With the rapid changes we have seen as a result of the new COVID cases in Queensland, and the Victorian Government recently declaring this area a Red Zone, our Infectious Diseases specialists, Dr Marion Kainer and Dr Adrian Tramontana, have advised of a change to screening.
They consider the transmission cycle for this current Queensland outbreak is likely to date back to the end of June and as a result, they have requested the following measures be implemented, effective immediately as a proactive and precautionary measure:
- Anyone who has been in South Eastern Queensland since the 1 July:
- If it is more than two weeks since you left South East QLD and
- You have had a negative test at least two weeks after returning from South East Qld, you can then be cleared to work.
- Anyone who has returned from South East Queensland since the 18 July, please do not attend work. You must:
- Get a COVID test
- Quarantine for 14 days from the time you left South East Queensland
- Inform the COVID Staff Enquiries via whscovid-19staffclinicenquiries@wh.org.au if you are in this situation
Thank you to managers for following up with any staff who have travelled out of Victoria during the past month, to assess these risk factors.
For any visitors who have been in South East Queensland since 18 July, as this is now a red zone, they will need an exemption to be able to enter into any Western Health site.
Regards
Shane Crowe
Executive Director Nursing and Midwifery