April 01
The first of April was the third day of a three day snap lockdown in the Greater Brisbane region.
It was Thursday and the next day was Good Friday.
The populace waited to have it confirmed that the lockdown would end today.
The number of venues listed from contract tracing had grown significantly.
There was an arguement to be made that had a lockdown be called in the wake of the first case with the PA doctor on the 12th of March that the Byron Bay Bluesfest would have been able to go ahead. That less cases would’ve ended out in the community and travelled as far as Gladstone and Toowoomba.
But case numbers were low as testing numbers had jumped, contract tracing had been ongoing during the lockdown, previous snap lockdowns had seen similar dispersal of the virus far and wide and but ultimately succeeded in their outcome of being a circuit breaker for the disease. There was some anxiety that the lockdown would not end today but if numbers were low this mornign precedent suggested it was likely the Premier would announce it would end.
As you would expect I was working from home.
Queensland Premier Annastacia Pallaszczuk announced in the morning that there were nine new cases in hotel quarantine and only one new case of community transmission and therefore the lockdown would end early at midday today.
“I understand a lot of families in Greater Brisbane have made plans and the last thing we want to see are accidents on our roads at 5:00pm this afternoon and into the evening,” advised Premier Pallaszcuk.
“Easter is good to go,” she said.
As before following the snap lockdown there would be a period of continued restrictions to remain in place until April 15 like mask wearing when indoors and unable to socially distant.
Cafes and restaurants could have patrons dine in but they had to be seated and there was no dancing to be had.
There was a person per 2 square metre rule for businesses and churches to adhere to.
Household gatherings were limited to 30 people.
There would be no visitors allowed at prisons, hospitals, aged care and disability services for the next two weeks.
“We are not out of the woods yet. I’m asking Queenslanders, all Queenslanders, for the next two weeks if we all do the right thing, we can get through this together,” the Premier said.
Thirty four thousand, seven hundred and eleven tests had been carried out in the past 24 hours also giving confidence to authorities.
“The amount of testing … has been astronomical,” Chief Health Officer Dr Jeanette Young said.
The two PA clusters now had a total of 20 cases linked to them including the new community case that morning who had been at the Byron Bay Hen’s party.
The Queensland Premier had requested an extension to the end of April in reducing the number of returned travellers returning through the state.
There were 82 active cases in hospital and 68 were returned travellers.
“That’s a real risk for us. I think we are the highest rate in the country at the moment with the most number of active cases in hospital,” said the Queensland Premier.
As it got near to the end of my working day an e-mail was sent out at work.
Near where I work is the Toowong village shopping centre where I get my morning coffee from Stellarossa Toowong. Sometimes I pass through the newsagency on my way there.
That newsagent had been listed on the Queensland Health website as a “casual contact” venue for Tuesday the 16th of March between 9:30 to 10am.
I backtracked through my notes.
Had I been working from home in the office on that day?
No I had been in the office.
I usually get a coffee around 9am to 10am.
There had been a meeting that morning.
Was it unlikely that I had been there before 10am.
Yes.
Was it unlikely that I had passed through the newsagency that day given I did not regularly do it on a daily basis.
Yes.
But was it possible….
Yes it was possible and therefore what I did next was a no brainer for me.
I finished work at 4:30pm and headed to the Prince Charles Hospital Fever Clinic to get tested having just read the e-mail maybe fifteen minutes prior to logging off.
Queensland Health broke venues from contract tracing into two types, one was close contacts and the second was casual contacts.
If you had been to a Close Contact site at the specified time then you needed to get tested immediately and quarantine until you get a negative result.
For those people even once you received a negative test you were to “complete the contact tracing self-assessment” and “stay quarantined even if you get a negative test until 14 days have passed since you were last there. It can take 14 days before you may show symptoms or test positive.”
There were over 1,700 people who would remain in quarantine as a result of this in Queensland over Easter.
For casual contacts.
“If you have been to any of the below locations at the relevant times you should:
- get tested immediately even if you have no symptoms
- quarantine at home immediately until you receive a negative result
- complete the contact tracing self-assessment. This information would allow Queensland Health to contact you if required.
- watch for COVID-19 symptoms and get retested if you feel unwell”
Longtime readers will recall this is not the first time I sought out a COVID test or my first visit to the COVID-19 Fever Clinic at the Prince Charles Hospital.
When I went and got tested for COVID for the first time on the 25th of May, 2020 I strolled throught the hospital to find myself out the back of an education centre.
We queued outside the building, there was a waiting room with chairs with masks to put on if you don’t already have one.
Then another room to go over paperwork.
Then another room to wait and then another room where the test was done.
I asked how deep the swab went and the nurse was very gentle. Perhaps coincidentally.
I returned twice to the place and followed a similar process in June 2020. That time one of the tests was distinctly uncomfortable.
On the 16th of December, 2020 with symptoms I returned to the Prince Charles Hospital to get tested and found the Fever Clinic had been moved. I had to walk through the Emergency Department to enter a long corridor where I found the clinic and got tested.
Now on the 1st of April I drove far from the main hospital to the other end of the campus grounds.
I saw a line of people on chairs in an undercover area outside a building. At the front of it I was checked in by a nurse, I was of course wearing a mask but was instructed to put on a surgical mask and wash my hands. The surgical mask had a blue plastic brim at the top of it where it would be positioned near the nose. It was as flimsy as masks you could buy in pharmacies.
I sat on a chair and waited for my test. I was told I would be called on my mobile. This practice I believe was in place to maybe allow waiting testees to leave and come back so as to keep numbers low at the site during peak testing. There were a few of us seated and waiting but perhaps not as many as there would be during the day or in particular in recent days.
I was there for close to ninety minutes.
A little over an hour before I got called and answered, a little later I was ushered in and got tested.
In December the nose swab was out but was told this time it was back. I felt they were thorugh but it was not painful. I wandered off into the night.
I was due to see my parents that Sunday for Easter and there was a good chance I would return a negative test by then and be free to attend to them.
But I though about my parents on a hospital bed, maybe a ventilator, fighting for their lives.
I had just seem them two weeks earlier.
There had been plenty of cases of people who became ill with COVID past the incubation period of 14 days while in isolation.
I was not prepared to take that risk.
I called them and advised I would not be seeing them and then I called work to arrange working from home.
I had a scheduled medical appointment the following Friday and people would be getting their flu shots at work on Thursday.
I rationalised a subsequent test the following tuesday and isolating before then would bring us up to three weeks since the possibility of having been to the newsagency on the 16th of March so that is what I would do.
Below was taken from the Queensland Health website from the 2nd of April just to give you an idea of how easily a potential spread can occur even if a place where there are so few initial cases out in the community.
-Lloyd Marken
CLOSE CONTACTS
| Date | Place | Suburb | Arrival time | Departure time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saturday 20 March | Shinobi Ramen Noodle shop Westfield Carindale Shopping Centre |
Carindale | 12pm | 2.16pm |
| Saturday 20 March | Black Hops Brewery | East Brisbane | 12pm | 2pm |
| Sunday 21 March | Mamma’s Italian Restaurant 69 Redcliffe Parade |
Redcliffe | 12.30pm | 3.10pm |
| Saturday 20 March | Green Beacon brewing Co. | Teneriffe | 2pm | 3.12pm |
| Saturday 20 March | Eatons Hill Hotel | Eatons Hill | 3.44pm | 5.30pm |
| Monday 22 March | PCYC Pine Rivers | Bray Park | 7.16am | 8.10am |
| Monday 22 March | KCF Training (gym) New | Birtinya | 9.15am | 11.30am |
| Monday 22 March | Plus Fitness New | Minyama | 2.30pm | 3.30pm |
| Tuesday 23 March | Plus Fitness New | Minyama | 7.30am | 8.30am |
| Tuesday 23 March | Hamilton Hotel Updated | Hamilton | 2.20pm | 5.23pm |
| Wednesday 24 March | Oliver’s Real food – Dine in Patrons New | Maryborough West | 11.50am | 12.09pm |
| Friday 26 March | FitStop Gym 6/338 Lytton Road |
Morningside | 6.50am | 8am |
| Friday 26 March | Spinnaker Park Café 222 Alf O’Rourke Drive |
Callemondah | 10.22am | 11.23am |
| Friday 26 March | Auckland House 60 Flinders Parade |
Gladstone Central | 7.23pm | 9.30pm |
| Saturday 27 March | Auckland House 60 Flinders Parade |
Gladstone Central | 7.33am | 8.20am |
| Saturday 27 March | Savour Café Merthyr Village Shopping Centre |
New Farm | 10.30am | 12.10pm |
| Monday 29 March | Premium Pilates & Fitness | Coorparoo | 9.25am | 10.30am |
CLOSE CONTACTS INTERSTATE LOCATIONS TO BE REFERRED TO ON THE NSW HEALTH WEBSITE
- Byron Bay – Friday 26 March to Sunday 28 March
- Suffolk Park – Friday 26 March to Sunday 28 March
- Ewingsdale – Sunday 28 March
- Ballina – Sunday 28 March
- East Ballina – Sunday 28 March
- Lennox Head – Sunday 28 March
HISTORICAL CASUAL CONTACTS – OLDER THAN 14 DAYS
| Date | Place | Suburb | Arrival time | Departure time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuesday 9 – Tuesday 23 March | Princess Alexandra Hospital 5D Outpatients Department (Sexual Health Clinic, Infectious Disease Clinic, Immunology A Clinic)New |
Woolloongabba | 8.00pm Tuesday 9 March |
11.59pm Tuesday 23 March |
| Tuesday 9 – Tuesday 23 March | Princess Alexandra Hospital Ward 5D New | Woolloongabba | 8.00pm Tuesday 9 March |
11.59pm Tuesday 23 March |
| Wednesday 10 March | Plus Fitness | Everton Park | 1.15pm | 2.15pm |
| Wednesday 10 March | Woolworths | Everton Park | 2.30pm | 2.40pm |
| Thursday 11 March | Plus Fitness | Everton Park | 3.30pm | 5.00pm |
| Friday 12 March | Plus Fitness | Everton Park | 3.30pm | 5.00pm |
| Saturday 13 March | Woolworths and Specsavers Brookside Shopping Centre |
Mitchelton | 4.00pm | 5.00pm |
| Sunday 14 March | Plus Fitness | Everton Park | 8.30am | 10.00am |
| Monday 15 March | Plus Fitness | Everton Park | 9.00am | 10.30am |
| Tuesday 16 March | Plus Fitness | Everton Park | 4.30pm | 5.30pm |
| Wednesday 17 March | Woolworths | Everton Park | 2.30pm | 3.00pm |
| Wednesday 17 March | Studio Pilates | Grange | 4.30pm | 5.15pm |
CASUAL CONTACTS
| Date | Place | Suburb | Arrival time | Departure time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuesday 16 March | Body Plus Physio | Caboolture | 08.30am | 08.50am |
| Tuesday 16 March | Nextra Toowong Village | Toowong | 9:30am | 10:00am |
| Tuesday 16 March | Silky Oakes | Strathpine | 12pm | 12.05pm |
| Tuesday 16 March | Price Line Pharmacy | Albany Creek | 12.30pm | 12.40pm |
| Tuesday 16 March | Grill’d | Eatons Hill | 1pm | 1.30pm |
| Tuesday 16 March | Meat at Billy’s | Ashgrove | 2:30pm | 2:45pm |
| Wednesday 17 March | Tafe | Southbank | 8am | 4.30pm |
| Wednesday 17 March | Woolworths Everton Park | Everton Park | 1.39pm | 2.13pm |
| Thursday 18 March | Plus Fitness New | Everton Park | 8.00am | 9.30am |
| Thursday 18 March | Milton Fruit Bowl | Milton | 9:00am | 9:20am |
| Thursday 18 March | World Gym | North Lakes | 9.15am | 9.45am |
| Thursday 18 March | Basil and Vine | Burpengary | 10am | 10.15am |
| Thursday 18 March | Giant Chemist Pacific Fair Shopping Centre New |
Broadbeach | 1.45pm | 2pm |
| Thursday 18 March | Electric Chair Barber Shop | Everton Park | 3.15pm | 4.14pm |
| Thursday 18 March | Studio Pilates New | Grange | 4.30pm | 5.15pm |
| Friday 19 March | Plus Fitness New | Everton Park | 7.30am | 9am |
| Friday 19 March | Lawnton Country Markets Bakery | Lawnton | 6.11am | 6.26am |
| Friday 19 March | Plus Fitness | Everton Park | 7.30am | 9am |
| Friday 19 March | Woolworths | Paddington | 10am | 10:15am |
| Friday 19 March | Bakers Delight | Paddington | 10:15am | 10:30am |
| Friday 19 March | Westfield | North Lakes | 11.20am | 11.50am |
| Friday 19 March | Little Red Dumpling | Carseldine | 12.10pm | 1.16pm |
| Friday 19 March | Studio Pilates New | Grange | 12.15pm | 1pm |
| Friday 19 March | Woolworths | Carseldine | 1.10pm | 1.20pm |
| Friday 19 March | Chemist Warehouse New | Windsor | 2pm | 2.20pm |
| Friday 19 March | TB’s Wine and Beer | Rosalie | 2:30pm | 2:45pm |
| Friday 19 March | Newstead Brewing Co. | Newstead | 3.54pm | 5.29pm |
| Friday 19 March | Aldi | Bald Hills | 5.10pm | 5.18pm |
| Friday 19 March | Super Cheap Auto | Bald Hills | 5.30pm | 5.33pm |
| Friday 19 March | Reef Seafood & Sushi Brisbane | Newstead | 5.37pm | 6.35pm |
| Friday 19 March | The Standard Market Company, Gasworks Plaza 76 Skyring Tce |
Newstead | 6.35pm | 6.45pm |
| Friday 19 March | Public Toilet, Gasworks Plaza (located to the right of the escalator from the car park) |
Newstead | 6.46pm | 6.47pm |
| Saturday 20 March | Plus Fitness 24/7 Gym Everton Park | Everton Park | 7.40am | 8.34am |
| Saturday 20 March | Coles Everton Park Everton Plaza Shopping Centre |
Everton Park | 8.39am | 8.44am |
| Saturday 20 March | Neighbourhood Market Co. | Everton Park | 8.45am | 8.55am |
| Saturday 20 March | Westfield Carindale Shopping Centre – any part of the shopping centre | Carindale | 12pm | 2.16pm |
| Saturday 20 March | Black Hops Brewery | East Brisbane | 2pm | 3pm |
| Saturday 20 March | The Bavarian Eagle Street Pier | Brisbane City | 2.15pm | 4pm |
| Saturday 20 March | Market Organics (store only) 190 Enoggera Road |
Newmarket | 2.45pm | 3pm |
| Saturday 20 March | Riverland Brisbane | Brisbane City | 4.10pm | 6.32pm |
| Saturday 20 March | Viscosity | Fortitude Valley | 6.42pm | 7.31pm |
| Saturday 20 March | XCargo | Fortitude Valley | 7.35pm | 9.32pm |
| Saturday 20 March | Baskins-Robbins 2/489 South Pine Road |
Everton Park | 9.20pm | 9.25pm |
| Sunday 21 March | The Standard Market Company, Gasworks Plaza 76 Skyring Tce |
Newstead | 9.50am | 10.20am |
| Sunday 21 March | Presents of Mind | Paddington | 10:15am | 10:30am |
| Sunday 21 March | Genki Mart 3/24 South Pine Road |
Alderley | 10.30am | 10.46am |
| Sunday 21 March | Subway Strathpine Plaza Shopping Centre |
Strathpine | 12.50pm | 1pm |
| Sunday 21 March | Burrito Bar Everton Park | Everton Park | 3.24pm | 3.33pm |
| Sunday 21 March | Liquorland, Dolphins Central Shopping Centre Ashmole Road and Klingner Road |
Kippa-Ring | 4 .40pm | 4.50pm |
| Monday 22 March | Bunnings Rothwell Cnr Anzac Avenue and Bremner Road |
Rothwell | 7 .14am | 7.27am |
| Monday 22 March | Café L’avenue | Carseldine | 8.51am | 8.58am |
| Monday 22 March | Ashgrove Fresh Fruit Shop | Ashgrove | 9:20am | 9:30am |
| Monday 22 March | Zambrero | Aspley | 12.05pm | 12.34pm |
| Monday 22 March | Jacobs Bakery | Aspley | 12.40pm | 12.48pm |
| Monday 22 March | Bunnings Stafford 450 Stafford Road |
Stafford | 12.40pm | 12.50pm |
| Monday 22 March | Bunnings | Lawnton | 3.15pm | 3.30pm |
| Monday 22 March | Strathpine Plaza Shopping Centre | Strathpine | 3.43pm | 3.49pm |
| Monday 22 March | Woolworths Mountain Creek New | Mountain Creek | 4.15pm | 4.40pm |
| Tuesday 23 March | Redcliffe Train Line – Kippa-Ring to Lawnton | Kippa Ring to Lawnton | 7.00am | 8.00am |
| Tuesday 23 March | Café L’avenue | Carseldine | 8am | 8.29am |
| Tuesday 23 March | Woolworths | Paddington | 9:10am | 9:25am |
| Tuesday 23 March | Westfield (Dymocks and Woolworths) |
North Lakes | 11am | 12pm |
| Tuesday 23 March | Nutrition Warehouse New | Maroochydore | 11.15am | 11.30am |
| Tuesday 23 March | Brightwater Medical Centre at Brightwater Shopping Centre New |
Mountain Creek | 12pm | 12.45pm |
| Tuesday 23 March | Sushi Train | Carseldine | 12pm | 12.45pm |
| Tuesday 23 March | Zambrero | Lawnton | 12.51pm | 12.55pm |
| Tuesday 23 March | QML Pathology at Brightwater Shopping Centre New |
Mountain Creek | 1pm | 1.15pm |
| Tuesday 23 March | Lawnton Fruit Market | Lawnton | 1.57pm | 2.05pm |
| Tuesday 23 March | Redcliffe Train Line – Lawnton to Kippa-Ring | Lawnton to Kippa Ring | 2.00pm | 3.00pm |
| Tuesday 23 March | Rosalie Gourmet Market Deli | Rosalie | 2:30pm | 2:45pm |
| Tuesday 23 March | Poolwerx Strathpine | Strathpine | 3.15pm | 3.27pm |
| Tuesday 23 March | Nellas Gourmet Tucker | Lawnton | 3.37pm | 3.47pm |
| Tuesday 23 March | Woolworths | Strathpine | 4pm | 4.30pm |
| Tuesday 23 March | Dan Murphy’s | Strathpine | 7.26pm | 7.36pm |
| Wednesday 24 March | Tafe | Southbank | 8am | 4.30pm |
| Wednesday 24 March | IGA | Milton | 9:05am | 9:15am |
| Wednesday 24 March | Milton Fruit Bowl | Milton | 9:20am | 9:30am |
| Wednesday 24 March | Redcliffe Train Line – Lawnton to Kippa-Ring | Lawnton to Kippa Ring | 2.30pm | 3.30pm |
| Wednesday 24 March | Lawnton Country Markets | Lawnton | 2.36pm | 2.43pm |
| Wednesday 24 March | Coles Everton Park Everton Plaza Shopping Centre |
Everton Park | 3.24pm | 3.33pm |
| Wednesday 24 March | Uroko Sushi on Train | Everton Park | 7.19pm | 7.33pm |
| Thursday 25 March | Café L’avenue | Carseldine | 8am | 8.29am |
| Thursday 25 March | Aldi Stafford, Stafford City Shopping Centre 400 Stafford Road |
Stafford | 8.30am | 8.45am |
| Thursday 25 March | World Gym | North Lakes | 8.45am | 9.45am |
| Thursday 25 March | Meats at Billy’s | Ashgrove | 9:10am | 9:20am |
| Thursday 25 March | Officeworks | Rothwell | 12pm | 12.30pm |
| Thursday 25 March | Café L’avenue | Carseldine | 12.34pm | 1.34pm |
| Thursday 25 March | Gin Gin Public Toilet (male) opposite Gin Gin Bakery | Gin Gin | 1.25pm | 1.26pm |
| Thursday 25 March | Gin Gin Bakery 41 Mulgrave St |
Gin Gin | 1.26pm | 1.33pm |
| Thursday 25 March | Westfield | North Lakes | 2pm | 3pm |
| Thursday 25 March | Miriam Vale Road Star Roadhouse – male toilet | Miriam Vale | 2.35pm | 2.45pm |
| Thursday 25 March | Nundah Respiratory Clinic 1270 Sandgate Road |
Nundah | 11.15am | 11.40am |
| Thursday 25 March | Oliver’s Real Food – Take away patrons Updated | Maryborough West | 11.50am | 12.09pm |
| Thursday 25 March | Cold Rock Ice Creamery | Raby Bay | 3.50pm | 4pm |
| Thursday 25 March | Woolworths Cleveland | Cleveland | 4.00pm | 4.40pm |
| Thursday 25 March | Redcliffe Train Line – Lawnton to Kippa-Ring | Lawnton to Kippa Ring | 5.45pm | 6.45pm |
| Thursday 25 March | BWS – Lawnton Drive 820 Gympie Road |
Lawnton | 6.15pm | 6.30pm |
| Thursday 25 March | Hanwoori Korean BBQ Restaurant | Brisbane City | 6.30pm | 7.30pm |
| Thursday 25 March | Wintergarden carpark | Brisbane City | 6.19pm | 7.50pm |
| Thursday 25 March | Ceres Pizza Café | Strathpine | 7.00pm | 7.58pm |
| Friday 26 March | World Gym | North Lakes | 10am | 10.30am |
| Friday 26 March | Nurse Station café (Patrons) | South Brisbane | 10.15am | 10.30am |
| Friday 26 March | SPAR Carina Megafresh | Carina | 11.30am | 11.45am |
| Friday 26 March | Coles, Stockland Gladstone | Gladstone Central | 12.09pm | 12.33pm |
| Friday 26 March | Woolworths Coorparoo | Coorparoo | 12.55pm | 1.30pm |
| Friday 26 March | Niche & Co Café | Tugun | 1.40pm | 1.55pm |
| Friday 26 March | Chempro Chemist | Tugun | 1.55pm | 2.10pm |
| Friday 26 March | Redcliffe Train Line – Lawnton to Kippa-Ring | Lawnton to Kippa Ring | 2.30pm | 3.30pm |
| Friday 26 March | Woolworths Kippa-Ring 272 Anzac Avenue |
Kippa-Ring | 3pm | 3.20pm |
| Friday 26 March | Stockland Gladstone (including BWS) | Gladstone | 4.46pm | 5.00pm |
| Saturday 27 March | IGA Redcliffe | Redcliffe | 12.50pm | 12.55pm |
| Saturday 27 March | Sunlit Asian Supermarket Westfield Garden City |
Upper Mount Gravatt | 2.30pm | 2.45pm |
| Saturday 27 March | Domino’s Pizza | Greenslopes | 3.30pm | 3.40pm |
| Sunday 28 March | 7-Eleven | Mackenzie | 1.30am | 1.40am |
| Sunday 28 March | 52 Espresso | Nobby Beach | 6.15am | 6.45am |
| Sunday 28 March | LeanChef Kitchn | Surfers Paradise (Chevron Island) | 10am | 10.30am |
| Sunday 28 March | Stable Coffee Kitchen | Tugun | 10.27am | 10.48am |
| Sunday 28 March | HOTA Markets | Bundall | 10.45am | 11.30am |
| Sunday 28 March | Surf Life Saving Competition | Tugun Beach | 12.30pm | 2pm |
| Sunday 28 March | Epic Escape Room | Southport | 1.45pm | 5.20pm |
| Sunday 28 March | Kirra Surf Shop 6/8 Creek Street |
Coolangatta | 2.35pm | 3.05pm |
| Sunday 28 March | Southport Park Shopping Centre | Southport | 3pm | 4pm |
| Sunday 28 March | Woolworths | Southport Park | 3.14pm | 3.35pm |
| Sunday 28 March | Tugun Supermarket | Tugun | 5.20pm | 5.30pm |
| Monday 29 March | Rafiki Café | Mermaid Beach | 6.45am | 6.50am |
LOW RISK CONTACTS
A low risk contact requires you to monitor for symptoms but not immediately quarantine or even get tested. If a symptom occurs then you get tested and ioslate at home until you receive a negative test.
| Place | Suburb | Arrival time | Departure time | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuesday 23 March | Outside Westpac – Peninsula Fair Shopping Centre 272 Anzac Avenue |
Kippa-Ring | 3pm | 3.30pm |
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