The Princess Alexandra Hospital has been put into lockdown following confirmation a second nurse has tested positive to COVID-19. 

Now questions are being asked why the nurse worked with COVID-19 patients while they weren’t vaccinated, a scenario doctors aren’t surprised by. 

“You do worry that you’re going to get (COVID-19) – anybody who isn’t vaccinated should stay right away,” AMA Queensland President Dr Chris Perry said today. 

However, it is best practice that’s only being implemented this week, with Queensland Chief Health Officer Jeanette Young today saying she’ll mandate Queensland Hospital and health services that only those who’ve had their first dose can work with patients.

“Whether it be Pfizer or AstraZeneca – only they can work directly with confirmed cases of COVID,” Dr Young said today. 

Though 81 per cent of Queensland Health staff, or 41,000 total, have been vaccinated – today’s nurse just wasn’t one of them because she’d been on leave during the vaccine rollout in the state. 

Regardless, she was sent to the Princess Alexandra’s COVID ward on March 18 and then worked near more COVID patients just a few days later on March 23. 

The rollout at the hospital has gotten to a point that staff have actually opted to have their first dose of the COVID vaccine administered elsewhere, telling 9News that it’s just “too slow”.



This content first appear on 9news

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