Queensland nurses deployed to assist with Victorian coronavirus outbreak

A team of 27 Queensland nurses deployed to Victoria, as the state struggles to cope with the growing outbreak.

PA Hospital nurses Chloe Kiely and Lauchlan West are among 27 Queensland Health nurses heading to Melbourne to assist Victoria with its worsening COVID-19 outbreak. Picture: David Clark

A team of 27 Queensland nurses is heading to the frontline of Victoria’s COVID crisis, as the state struggles to cope with a growing outbreak.

Queensland’s chief nurse and midwifery officer Shelley Nowlan said Victoria contacted them on Thursday to ask for help, and by that afternoon 30 nurses had volunteered.

“Victoria wanted a team of 200 nationally, so we’re sending 27 today and we’ll most likely send more later in the week,” said Ms Nowlan.

“It’s a serious deployment. We’re wanting to get a hold on, and contain what’s happening in Victoria for our national health. COVID-19 is very contagious as we can see now by the 18-days of double digit infections.”

The nurses were expected to spend four weeks in Victoria, predominantly staffing mobile fever clinics, and would be required to quarantine for two weeks on their return to Queensland.

Central Queensland nursing director Gillian Robbins said she did feel a “tinge of anxiety” heading to the COVID hot spots but felt compelled to do her bit.

“I’ve spent the last four or five months telling my staff how serious it is and now we’re going down into it,” said Ms Robbins.

“For me (the anxiety) is there. I suspect for some of the young people it’s adventure, and that’s fine.”

Nurses from around Queensland heading off to Victoria from Brisbane Airport on Sunday. Picture: David Clark

Princess Alexandra Hospital registered nurses Chloe Kiely and Lauchlan West said the decision to volunteer was not difficult.

Ms Kiely said they had worked the fever clinic at the PA and considered it “really cool to be able to help”.

The mother of two said her children were probably more concerned for her own safety than she was.

“They are a little bit. I told them we have great PPE (personal protective equipment) and really good training,” said Ms Kiely.

Mr West said he considered the deployment an “excellent opportunity”.

“It’s once-in-a-lifetime and my family is fully supportive,” he said.

Sunshine Coast registered nurse Steve Hallam said he felt he needed to play his part and do something positive, by helping communities going through a difficult time.

“I consider myself to be in good health, and if I take the right precautions I’m going to be safe,” Mr Hallam said.

“We’ve been fortunate in Australia compared to other parts of the world and hopefully we can see (COVID-19) off.”

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said her government recognised Victoria was “doing it tough” and her government wanted to help as much as possible.

She thanked the nurses for volunteering their skills and promised there would be more in the future.

The nurses travelled to Melbourne from Brisbane on Sunday afternoon on a special charter flight with Alliance Airlines, which was understood to be a cheaper option than commercial services.