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COVID-19 Information
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COVID-19 Information

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2023-01-25 09:48:06

This webpage offers local information about coronavirus (COVID-19) affecting our North West QLD communities. We thank you for your understanding and support to reduce the spread of COVID-19.

Traffic Light Advice

Current traffic light level: Green 

There are things you can do to help reduce the risk of you catching and spreading COVID-19.

We provide advice on what you should do using a traffic light system. The traffic light level – red, amber or green – is based on the current level of risk in the community. You can wear a mask at any time if you choose to.

Find out about the different traffic light levels and how they can help you make informed decisions to enhance your personal safety.

Green 

Green (baseline) means there are low rates of community transmission and Queensland is not in a COVID-19 wave.

When the traffic light is green, you should:

  • stay home if you're sick
  • keep up to date with your vaccinations
  • maintain good hygiene
  • take a rapid test (RAT) if you get COVID-19 symptoms
  • wear a mask if a place you're visiting asks you to.

If you get COVID-19, you should:

  • register your RAT result
  • stay home until you're well again
  • wear a mask for 7 days after your test
  • avoid visiting hospitals, aged care or disability care for 7 days after your test
  • ask household members to closely monitor for symptoms.

Amber

Amber (Tier 1) means there are moderate rates of community transmission and Queensland is coming off a wave or may be entering a new wave.

When the traffic light is amber, you should follow the advice for the green traffic light, and:

  • wear a mask
    • in healthcare settings
    • indoors, if you can't socially distance
    • on public transport
    • if you are older or medically at risk
    • if you're around people who are vulnerable to COVID-19
  • take a rapid test (RAT) every 2 days if someone in your household has COVID-19.

People who are older or have medical conditions can be more vulnerable to serious illness if they get COVID-19.

Places where it's more likely people may have COVID-19 include healthcare settings such as hospital emergency departments and general practitioner (GP) waiting rooms.

Red

Red (Tier 2) means there are high rates of community transmission and Queensland is entering or in a COVID-19 wave.

When the traffic light is red, you should follow all of the advice at given for the amber and green traffic lights and wear a mask indoors, even if you can socially distance.

Other measures

The advice in the traffic light system is a recommendation only and not a legal requirement. However, if there is a serious risk to the public health system or the community from COVID-19, the Chief Health Officer may mandate:

  • wearing masks in stated circumstances
  • isolation for people with COVID-19 and quarantine for symptomatic close contacts
  • vaccinations for workers in certain settings.
National COVID-19 Community Protection Framework for a COVIDSafe Australia

Baseline, Tier 1 and Tier 2 mentioned above correspond to Base Level Strategies, Tier 1 and Tier 2 respectively in the National COVID-19 Community Protection Framework for a COVIDSafe Australia.

Stay informed:

You can keep up to date with the latest news, alerts, contact tracing locations and restrictions on the Queensland Government website.

Vaccinations

 

Vaccinations

Please contact your GP or health care provider for more information about where to receive your COVID-19 vaccination. You can also read more about the vaccine on the Queensland Government website.

Getting tested

Where can I get tested?

Testing for COVID-19 remains an important way to help protect yourself and your loved ones.

If you have COVID-19 symptoms, you can complete a self-test with a Rapid Antigen Test (RAT) kit to test yourself for COVID-19.

These can be accessed through your local pharmacy or supermarket.

If you don’t have a RAT kit and are unable to get one, you can get a PCR test at a private pathology-operated location or local respiratory clinics.

For more information on testing or to find a local pathology provider visit the Queensland Health COVID-19 testing in Queensland webpage. You can also find out if there is a free respiratory clinic near you.

For Patients and Visitors