21 April COVID-19 Update
Stats
- 0 new cases reported yesterday, 6 today
- Just over 1,000 Qlders have tested positive for COVID-19, over 700 have officially recovered
Great going – but
- National Cabinet agreed on Thursday 16 April that social restrictions will remain in place for at least another four weeks.
- The Premier has asked Queenslanders to stay the course and remember that this is a marathon.
- While these restrictions on movement are strict, they are working.
- Lifting them too quickly could have disastrous consequences.
Surgeries
- We are now at the stage where we can discuss reopening some theatres for limited category 2 surgeries and category 5 procedures
- This is to balance the needs of our patients with maintaining our preparedness for COVID-19.
Business support
- Have heard that in our $500 million fund for no interest loans to businesses, over $200 million has already been allocated
- $200 million out the door and into local small businesses.
- There are a number of outstanding applications, so QRIDA is not accepting any more applications at this stage
- We are making $2,000 payments for Qlders who are in extreme housing stress because of COVID-19 – people who are about to become homeless
- We have worked our way through thousands of applications and about 2,000 Qld families have got these payments.
- Normally that would take months. It has taken HPW just a couple of weeks
- Tremendous effort
