Toowoomba Mayor ‘disappointed’ with Queensland Health over release of information for COVID-19 contact at coffee shop

He’s not angry, he’s disappointed. Cr Antonio said the release of information around a COVID-positive patient attending a Toowoomba coffee shop could’ve been better handled by authorities.

TRC Mayor Paul Antonio.

Toowoomba Mayor Paul Antonio says he was “disappointed” by how the Toowoomba COVID-19 infection incident was handled by health authorities, saying he first learnt about the matter on social media.

Cr Antonio also said he believed the patient who was confirmed to be in Toowoomba Hospital at 9am had in fact been moved out of the city.

The comments come after Queensland Health confirmed late Tuesday afternoon that a COVID-positive patient had visited a coffee shop at the Ridge Shopping Centre, several hours after the centre posted about the incident on social media.

The mayor said he only spoke to the department on Wednesday morning, having been notified through a letter sent to his office that had information from the shopping centre.

He said the Toowoomba Regional Council should have been informed when the incident was verified, and residents should have been alerted by health authorities first rather than by a private business.

“This community has been quite disturbed by the way things have rolled out over the past 24 to 48 hours, and for me personally, my first information about the COVID-19 infection in town was from Facebook (via the letter),” Cr Antonio said.

I have recently spoken to the government department and I hope it doesn’t happen again.

“I understand the responsibility for the health department to get it right before they make any noise about it at all.

“On this particular occasion, I believe it could’ve been done better.

“I think the official sources have to verify everything, but I imagine when the order was given to wash out the coffee shop, that verification would’ve certainly been in place.

“I’m not angry, I’m a little disappointed that the community wasn’t kept at front and foremost of this, and I as a community leader, it would’ve been a matter of a phone call to me.”

While Queensland Health has yet to confirm the latest status on the Toowoomba patient, Cr Antonio said he had been informed the patient was no longer at the hospital.

“I think there’s another issue that will emerge in the next few hours, and that is the patient being treated, who is not any longer in Toowoomba,” he said.

“I have received information that they have been moved to a more secure place.

“I think it’s appropriate that the people of Toowoomba know.”

Cr Antonio spoke with the Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk to get an update on the situation.

Anyone who was at the Jamaica Blue on Friday March 26 between 10.30am and 12pm needs to get tested and self-isolate for 14 days.

Anyone who was at the Ridge Shopping Centre between 10.30am and 12.15pm will need to get tested and self-isolate until they receive a negative result.

For all the latest information, head to the Queensland Government website.