![\"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
Some good news overnight.\u00a0Queensland recorded\u00a0no additional\u00a0cases\u00a0of COVID-19, despite record numbers of\u00a0people presenting for tests.\u00a0But as\u00a0the CHO stated today, the next ten days are\u00a0absolutely critical, and we need to remain vigilant during this period and come forward for testing if you have any symptoms whatsoever.<\/p>\n
New fever clinic<\/strong><\/p>\n Thanks to our amazing Community and Oral Health team and staff working behind the scenes from the Metro North\u00a0and Redcliffe\u00a0EOC,\u00a0we have established a new Community Assessment Centre\u00a0today\u00a0at\u00a0the\u00a0Redcliffe Showground, entry via Portwood Street.\u00a0This will allow us to manage\u00a0higher volumes of\u00a0people who present for\u00a0testing\u00a0moving forward.\u00a0The Community Assessment Centre\u00a0is open from 8am to 4pm on weekdays\u00a0and\u00a0no\u00a0GP referral\u00a0is required.<\/p>\n Resources for mask\u00a0wearing\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n Today we provided facility EOCs with a number of resources to support staff\u00a0to appropriately wear\u00a0masks and to remind staff, patients and visitor of the requirement to wear masks in our facilities.\u00a0You can now find a\u00a0Frequently Asked Questions<\/a> document, posters\u00a0for\u00a0staff, patients and visitors<\/a>\u00a0and a\u00a0step-by-step guide<\/a>\u00a0for applying and removing your mask\u00a0online.\u00a0Updated\u00a0Clinical Practice Guidelines\u00a0for mask and face shield wearing\u00a0will be\u00a0available on\u00a0the Metro North COVID-19 extranet\u00a0in\u00a0the morning.<\/p>\n Please familiarise yourself with these resources and share them with your colleagues.<\/p>\n I know that wearing a mask is unfamiliar for a lot of our staff, particularly for so long.\u00a0 Please\u00a0support\u00a0each other to\u00a0fit and wear\u00a0masks correctly and encourage frequent breaks for food and hydration.<\/p>\n Some additional tips and tricks include:<\/p>\n Masks for patients\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n Just like staff and visitors, patients\u00a0are required to wear masks\u00a0at all times\u00a0when transiting in the hospital.\u00a0If they are in their bed or bed space, (for example, the chair next to their bed), patients are not required to wear masks, unless clinically indicated.\u00a0Patients should be provided with a surgical mask.\u00a0Visitors can choose to wear their own, clean\u00a0fabric\u00a0mask\u00a0(with at least 3 layers)\u00a0to the facility if they wish.<\/p>\n Mask supply<\/strong><\/p>\n A\u00a0process\u00a0is now in\u00a0place\u00a0to facilitate a\u00a0one-week supply of masks for work units in Block 7, Block 6 and Clinical Skills Development Centre\u00a0on the Herston Campus.<\/p>\n Today was the first day of our concierge service\u00a0at Block 7, where non-clinical staff were provided with masks and supported to apply them properly on arrival. This service\u00a0will continue daily\u00a0from 7am to 4pm, Monday to Friday.\u00a0Additional masks can be sourced from reception on level 14, Block 7, between the hours of 10am to 12noon\u00a0and\u00a0a mask order form\u00a0must be completed by each work area to receive the one-week supply.<\/p>\n All\u00a0Directorates\/facilities will have their own processes for ordering and supplying masks, as well as\u00a0Citilink\u00a0and Rosemount, where a process is currently in development.\u00a0For more information contact EOC-MetroNorth, attention Logistics.<\/p>\n Thank you to everyone who showed cooperation\u00a0and good cheer\u00a0this morning upon arriving to work. I\u2019d like to remind you of the importance for kindness when engaging with our concierge team who are doing their best to keep you safe.<\/p>\n Vulnerable workers\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n I\u00a0mentioned in this morning\u2019s\u00a0vidcast,\u00a0our facilities are reviewing\u00a0the plans\u00a0we\u00a0have in place for\u00a0all of\u00a0our\u00a0workers, including those people who might be considered vulnerable.\u00a0Today we\u00a0distributed\u00a0an updated\u00a0guidance note for vulnerable staff, which can also be found on\u00a0our\u00a0COVID-19 extranet page.<\/a><\/p>\n This advice has changed over time.\u00a0There is more research and evidence\u00a0available\u00a0about who are the most vulnerable people and\u00a0how to\u00a0best support those people with\u00a0individualised plans. Please familiarise\u00a0yourself with the latest guidance\u00a0and how it may apply to you.<\/p>\n I would like to\u00a0be\u00a0clear that there is no need\u00a0to\u00a0make drastic changes to the way\u00a0you work\u00a0at this stage.\u00a0However,\u00a0it\u00a0is the time to\u00a0think ahead and have\u00a0the right\u00a0plans in place to respond to\u00a0the possibility of increased\u00a0and\u00a0sustained community transmission.\u00a0Strategies like staggered start and finish times\u00a0and\u00a0controlling high traffic areas like \u2018tea rooms\u2019 or \u2018break out areas\u2019\u00a0can be enabled to help manage the numbers of staff onsite.<\/p>\n Vidcasts<\/strong><\/p>\n You are encouraged to\u00a0continue\u00a0attending\u00a0the daily\u00a0vidcast\u00a0from 11am \u2013 12pm. It is a good chance for you to keep up to date with the\u00a0latest\u00a0information and\u00a0to\u00a0ask\u00a0questions\u00a0(your questions keep me on my toes!). You can\u00a0also\u00a0check back in later for the recording if you miss the\u00a0vidcast\u00a0session. See the recording of today\u2019s\u00a0vidcast\u00a0here.<\/a><\/p>\n Take care this evening.<\/p>\n Kind regards, Metro North HHS \u2013 Overview of Cases*<\/strong><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n HHS<\/strong><\/td>\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 Deaths<\/strong><\/p>\n **<\/strong><\/td>\n Total cases managed by HHS (including recovered)<\/strong><\/p>\n ***<\/strong><\/td>\n \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n #<\/strong><\/p>\n of clinics<\/strong><\/td>\n Presentations<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n ICU-NOT Ventilated<\/strong><\/td>\n ICU-Ventilated<\/strong><\/td>\n TOTAL^<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n *With effect 25 August 2020, 1000<\/p>\n **Metro North has three\u00a0recorded deaths\u00a0(one person a return traveller into NSW, who passed away in NSW)<\/p>\n *** These numbers reflect the cases being managed by Metro North.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nDr Elizabeth Rushbrook
\nMetro North Incident Commander<\/p>\n\n\n
\n \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\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 \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n \n <\/td>\n ICU Pts<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n Last 24 hrs<\/strong><\/td>\n \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n \n \u202f\u202fMN TOTAL<\/td>\n 0<\/td>\n 0<\/td>\n 0<\/td>\n 1<\/td>\n 3<\/td>\n 342<\/td>\n 5<\/td>\n 1,991<\/td>\n 70,983<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n