News
Help limit the spread of winter infections
The cooler months continue to bring ongoing outbreaks of respiratory infections, with influenza, COVID-19, RSV and whooping cough cases being seen throughout our community and hospitals.
Doctors are still seeing increased ED presentations, worsening patient outcomes and health practitioner absences due to illness, further burdening our already overstretched health workforce.
Practitioners are again encouraged to remind their patients and colleagues of the standard protective measures we can each easily implement to effectively reduce rates of transmissions and keep our loved ones safe, including:
- ensuring adequate ventilation, including air and environmental cleaning of workplaces and homes
- getting tested when symptoms are detected
- staying home when sick and not returning until infectious periods have passed
- wearing appropriate PPE that has been checked and FIT tested
- hygiene measures such as hand washing and cough etiquette
- social distancing, including consideration of physical movement and flows through health facilities
- isolating sick patients where possible from both other patients and ancillary staff.
For detailed guidance, please refer to Queensland Health’s ‘Acute Respiratory Infection – Infection Prevention and Control’ (Jan 2024).