As you may be aware from the media coverage there is an evolving COVID situation in Queensland. In response to this, Western Health is putting in place the following strategies to keep our staff and visitors safe:
- Any staff who were in Brisbane or Morton Bay on or since Monday 8 March are asked to NOT attend work and contact COVID Staff Enquiries at whscovid-19staffclinicenquiries@wh.org.au and seek COVID testing ASAP.
- Staff members who visited any locations identified as specific exposure sites must quarantine for 14 days since they last visited that location. Please follow the Victorian Department of Health guidance which can be found here. A list of affected sites in Queensland can be found here.
- Staff who visited Brisbane or Morton Bay but did not visit the specific exposure sites listed must quarantine at least until receiving a negative result and should not attend work.
Operating hours for the Sunshine Hospital Respiratory Assessment Clinic are: 10am-5.30pm, 7 days a week.
Western Health staff can access the clinic via the Pod 1 entrance via the main hospital (outside lifts 16 and 17 of the Acute Services Building).
As part of COVID Screening, all patients, outpatients and visitors should be screened prior to entry and asked whether they have visited Brisbane or Morton Bay on or since Monday, 8 March.
If a patient, outpatient or visitor discloses that they have visited Brisbane or Morton Bay on or since Monday 8 March, please contact the De-isolation HMO on 8395 9048 or on switch 8345 6666 so further risk assessment can be conducted.
We appreciate that staff may have travel plans to travel to Queensland and that the current situation may be creating some anxiety. Those intending to go to Queensland should be aware of the risk at present and that they may need to get tested and quarantine on return to Victoria. We would advise people to keep themselves informed of the changing advice from the Victorian Department of Health regarding travel.
We also want to remind everyone of the appropriate use of PPE. Masks must be worn in all clinical and public areas across all sites. Masks are optional in administrative areas where you can retain a minimum of 1.5M physical distance. All visitors are required to wear masks.
Thanks for keeping updated.
Natasha