Frigg Cafe owner, Maria Elita, says Qld Government’s handling of Covid spike is a ‘sh*show’

The owner of a popular cafe, forced to close after a staff member tested positive to Covid-19, has taken aim at the government’s response. WATCH THE VIDEO

The owner of a popular Brisbane cafe closed due to a Covid positive staff member has slammed the Queensland Government’s contact tracing as a “sh*tshow” as she plans to save her business from dying during the current case spike.

Businesses across the state are being forced to close in the lead up to New Year’s Eve as Queensland reached a new record in cases today at 1158.

Frigg Cafe and Catering owner Maria Elita is planning to reopen her Manly West venue tomorrow in limited capacity with takeaway only after shutting the doors on December 23 due to a staff member testing positive for Covid.

Other staff members of the cafe have been isolating for the past five days and have since received negative test results.

Despite the positive case, Frigg Cafe has not yet been placed on the Queensland Health’s contact tracing list – leading to frustration and anger from Ms Elita.

“Right now, I don’t think the government even knows what they’re doing because it’s a sh*tshow,” she said.

“The southeast Queensland Covid tracing, does not exist anymore people, it’s not being updated.

“It’s an absolute Queensland sh*tshow … I don’t even know how to deal with it anymore.

“We’ve always done the right thing but why bother with things like checking in anymore if they don’t update contact tracing, they’ve basically just given up on that.”

Maria Elita will reopen her Frigg Cafe at Manly West after being closed since Dec 23 because of a Covid-positive staff member. Picture: Brad Fleet

A Queensland Health spokesman said as case numbers grow into the thousands per day, it was not feasible to continue to attempt to contact trace every contact of every case, particularly in lower risk situations.

“As Omicron spreads throughout Queensland, we are focusing our contact tracing efforts on high-risk settings,” he said.

“Going forward, we will be limiting the exposure sites we publish to venues of most concern, including settings where vulnerable people may be infected.

“Given the rapidly rising case numbers in all parts of the state, we are asking Queenslanders to assume they are at risk of developing COVID-19 no matter where they are and take precautions such as wearing a mask in public and maintaining physical distance from other people.

“We are still urging people to check the contact tracing page and use the Check In App when they enter venues, especially if you are considered vulnerable.”

Ms Elita and her sister, Toula Scott, have three Frigg locations with other venues at Ascot and Labrador.

She said her concentration had shifted to work out how the venue could reopen with isolated staff members still awaiting final PCR tests to be cleared to return to work.

Frigg Cafe and Catering Manly West will reopen after being closed due to a staff member testing positive for Covid. Picture: Facebook

“Me and my sister have been in deep conversation because we don’t know what the f*ck to do,” Ms Elita said.

“So we’ve got to come up with a plan to continue to stay open before our business dies like so many hundreds of businesses that will.

“What are we going to do with these businesses that everyone is going to get a positive test somewhere and at some stage.”

Ms Elita said she did not hate the government and was not “anti-anything” but business owners just wanted some clear directives from the State Government on what they needed to do to reopen.

She also said her and three trainees would relaunch the Manly West cafe tomorrow.

“I can only open in limited capacity … I can’t bring workers in from our other venues because then if they test positive or are deemed close contacts then they cross contaminate and two venues will be impacted,” she said.

Frigg Cafe and Catering Manly West will reopen tomorrow from 6.30-11am and will only be serving through their coffee window.

Originally published as Frigg Cafe owner, Maria Elita, says Qld Government’s handling of Covid spike is a ‘sh*show’