With Queensland’s borders reopening in December 2021, we are serious about helping you, our team and the community help combat the spread of Covid-19.
To reduce the risk of COVID-19 in the community, it is critical that we pay attention to scientists and health care providers at the front line working to solve immediate problems for the benefit of all.
We know you have many questions: How does the virus spread? The virus is changing so much, are vaccines effective? Why can vaccinated people still get Covid-19? How can I protect myself? What do I do if I get sick? What is the risk of my child becoming sick?
We know that fear is a natural response in the face of the pandemic and there may be no way to prevent a COVID-19 pandemic in this globalised time, but verified information is the most effective prevention against the disease of panic.
This is an update on what our practice is doing in order to help you.
So, to keep our promise to do everything in our power to deliver the best health care, our doctors are embracing technology to help you manage your health with both video and telephone consultations available to eligible patients.
You can still see us face-to-face.
You might be thinking no masks are needed outside, most of us are vaccinated, it’s not really a problem up here in Far North Queensland, everything else is opening up or it’s not safe to come in but the reality is we do know that some things still work when it comes to helping to prevent the spread of Covid-19. Here’s what we can all do:
- Wash your hands regularly.
- Cough in a tissue or into your elbow.
- Keep your distance – Social distancing.
- Clean surfaces.
- Do not touch your face.
So we will be operating as follows:
- We will limit time inside the surgery for our patients by offering video consultations and telephone consultations if you don’t need to see your doctor face-to-face.
- If you are vaccinated or unvaccinated, we will ask you to wear a mask while in the practice. Our doctors will also take precautions while seeing unvaccinated patients.
- If you have any respiratory symptoms, we’ll ask you to wait outside or in your car.
- We’ll ask to see your vaccination passport.
- We’ll be cleaning our practice twice a day.
- Our doctors will be cleaning their rooms after each patient.
So to keep our promise to do everything in our control to deliver the best health care, please be fully prepared for your visit and make sure you have a mask and vaccination passport on hand.
We have seen the mental health effects of extended social isolation for many vulnerable people and some people are more isolated than ever, in more or less self-imposed quarantines.
The everyday life of most people changed from normal to extraordinary around the world.
The current COVID-19 crisis is a unique situation. Not in the history of mankind has a widespread pandemic been met with such extensive and invasive action from political authorities and the health care community.
The scale of the crisis and governments’ responses have been matched by a colossal flow of information about COVID-19 with 24/7 news coverage, televised press conferences provided by both political leaders and health authorities, prime time speeches to the people by kings, presidents, prime ministers and religious leaders, as well as news analyses, debates and social media posts.
But we have also seen Australians come together and our collective actions have ensured we are all in it together.