![\"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
Great news!\u00a0Yesterday, we\u00a0discharged the only remaining COVID-19 patient from our virtual ward, bringing\u00a0the\u00a0total number of\u00a0recovered\u00a0patients\u00a0in our Metro North catchment\u00a0to 344.<\/p>\n
Latest update<\/strong><\/p>\n Overnight, Queensland recorded one additional case of COVID-19, which is\u00a0the\u00a011th<\/sup>\u00a0case related to the\u00a0Brisbane Youth Detention Centre cluster. This case was a known\u00a0contact\u00a0and has\u00a0been in quarantine since being identified as a contact.<\/p>\n There has\u00a0not\u00a0yet been\u00a0any\u00a0identified\u00a0community transmission\u00a0as a result of\u00a0the original five cases from the\u00a0Brisbane Youth Detention Centre. There is still a risk we could see community transmission over the next week, as we know the original cases were out in the community\u00a0before\u00a0returning a positive result.\u00a0Please be patiently vigilant.<\/p>\n If you have any symptoms, no matter how mild, and particularly if you live or work in the areas impacted by the cluster,\u00a0please come forward to be tested.<\/p>\n Managing fever clinic demand<\/strong><\/p>\n Over the past 24 hours, we provided a\u00a0record number of tests through our\u00a0Metro North\u00a0fever clinics,\u00a0including the new Community Assessment Clinic in Redcliffe Showgrounds\u00a0who tested over 100 people before 11am. Well done team!<\/p>\n We will continue to direct as many resources as\u00a0needed\u00a0to support our fever clinics\u00a0to\u00a0meet\u00a0this\u00a0increased\u00a0demand.\u00a0We are monitoring the activity daily and\u00a0have plans in place to deploy staff when required.<\/p>\n Testing turnaround\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n The high levels of activity in our fever clinics is\u00a0fantastic news, as\u00a0we know that\u00a0testing is the best strategy to\u00a0identify\u00a0possible cases of COVID-19. However, it does mean there is a slightly longer wait time\u00a0for\u00a0test results.\u00a0The pathology staff that sit behind\u00a0the testing are working hard to deliver\u00a0the results as quickly as possible\u00a0(thankyou ?).\u00a0People\u00a0presenting for testing at\u00a0our Metro North fever clinics are generally receiving their results\u00a0within\u00a0a 48-hour period.<\/p>\n Correct mask wearing <\/strong><\/p>\n Supporting staff to wear masks appropriately\u00a0was a\u00a0key theme in\u00a0this morning\u2019s vidcast<\/a>. I\u2019d like to refer you to the\u00a0step-by-step guide<\/a>\u00a0online which shows you how to apply and remove your mask, and when you need to perform hand hygiene during the process. There is also a list of\u00a0FAQs<\/a>\u00a0available, providing\u00a0answers to\u00a0a number of\u00a0questions\u00a0that have been asked during our daily\u00a0vidcasts.\u00a0These FAQs will be updated\u00a0regularly.<\/p>\n Given the\u00a0many questions related to masks today,\u00a0I\u2019d like to clarify\u00a0some information around eating and drinking while wearing masks.\u00a0You are encouraged to leave the room and go to a place where you can maintain physical distance to remove\u00a0your mask safely and\u00a0eat and drink. I know this a major change for many of you, but our current situation requires we adjust the way we go about our day to day.\u00a0We are encouraging managers locally to support\u00a0you\u00a0to have more breaks for hydration and eating.<\/p>\n Please be reminded that for a large group of our staff, this may be their\u00a0first time\u00a0wearing masks,\u00a0particularly\u00a0over long periods of time. It will take practice before we get it right! For those of you who are experienced mask wearers,\u00a0I encourage\u00a0you to support the non-clinical staff in your area by demonstrating the correct techniques and sharing any tips or tricks\u00a0you have for making the experience a little more comfortable.<\/p>\n PPE for clinical staff\u00a0\u2013 a note on protective eyewear<\/strong><\/p>\n The\u00a0Director General \/ Chief Health Officer\u00a0memo<\/a>\u00a0requires that if you\u00a0are\u00a0providing routine care\u00a0within 1.5m\u00a0of a\u00a0non-COVID patient, you are to wear a level 2 surgical mask and protective eyewear.\u00a0Protective eyewear can be worn continuously, even between patients, so long as they are not soiled.\u00a0If protective eyewear is removed, it should be cleaned (if reusable) or discarded.<\/p>\n If you normally wear glasses, then you need to wear protective eyewear over your glasses.\u00a0There are many different types of\u00a0protective eyewear that fit comfortably over glasses for you to use.<\/p>\n If your protective eyewear is\u00a0reusable,\u00a0please\u00a0clean them yourself\u00a0with a\u00a0Clinell\u00a0wipe\u00a0and keep for use throughout the day before returning\u00a0to centralised\u00a0storage\u00a0areas.\u00a0If you are not sure how to clean your protective eyewear, please\u00a0just ask.<\/p>\n COVID-19 leave provisions<\/strong><\/p>\n While testing rates are high, it is likely\u00a0that\u00a0you know or live with someone who has been\u00a0recently\u00a0tested. If a\u00a0family member that you reside with has been tested and is able to be adequately isolated at home, the household contacts can go about their normal business\u00a0(if well)\u00a0whilst\u00a0that family member is\u00a0waiting for results\u00a0–\u00a0that includes coming to work.<\/p>\n If the tested person is unable to be\u00a0adequately\u00a0isolated at home away from the rest of the family,\u00a0then all\u00a0people\u00a0in the household\u00a0need to isolate together until test results are negative.<\/p>\n I have devised\u00a0the isolation\u00a0plan for my family (and we have now activated it\u00a06 times so far this year)\u00a0and I encourage you to do this too. You never know when you might need it.<\/p>\n If you are required to stay away from work\u00a0for\u00a0any COVID-19 related\u00a0reason, please consult with the\u00a0<\/strong>Metro North COVID-19 Guide to Leave Provisions<\/a>\u00a0and the\u00a0Queensland Health COVID-19 myHR leave codes factsheet<\/a>\u00a0on\u00a0the extranet. These\u00a0documents\u00a0provide a range of\u00a0scenarios\u00a0related to COVID-19 leave, such as when you are sick, required to quarantine, when a family member is sick and when you are waiting for a test.\u00a0They are\u00a0regularly reviewed and updated.<\/p>\n If you are in any doubt\u00a0about\u00a0if\u00a0you should come to work, please\u00a0contact your line manager before coming to work.<\/p>\n Encouraging each other<\/strong><\/p>\n There is no doubt we are seeing amazing\u00a0comradery\u00a0and cooperation\u00a0across Metro North as we adapt the way we work\u00a0–\u00a0thank you! However, there are\u00a0some\u00a0reports of staff not\u00a0demonstrating kindness or respect when\u00a0being asked to do the right thing.\u00a0This is disappointing.<\/p>\n Please\u00a0support\u00a0each other! Please be kind! Please do the right thing!\u00a0Wash your hands, practice physical distancing as much as you can when outside your own home, wear your mask at work and stay at home when you are sick.<\/p>\n Again, thank you for being brave and adaptable in the face of continuous change. This is unchartered\u00a0territory,\u00a0but together I\u2019m confident we can tackle any challenge that comes our way.<\/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\u202f26\u00a0August\u00a02020,\u202f1000\u202f\u202f\u202f\u202f\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n **Metro North has three\u202frecorded deaths\u202f(one person a return traveller into NSW, who passed away in NSW)\u202f\u202f\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n *** These numbers reflect the cases being managed by Metro North.\u202f\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>
\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\u202f\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\n 0<\/td>\n 0<\/td>\n 1<\/td>\n 3<\/td>\n 344<\/td>\n 5<\/td>\n 1664<\/td>\n 72,627<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n