Chief medical officer says safe to visit loved ones, including elderly and people in nursing homes

Queensland’s chief health officer says people do not have to give up connections to friends and family, declaring that visiting loved ones is essential travel. That includes the elderly and people in nursing homes.

QUEENSLANDERS have been told that visiting loved ones is essential travel, as the Chief Health Officer said people should not have to give up their connections to friends and family for the virus.

Dr Jeannette Young said people should exercise social distancing, and make sure they were well before visiting people, but it was safe to do so.

She said that includes people who had vulnerable, elderly parents, including in nursing homes.

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Chief Health Officer Dr Jeannette Young says its safe to visit loved ones. Picture: Liam Kidston.

“We know that the outbreaks that have occurred in Australia in nursing homes have actually been due to staff or due to residents,” Dr Young said.

“We haven’t seen outbreaks from someone who is visiting because people know what they should and shouldn’t be doing.

“If you’ve got the flu, don’t go and visit your elderly loved one in a nursing home.”

“ … If you’re well, it’s important to go and visit and talk to your relative on a regular basis.”

“Really that human involvement is so important.”

Dr Young said people could have up to two people in their homes, but she wanted people to stay in their own communities and not travel long distances.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said she was really concerned some aged care homes were in lock down when that was unnecessary.

“Families should be able to visit their loved ones,” she said.

“I’m actually shocked that people are saying to me they can’t even go and see their mother, their father, their aunt, their uncle and I’m also hearing reports that some aged care homes aren’t even letting residents move out of their rooms.

“There is no need for this practice to happen.”

Ms Palaszczuk also announced the Government would, from lunchtime today, provide heat maps online showing regional breakdowns around quarantine numbers, active cases, recovered cases and information about community transmission.

“I want to make sure that Queenslanders are getting the information they want,” she said.

“It will be updated by lunchtime every day.”

Originally published as Chief medical officer says safe to visit loved ones, including elderly and people in nursing homes