4.05pm. That’s all for us today
Thanks for following along with our daily #ipswichtogether blog.
We’ll be back again tomorrow from 8am with more important community updates and information.
3.50pm. Tools to help you work at home
Working from home is not the norm for most of us so it’s to be expected that it would take some getting used to.
Lifeline has a toolkit with working from tips and resources.
Check it out via the post below.
3.35pm. Enjoy a free live show from the comfort of your lounge room
Join Ipswich Civic Centre on Facebook Live from 7.30pm to 8.30pm tonight for a free live show.
The Glass Half Full Show is an eclectic and intimate look at life in lockdown. In this ‘unprecedented time’, when ‘pandemic’ and ‘social isolation’ are our daily buzz words, Bec Grennan Djapovic swims upstream to her affirmation cards and living mantras all the time looking to see how ‘full our glass’ can be in this situation.
Grennan Djapovic’s one-hour cabaret show tells the hilarious and moving tale of love, loss and finding your way through the dark into rebirth and re-emergence of a more hopeful life.
More info here
2.55pm. Clean hands save lives
Regular hand washing is an important part of helping to slow the spread of COVID-19.
Check out the short video below to put your hand washing to the test.
2.15pm. Let’s light up the dawn this Anzac Day
Ipswich residents are being encouraged to honour the service of our defence forces and commemorate Anzac Day from their driveways this year, as all dawn services and marches are called off to stop the spread of COVID-19.
People are being asked to light a candle and unite in the Anzac spirit from a safe distance on their driveways or balconies for the national ‘Light up the Dawn’ event at 6am on April 25.
ABC Local Radio will broadcast services from 6am.
RSL Queensland will also stream a short commemorative service online, including The Ode, The Last Post, a minute’s silence, and the national anthem.
Read more: Pay your respects from your driveway this Anzac Day
12.30pm. Happy birthday Ralph
How good is this! Ipswich man Ralph Edwards celebrated his 101st birthday yesterday.
He told the ABC he is determined to make it to 105 years old and is looking forward to playing cards with friends post-coronavirus.
11.30am. Jobs Finder portal to help unemployed find work
A new online portal is connecting people looking for work to available jobs and training.
The Queensland Government’s Job Finder portal allows people to provide information on their skills, location and work experience, which will then be matched to available jobs.
A key focus will be matching people with new jobs that are being created, particularly in areas of critical service delivery such as health care, agriculture, food production, transport, cleaning and mining.
The portal also includes access to nine free, short online training courses in areas such as food service, health and aged care, transport and mental health support. These courses aim to provide people with the skills to get a job in the in-demand and critical industries.
There is also a range of free short courses on offer in areas such as digital literacy, cyber security and businesses to help Queenslanders upskill and increase their capabilities.
Any Queensland job seeker can register their details, skills and location via the Jobs Finder Queensland portal and access free online training at: www.jobsfinder.qld.gov.au
11am. Elective surgery recommences next week
Restrictions on elective surgery will ease from next week thanks to everyone’s efforts to contain coronavirus.
Joint replacements, eye surgery, procedures for children, IVF, colonoscopies, post cancer reconstruction procedures, and screening programs can recommence from next week.
It is estimated that a gradual restart of elective surgeries will see 1 in 4 closed elective surgery operating lists reopen, with flexibility for states to determine the appropriate levels of elective surgery within this general framework.
These arrangements will be reviewed by 11 May 2020, to determine if other elective surgeries and procedures can recommence and volumes increased.
Read more: https://www.pm.gov.au/media/update-coronavirus-measures-210420
9.20am. QLD update: 0 new cases, new data to be released
Queensland recorded zero new cases of COVID-19 overnight, with the state’s total number of cases remaining steady at 1,024.
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk on Wednesday announced that more information would be provided to Queenslanders via government websites.
“From lunch time today, we will be putting up on the Queensland Health website and our COVID-19 website some heat maps from across Queensland, a regional breakdown of local government areas, and information about quarantine in the different regions,” she said.
“This is about being transparent.
“We’re also going to have active cases, recovered cases and community transmission.
“I want to make sure that Queensland’s getting the information that they want.”
The information will updated by lunch time each day, so that Queenslanders can access current information seven days a week.
Parliament will sit today to pass urgent COVID-19 legislation.
9am. How ‘COVID-19 ready’ is your household?
We get “storm ready” every summer, preparing for how to handle a natural disaster which might strike close to home.
But have you thought about how you can prepare in case you or someone in your household gets COVID-19?
Health experts suggest getting ready, with the same degree of advance planning.
We have put together some ideas and made suggestions about what you can do to be coronavirus capable.
While we do not need to stockpile, it is wise to have some extra food at home and other supplies like medications, baby needs or pet food.
Keeping surfaces clean is essential so perhaps having cleaning spray, paper towels, wipes, among other things, on hand is a good idea.
Emergency kits are good practice in preparation for any natural disaster or emergency situation.
Also have a think about who will walk the dog if you are unable?
Who will do the grocery shopping?
Remember, the best things you can do right now are keep up to date with the latest information, wash your hands often and properly, stay 1.5 metres away from other people, stay home if you’re sick and generally stay at home if possible.
8.20am. We’re all in this together, support is available
It is extremely important to seek out help if you feel you need it. Here are some important numbers which will have a guiding hand at the end of the line:
- Lifeline 13 11 14 will continue to operate 24 hours a day, 7 days a week;
- Lifeline Text 0477 13 11 14 will continue to operate 6pm – midnight (AEDT), 7 nights a week;
- Lifeline webchat will continue to operate 7pm – midnight (AEDT), 7 nights a week;
- Kids Helpline – for children that may need support 1800 55 1800. https://kidshelpline.com.au;
- Beyond Blue – 1300 22 4636 https://beyondblue.org.au
8am. Wednesday, 22 April 2020. No new cases for Ipswich
Queensland’s COVID-19 measures continue their effective role in limiting the spread of the virus, with six new cases confirmed state-wide today.
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 are now 280 active cases with 738 recoveries and six deaths for a total of 1024 in Queensland.
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said the important social distancing measures mean this Saturday’s Anzac Day will be different.
She said Queenslanders will have new ways to pay their respects via live broadcasts, new technology and home services.
“We can all play our part to light up the dawn on our driveways and verandahs at 6.00am,” Ms Palaszczuk said.
“Earlier there will also be a very small service at 4.28am attended by the Governor, the Lord Mayor, the RSL Queensland President and myself as Premier.
“A symbolic gesture that the people of Queensland are recognising the fallen.”
Contact tracing is occurring for all new cases.
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.
In the short time it took me to travel from Hattonvale to Blacksoil this morning I observed on the Highway one caravan with a boat on its car roof heading into Brisbane, a car pulling a small tinny kind of boat heading towards Toowoomba and another vehicle pulling the same kind of leisure boat entering the highway at Walloon.
It does not appear that they were involved in essential travel.
I also find it amusing that after weeks when the COVID-19 risk was high that Coles and Woolworths have all of a sudden set up barricades etc. The last time I went to Woolworths which was on the Thursday before Easter, WWs staff were walking down the aisles 2 abreast making it impossible to maintain the correct distance, people were reaching over you to get products or cutting in front of you
This happened to me several times in the preceding weeks, which was of concern as I fall into several high risk groups