Saturday, 18 April 2020: Ipswich working together
The community of Ipswich continues to work together to reduce the spread of COVID-19.
There were positive signs over the past week no new infections in the West Moreton Health region.
Also, several inspiring stories of community support and business adaptation also emerged.
The West Moreton Health district remains steady at 37 cases testing positive for COVID-19.
State-wide the number of new cases sits in single figures for the seventh day in a row.
Queensland has six new confirmed cases of COVID-19, 560 active cases with 442 recoveries and five deaths for a state total to 1007.
Of the total 37 cases in West Moreton Health district, 27 were in Ipswich suburbs, seven were in Brisbane suburbs, while there was one in Scenic Rim Council area, one in Somerset Regional Council area and one in Lockyer Valley Regional Council area where West Moreton Health provides care.
The community can rest assure that contact tracing continues, which means West Moreton Health are directly contacting people considered to be at risk through close contact with a confirmed case.
“We want everyone to know they play a part in protecting themselves and the more vulnerable members of the community,” a West Moreton Health spokesperson said.
“Stay 1.5 metres apart, avoid touching, shaking hands and hugging, practice cough etiquette, wash your hands regularly, and stay home as much as possible, to reduce the spread of COVID-19 disease.”
Local gin manufacturer diversifies
Ipswich alcohol producer, Imbibis owner Jason Hannay, has diversified to make hand sanitiser, helping in the fight COVID-19.
Imbibis Craft Distillery at Marburg now has the sanitiser in stock for pick up from the distillery.
Mr Hanay said the process for creating the special sanitiser it’s exactly the same as creating the alcohol for his gin.
“We already had some base alcohol that we have distilled through our column to create the high strength ethanol required for sanitiser,” he said.
‘The santiser is produced in accordance with the WHO recommended formula.”
Council launches Active at Home program
A series of online videos are available on the Active at Home page on the Ipswich City Council website.
The exercise videos will guide you through yoga, Pilates, relaxation and improve your muscular strength with our abs, lower body and total body workout video series.
These workouts don’t require equipment and can be streamed onto a mobile, tablet or laptop free.
Make sure you are prepared to work out at home:
- Create a safe space for exercise
- Have access to a towel and water bottle
- Wear appropriate clothing and footwear
- Exercise within your limits and with clearance from a health professional
Read also:
Are you ready for at home learning?
There’s a lot of change coming with the new school term, and it’s not just affecting school students. Parents are also feeling the pressure as they get ready to support their children to learn from home.
Thankfully, Education Queensland has a few tips to help make the transition to home learning easier.
- Treat the first week as a ‘starting school’ week
Not everything will go to plan, and it might take a while to work out how to find and use the right resources and understand what’s best for you and your child. The ‘how to’ will come first, and then the learning.
- Aim for two to three hours of learning
Remember that your child’s teacher usually divides their attention between up to 28 students who all work at different paces and need different levels of support. At home, two to three hours of learning each day will usually be plenty. Try using a range of other activities to keep children engaged and stimulated without becoming overwhelmed.
- Routines can help, but keep them flexible
Routines and consistency can be a source of comfort for parents and children alike, but keep in mind that your routine doesn’t have to be the same as a school routine. If you use a timetable at home, make sure it’s manageable for everyone and flexible enough that you can adapt it as you learn what works.
- Encourage children to take control of their learning
Home-based learning presents an opportunity for students to find out more about themselves as learners and to become more confident in self-directing their learning. If your child is finding a task difficult, make suggestions and answer questions, but try to let them figure things out for themselves as much as possible.
- Remember this is new for teachers as well
This is a team effort. So, if you’re unsure about something, let your child’s teacher know using the preferred contact time and method that they will advise you of.
Further information about supporting your child, maintaining healthy learning routines and setting up a learning space at home can be found on the learning@home—Wellbeing of students page.
More information is available here: What you need to know about remote learning in Queensland schools for term two
Help is at hand if you need it
These are challenging times. 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 4636https://beyondblue.org.au
