CHHHS Health Incident Controller Dr Donna Goodman displays the #MakeFNQCOVIDFree postcards alongside Cairns Airport CEO Richard Barker.
Travellers arriving in Far North Queensland for the holiday season are being provided with welcome ‘postcards’ to remind them what they can do to #MakeFNQCOVID19Free.
The Cairns and Hinterland Hospital and Health Service has been operating a region-wide testing push for travellers and locals, to prevent the spread of coronavirus.
The initiative has been rolled out to all corners of the Far North – from council facilities through to caravan parks – with the assistance of local councils, regional authorities and other organisations.
It includes the distribution of specially designed postcards, featuring details of what individuals can do to protect themselves and their community against COVID-19, and the location of all the region’s fever clinics for testing.
Images of the Cairns Esplanade, Walsh’s Pyramid, Mossman Gorge, and Palm Cove feature on the postcards, digital billboards and other signage, and across social media.
CHHHS executive director of COVID-19 response, Dr Donna Goodman, said while there were no new active cases of coronavirus in Cairns, the testing push to #MakeFNQCOVID19Free aimed to keep it that way.
“It’s been a week since the borders to New South Wales and Victoria re-opened, and since then, we have not had any new cases of COVID-19 reported in our region,” she said.
“But as we have seen in other parts of the state, COVID-19 can spread like wildfire if it is left undetected.
“Testing is a vital component of ensuring that we are all kept safe from coronavirus.
“The more people are tested, the sooner we will be able to act if there is a COVID-19 outbreak.
“This gives us a better chance to shut down an outbreak and keep our economy going.”
She said locals needed to be congratulated for doing well to protect the region from the pandemic thus far.
More than 54,200 people have been tested for COVID-19 in the Cairns region this year, including public and private facilities – the highest number for a Hospital and Health Service outside of the state’s south-east.
“It’s great that we have been seeing people coming to get tested for COVID-19, even if they are experiencing mild symptoms of the disease,” Dr Goodman said.
“But going into the holiday period, when we all want to relax, we need to keep this good work up – especially our local tourism operators, restaurants, cafes and other businesses with their COVID-Safe plans.
“We need to remain vigilant.”
Cairns Airport chief executive Richard Barker said it was important that as a community we continued to focus on the wellbeing and safety of both locals and visitors to the region.
“Cairns Airport is only one of two airports in Australia to have received a global stamp of approval for its COVID-safe procedures,” he said.
“Airports Council International formally recognising our steps as an airport to combat the spread of the virus and that’s an important reflection of the focus we have on keeping travellers and our partners safe.
“As the gateway to the region Cairns Airport has been doing a lot of work on aviation recovery, working collaboratively with Government, airlines and airports on nationally consistent policies in response to travel.
“It’s great that as a region we’re also collaborating on this important campaign, reminding travellers of the importance of COVID-safe practices.
“We want to ensure everyone who travels here does so with great confidence.”
The website www.covid19.qld.gov.au has the latest information on COVID-19, including a map of all the testing locations in the Far North.
Testing may be done for people who have any COVID-19 symptoms, no matter how mild. Symptoms may include fever; cough; sore throat; shortness of breath; runny nose; fatigue; loss of smell and/or taste. Other symptoms people may experience include muscle or joint pain; diarrhoea; nausea and/or vomiting; and loss of appetite.Share:
