergency Officer.\u00a0If you\u00a0have\u00a0plans to travel to Victoria for personal reasons, I urge you to reconsider considering the\u00a0continuous climb of cases in the state\u00a0and the large number of declared hotspots in that state.<\/p>\n
All\u00a0staff returning to Queensland from a hotspot will need to take personal leave for the 14-day self-quarantine requirements.\u00a0If you have any queries regarding the latest travel restrictions, please have a read through the\u00a0Border Restrictions Direction (no. 5)<\/a>.<\/p>\n
International travel and quarantine<\/strong><\/p>\n
As you know, returning international\u00a0travellers\u00a0are required to\u00a0undertake\u00a0quarantine in a\u00a0nominated\u00a0hotel for 14 days. This\u00a0is currently paid for by the Queensland Government.\u00a0From 1 July, those who\u00a0are required\u00a0to quarantine in a\u00a0nominated\u00a0hotel will need to cover the cost themselves.<\/p>\n
Those who had already\u00a0booked a flight home before June 17\u00a0won\u2019t be charged for their stay even if it lands after 1 July. And those unable to pay the fees will be able to apply for financial support.<\/p>\n
Separately,\u00a0Metro North is currently working with our state public health authorities to develop and implement\u00a0testing of asymptomatic people during their quarantine period. This is in addition to the\u00a0health screening and\u00a0health\u00a0support\u00a0services we currently provide\u00a0for those in\u00a0quarantine.<\/p>\n
PPE\u00a0usage<\/strong><\/p>\n
This is just a note to remind you that PPE\u00a0remains a vital resource and is currently\u00a0made available\u00a0for direct clinical care use only.<\/p>\n
This is not due to a new decision or a change in stock levels, but simply a reminder that\u00a0return of\u00a0students\u00a0was restricted to areas where use of\u00a0PPE\u00a0is not required (unless the student is involved in providing\u00a0direct clinical care). This approach has been adopted to ensure that this vital resource\u00a0remains freely available to clinicians providing clinical care in all settings\u00a0and\u00a0at all times\u00a0where PPE is required.<\/p>\n