4.15pm. That’s all from us today
That’s it for the #ipswichtogether COVID-19 daily blog today and this week.
Don’t forget to mark Anzac Day tomorrow by lighting up the dawn from your driveway if you can.
See you next week.
3.40pm. Check out the new data dashboard
Queensland Health has created a new data dashboard to help you stay up-to-date with all the latest COVID-19 information.
3.25pm. Extraordinary times call for extraordinary measures
Teachers across Ipswich are doing what it takes to keep their students learning, including the team at Ipswich Grammar School.
#ipswichtogether
3.10pm. A great reason to get baking
Legacy is taking their love of baking digital, through their Anzac Biscuit Bake Off 2020.
Bake to your heart’s content, help donate to Legacy and share with us your favourite Anzac biscuit inspired treats.
Join the Legacy Bake Off, learn how to get your friends involved and download your free special edition Legacy Cookbook at https://bit.ly/legacybakeoff
The Legacy Bake Off was recently extended until May 3.
3pm. Rosewood showgrounds safe haven to travellers
Ipswich City Council, Department of Natural Resources Mines and Energy and Rosewood Lions Club have worked together to ensure the 14 caravans, campervans and camper trailers at the Rosewood Showgrounds, can stay safe during the current COVID-19 crisis.
The travellers are following isolation rules by avoiding unnecessary travel and keeping 1.5 metres apart.
Each of the vans are well spaced apart at about 20 metres from each other.
Council felt it was important the facility remain open to a limited number of caravans, campervans and camper trailers to provide a safe location as it is an essential service, but no other travellers or general or public are allowed in and those currently there will remain until restrictions are lifted.
Ipswich City Council implemented a procedure for the use of the dump point as this service maintains community health.
Visitors must first contact the caretaker to arrange for the dump point to be opened and to register their name and registration number so that in the event of a case of COVID-19 is confirmed, contact tracing can be done.
2.10pm. Making good on ‘duty to provide’
Normally the City of Ipswich Pipe Band would be up at 3am on Anzac Day getting ready to participate at dozens of services throughout Ipswich.
Regardless of COVID-19, the City of Ipswich Pipe Band treasurer Nick Tomkins said “we have a duty to provide our music for the people of Ipswich on our most special and nation-defining day”.
This video includes a rendition of Amazing Grace with footage taken from members of the band at their homes.
It also includes the ode and some historical footage.
1.40pm. QLD update: two new cases, quarantine blitz
Queensland recorded two new cases of COVID-19 overnight, taking into account adjustments to numbers from earlier days, these confirmed cases bring the state’s total to 1,026.
Health Minister Steven Miles said they would continue to expand COVID-19 initiatives, including a blitz on quarantine orders.
There is currently around 3,500 Queenslanders on isolation and quarantine orders, required by law to stay home.
The state’s COVID-19 taskforce are monitoring and enforcing compliance with these orders, including via texts and phone calls, as well as quarantine checks.
The first quarantine blitz took place on Monday, which saw Queensland Police visit 158 homes to check compliance.
Of these, 147 people were at home complying with their quarantine orders. Of the 11 individuals who were not at home, six had left to return to New South Wales, two were seeking medical treatment, and three are currently under investigation.
12.45pm. Anzac memories fuel firefighter
This Anzac Day, Corporal Nathan McLeod will be thinking of his grandfather and other service men and women who have died as he stands at the end of his driveway at dawn.
“Anzac Day for me is remembering those service men and women that have come and gone, in particular my grandfather, who was a surgeon’s assistant and medic during World War II,” Corporal McLeod said.
Later in the day, Corporal McLeod will head to RAAF Base Amberley to start his night shift as a fire controller for No. 23 Squadron.
Read more about Corporal McLeod here: Anzac memories fuel firey
11.15am. Video conferencing facilitates legal transactions in era of social distancing
Queensland legal practitioners will be able to use video conferencing technology to conduct a range of transactions that usually require face to face meetings, as coronavirus social distancing requirements remain in place.
Attorney-General and Minister for Justice said laws passed in State Parliament allow for more flexible arrangements to conduct important and pressing legal transactions.
“There are a number of requirements across the statute book as well as the common law which requires a thing to be done in person,” she said.
“This includes the witnessing of documents, attendance at meetings or a visit or inspection by an authorised person of a particular site.
“Currently, social distancing requirements and other COVID-19 related restrictions make it difficult or impossible to meet those requirements safely or on time.”
Mrs D’Ath said the new laws allow regulations to be made which will enable courts to be responsive to health advice for the protection of individuals and the community, while continuing to deliver justice for Queenslanders.
“While social distancing remains in place, these laws enable our courts to adopt alternative processes that still serve the interests of justice, while keeping more people safe and at home,” she said.
10.40am. Police have seen it all on Queensland’s borders
From bugs galore to dodgy border pass fashion and drug busts, Queensland Police have seen it all while intercepting more than 100,000 vehicles during the border restrictions to stop the spread of COVID-19.
Check it out in Queensland Police Service’s video below.
9.50am. Share in the joy of virtual story time
There’s a new virtual story time up on the Ipswich Libraries website, and this week it’s all about dinosaurs!
With regular programming from Ipswich Libraries on hold due to COVID-19, virtual story time is available to watch anytime on the Ipswich Libraries website.
Click the link below to hear Krystal and Bec from Ipswich Central Library read Dinosaurs by Simms Taback and Dinosaurs Love Cheese by Jackie French.
https://www.ipswichlibraries.com.au/whats-on/children/virtual-story-time-ipswich-2/
9.30am. Students to mark Anzac Day at home
With COVID-19 restrictions in place, schools across Ipswich are encouraging students to honour our diggers from home with the Light Up the Dawn campaign.
Some schools, including Rosewood State School, are hosting special school Anzac services for students who are learning at home.
Students have also been making Anzac wreaths to hang from their front doors.
9.15am. Students say ‘thanks’
Students at St Mary’s College Ipswich have helped to spread goodwill with a special thank you video.
Check it out below.
8am. Friday, 24 April 2020. Limiting the spread
West Moreton Health has had no new confirmed cases of COVID-19 since the start of April.
The region’s confirmed cases have stayed at 37.
Of West Moreton Health district’s 37 confirmed COVID-19 cases, 11 remain active while 26 have now recovered.
There were two new cases recorded in Queensland yesterday maintaining this week’s encouragingly low results.
There are now 282 active cases with 738 recoveries and six deaths for a total of 1026.
Queensland Health’s Chief Health Officer Dr Jeannette Young said currently, 955 of the 1,026 confirmed cases had recently travelled overseas or had close contact with a confirmed case, such as their partner or flatmate.
“We’ve continued to see limited community transmission in Queensland, with 42 cases where we don’t know the source of infection,” Dr Young said.
“It’s encouraging that numbers are staying very low this week, with only eight cases recorded so far, and we want to keep it that way.
“Queenslanders continue to be reminded to stay home as much as possible, and stay in their suburb when undertaking essential activities such as going to the supermarket or exercising,” she said.
Dr Young said a total of 92,699 tests for COVID-19 has been undertaken in Queensland, with 2,539 tests undertaken in the previous 24 hours.
Most Queenslanders who have contracted COVID-19 have experienced mild symptoms.
Currently, 20 of the 282 active confirmed cases are in hospital, with seven of these in intensive care. The remainder of active cases are currently recovering at home.
Contact tracing continues for recent cases.
Queensland Health asks residents to continue practising good hygiene and staying home, especially if sick.
Washing hands properly and often is the gold standard of health advice that can help prevent viruses from entering the body.
A person will generally be tested if they have a fever (or history of fever) or acute respiratory symptoms, and, in the last 14 days:
- they were a close contact or a household contact of a confirmed case
- they had been overseas, including on a cruise.
- Testing may also be done for people who have a fever (or history of fever) or acute respiratory symptoms, AND:
- live or work in a high-risk setting such as healthcare, aged or residential care, military, correction facility, detention centre or boarding school
- work in a school or child care setting or are a Queensland Police Officer
- live in:
- Brisbane (residents within the Metro North and Metro South Hospital and Health Services boundaries)
- Gold Coast or
- Cairns (the area bounded by and including Palm Cove to the north, Mareeba to the west, and Gordonvale to the south)
- live in or travelled from a COVID-19 hotspot
- live in or travelled from another state
- live in a First Nations community.
Queensland Health is urging anyone who meets this criteria for testing, to contact a doctor immediately.
Before your appointment, call ahead and advise of your symptoms and recent travel they can prepare for your visit.
