21 April 2020: COVID-19 updates #ipswichtogether

See today’s #ipswichtogether blog here: https://www.ipswichfirst.com.au/22-april-2020-covid-19-updates-ipswichtogether/

4.10pm. That’s a wrap

That’s all from us today. We’ll be back again from 8am tomorrow to provide important community information and updates throughout the day.

See you then.

4pm. Get your art fix online

While the Ipswich Art Gallery is currently closed due to the COVID-19 crisis, you can still see some of the pieces online.

Artwork from the gallery’s collection is uploaded to the Ipswich Art Gallery Facebook page.

This post is of Kenneth Macqueen’s Afternoon Shadows, 1950.

It encourages us to find a moment to watch the clouds above and the shadows they cast on the earth below offering quiet distraction, space to breathe, and maybe a smile or two.

3pm. Stay informed in your language

If someone you know speaks a language other than English, you can help them access print resources about COVID-19 on the Australian Health website in dozens of languages, including Farsi, Korean, Greek and Vietnamese.

You’ll find fact sheets, guidelines and other publications on the website. 

You can also visit the Australian Health YouTube channel to view SBS’s COVID-19 video in various languages. 

1.45pm. Teachers spread joy as Term 2 kicks off

The teachers from Ipswich Junior Grammar School had a special message for their students as a very different Term 2 got under way this week.

1.15pm. Dr Nick answers your questions

Australia’s Deputy Chief Medical Officer Dr Nick Coatsworth has been taking to Facebook daily to answer community questions about COVID-19.

In this edition he answers the following:

1. Why can’t we just start all elective surgery now?
2. How is COVID-19 different to the flu or cold?
3. How accurate are the tests?

See more from Dr Coatsworth by following Australian Government Department of Health on Facebook.

12pm. Boost in West Moreton Health ICU capacity

West Moreton Health has expanded the capacity of its Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and Emergency Department (ED) at Ipswich Hospital.

The Queensland Government has a $1.2 billion COVID-19 response plan to support the health system to respond to novel coronavirus (COVID-19), including expansion of fever clinics, emergency department capacity and acute care services.

‘We have more than double our ICU beds, from seven to 16, which represents a sustainable balance between the current resources we need for the community and foreseeable demand,” Ipswich Hospital Executive Director Michael Lewczuk said.

Read the full story: West Moreton Health expands intensive care unit capacity

11.15am. QLD update: six new cases, Anzac Day plans

Queensland recorded six additional coronavirus cases overnight, taking the state’s total to 1,024.

With this in mind, Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk on Tuesday said this year’s Anzac Day is going to very different.

“This Anzac Day will be unlike any other,” the Premier said in a social media post.

“It’s a day steeped in tradition and history, and it’s important we still commemorate it.

“Even though we can’t share the same space, every Queenslander can share the Anzac experience.

“Wherever we are, however we can, we will remember them.

“From our driveways to watching official ceremonies online, we want Queensland to mark this national day and honour those who made the ultimate sacrifice for our country.”

The Premier said there will be a commemorative wreath laying service on Saturday on behalf of Queensland. The service will be attended only by the Governor of Queensland Paul de Jersey, Brisbane Lord Mayor Adrian Shrinner, RSL Queensland President Tony Ferris and Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk.

Find out how you can mark Anzac Day from your home in Ipswich at: Pay your respects from your driveway this Anzac Day 

10.50am. We’re doing a great job

Social distancing has helped to flatten the curve. Let’s keep at it.

10.35am. Beware COVID-19 scams

Scamwatch has received more than 1000 coronavirus-related scam reports since the outbreak, including phishing for personal information, online shopping, and superannuation scams.

“Scamwatch urges everyone to be cautious and remain alert to coronavirus-related scams,” they said on their website. 

“Scammers are hoping that you have let your guard down. 

“Do not provide your personal, banking or superannuation details to strangers who have approached you. 

“Scammers may pretend to have a connection with you. So it’s important to stop and check, even when you are approached by what you think is a trusted organisation.”

Find out more about current COVID-19 scams on the Scamwatch website. 

If you have been scammed or have seen a scam, you can also make a report on the Scamwatch website.

9.30am. Cycling Queensland moves to clarify confusion

Cycling is all the rage during COVID-19 days with record sales of bikes in recent weeks.

Most trips involving mum, dad and the kids see these rookie riders only venturing a few kilometres from home, so not risking any breach of state and federal restrictions.

But the “real cyclists” – the weekend warriors, those lycra-clad men and women on two wheels – are fretting over just how far they can go without a warning or $1334 fine from police.

The four and five hour rides up or down the coast, out to Mount Nebo and beyond, have been put on the “at risk” list in terms of going outside your neighbourhood.

Cycling Queensland has moved to clarify the widespread confusion with a social media post overnight.

However it is still not clear. Some people say it is okay to travel 20km from home, while a rumour at the weekend had police telling some cyclists it was 40km.

According to QPS, officers will be compassionate and consider each exercise excuse/case on its merits.

8.30am. Councils devise plan to create jobs amid COVID-19 shutdown

Councils across Queensland have devised a job-creating COVID-19 “battleplan” to create thousands of jobs and protect local communities from the Cape to the Coast amid the evolving public health crisis.

Local Government Association of Queensland president Mark Jamieson said the $608 million Battleplan for Queensland Local Communities – which has been put to the State Government for consideration – would create more than 14,000 jobs statewide to help mitigate the impacts of the pandemic and the national public health directions and ensure the state can build back, better.

 The Battleplan for Queensland Local Communities includes job-creating initiatives such as:

• Jobs Recovery Package: A $200 million statewide job creation program modelled on the successful Works for Queensland initiative to support more than 8,000 jobs, with $100 million earmarked for the state’s southeast.
• Green Army: A 3,000-strong workforce focused on protecting and improving the environment across the state for the benefit of critical sectors such as agriculture and tourism.  
• Local Government Apprenticeship and Traineeship Guarantee: Providing 800 new or displaced workers with a guaranteed pathway to gain critical experience and skills.

8am. Tuesday, 21 April 2020. No new cases

Some restrictions may possibly be eased if encouraging results continue, with no new daily cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Queensland for the first time since early March.

West Moreton Health has had no new confirmed cases of COVID-19 since the start of April.

The region’s confirmed cases have stayed at 37.

There remain 275 active cases state-wide, with 738 recoveries and six deaths for a total of 1019.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk thanked Queenslanders for an enormous effort.

“If we can keep this up over the coming weeks, I’m sure that will mean we’ll be able to make some changes and ease some of those restrictions on the population,” Ms Palaszczuk said.

“We’ll still be having people coming back from overseas and we’ve still got people in quarantine and unfortunately we have had some cases of people coming from interstate.

“But from our large population to have zero cases (Monday) is well done.”

Queensland Health’s Chief Health Officer Dr Jeannette Young thanked Queenslanders for playing their part in reducing the spread of COVID-19.

“I would like to thank Queenslanders for their role in limiting the spread of COVID-19 by staying home and social distancing,” Dr Young said.

“It’s excellent news that we had no new cases in Queensland overnight, and this is a clear indictor that our social distancing measures are proving to be effective.

“Over the last few days, we’ve seen a handful of cases each day. The last time we didn’t announce any new cases was on 9 March, 2020.

“All the strategies in place are working and Queenslanders have heard the message.”

Dr Young said currently, 93 per cent of confirmed cases have recently travelled overseas or had close contact with someone who travelled overseas, such as their partner or flatmate.

“We’ve seen very limited community transmission in Queensland, with only 40 cases where we don’t know the source of infection,” Dr Young said.

“This is a sign that we’re flattening the curve, but it’s not time to be complacent just yet. There’s still Queenslanders returning from overseas and interstate.

“It’s very encouraging that numbers have stayed low over the past week, and we want to keep it that way.

“Lifting restrictions too early could cost lives. We need to keep up our current approach, and ensure we can sustain these low numbers over a period of weeks until we can look into lifting restrictions.

“When it’s appropriate to do so, we will see if there’s some measures we can lift in conjunction with National Cabinet that will not lead to a bounceback of cases.

“Any lifting of restrictions will be conducted in a phased approach – they will not be lifted all at once. We will need to maintain a number of social distancing measures for many months to come to continue to contain the spread of COVID-19,” she said.

Dr Young said a total of 85,870 tests for COVID-19 has been undertaken in Queensland.

Most Queenslanders who have contracted COVID-19 have experienced mild symptoms.

Currently, 20 of the 275 active confirmed cases are in hospital, with seven of these in intensive care.

The remainder of active cases are currently recovering at home.

A person will generally be tested if they have a fever (or history of fever) or acute respiratory symptoms, and, in the last 14 days:

• They were a close contact or a household contact of a confirmed case.
• They had been overseas, including on a cruise.

Testing may also be done for people who have a fever (or history of fever) or acute respiratory symptoms, and:

• Work in vulnerable settings such as healthcare, aged or residential care, military, a school or child care, correction facilities, detention centres and boarding schools.
• Live in Brisbane, Gold Coast or Cairns.
• Live in or travelled from a COVID-19 hotspot.
• Live in or travelled from another state.
• Live in a First Nations community.

Queensland Health is urging anyone who meets this criteria for testing, to contact a doctor immediately.

Before your appointment, call ahead and advise of your symptoms and recent travel they can prepare for your visit.