STATEMENT FROM THE MAYOR CONTACT TRACING ALERTS

We can confirm a recent positive COVID-19 case from New South Wales is being transferred from Goondiwindi Hospital to a COVID-designated facility.

This case is in addition to the positive COVID case who passed through the Goondiwindi BP Truckstop.

The community can be assured that Darling Downs Health is working to identify and notify any close contacts as well as exposure sites as they become available. A public health alert has been issued for contact tracing locations in Goondiwindi. Further information can be found at www.health.qld.gov.au/tracing

I understand Darling Downs Health is investigating the potential for community transmission and that some of the close contacts from this confirmed case are already in isolation.

We will await advice from Queensland Health about the risk to our community, and any potential changes to restrictions in our region. With four confirmed COVID-19 cases in the Moree Plains Shire Council area, we are also paying close attention to any potential changes to border restrictions.

As a border community, this is the very situation for which we have been so steadfastly preparing. We can take comfort in the fact that the Goondiwindi Region has the highest vaccination rate in the state. At 81.5% fully vaccinated [as of 31 October 2021], our community has done all it can do to prepare and I am confident that this will serve us well.

The great irony is that we may never fully realise the success of our region’s vaccination rate, as we will only ever know the number of positive cases and not how many were prevented.

This situation is likely to be rapidly evolving in the coming days, and Council will continue to work closely with authorities as the situation transpires to do what it can to keep our community safe. In particular, Council has taken every opportunity to advocate to ensure that there is no disruption to the current harvest.

As a precaution, I have asked Council staff to limit their interactions with others and would encourage others to do the same until we have a better picture of the situation at hand.

For now, let’s continue to do what we’ve done for the past 18 months: good hygiene and frequent hand washing, social distancing, checking in, isolating and testing if unwell – and, of course, getting vaccinated.

I want to encourage everyone who enters our community - from whatever side of the border - to please make sure you do the right thing to protect our community and get vaccinated as soon as possible if you haven’t done so already.

Please see the Queensland Health website directly for the latest advice. You can also keep up-to-date on the Darling Downs Health Facebook page:

 www.facebook.com/darlingdownshealth

• For information about where to get the COVID-19 vaccine, visit: www.vaccinebookings.health.qld.gov.au
• Find your nearest testing clinic: www.qld.gov.au/covid19testing