It is New Year’s eve 2021, and we are at home. As the owners of Linemarkers South East Queensland, we have decided that it is not safe for us, as pivotal members of our team, to be out and about celebrating, with Covid-19 cases increasing rapidly by the day in Queensland. So, we are writing this blog instead. Today we have been working to prepare a statement to our staff around the Queensland Government’s advice for Covid-19 infection and close contact protocols which changed as of midnight 30th December 2021. We have also defined Linemarkers South East Queensland’s strategy regarding this, and how we intend to keep our staff as safe as possible.
Emails were sent out, letters written, and information posters made ready for our staff to read when they return from leave. Ironically, having done all that, later in the day we noted that the Federal Government today had already changed a protocol listed just yesterday around rapid antigen testing on the sixth day of an active infection!
We also worked hard to try and access some rapid antigen test kits for our staff. We have some on order. Other purchases made today were KN95 masks so our staff can wear the best protection we can buy at this time of short supply. We would have liked to have all this testing equipment and PPE in place for their return from holidays in 2022 but supply is very limited, so we will do the best with what we already have to hand and await our deliveries.
To our many clients from DP World (the first to ask us back in September 2021) to Brisbane Catholic Education (just before Christmas) and many valued clients in between who have written to us asking that anyone attending their sites are fully vaccinated, we can assure you that our staff are double vaccinated and that we will be encouraging the uptake of booster shots.
To our clients who are waiting patiently for their jobs to be completed after the wet weather in November and early December, and those booked in for January/February, please understand that we are endeavouring to keep our staff as safe from Covid-19 as possible so that we can keep working for you. We have now put protocols in place to limit close contact of our staff with each other; for instance, we will have our crews drive solo in their work vehicles rather than sharing the ride. We are lucky that our work is often outside, and our crew do not have to mingle close to each other.
Having said that, Omicron is very contagious, and we understand that any one of us can pick it up anywhere despite all the precautions taken. This will of course be disruptive to our scheduling, but we will work as hard as we can to limit delays.
Since the Queensland Health’s contact tracing online list has been scaled back, we have used the South East Queensland Covid Exposure Sites Facebook page to keep track of those businesses that have been closed due to Covid-19. Our hearts go out to these business owners and staff who have faced such disruption, often at their busiest time of the year. Our wish to everyone is that 2022 will bring some stability and relief to small businesses everywhere eventually. We hope those that lead us in government and public health will strike a fair balance in keeping our population as safe as possible so that we can enjoy better times ahead. Happy New Year from us all at Linemarkers South East Queensland.
If you would like a free quote, please call the office on 07 3277 2448 or use our contact form.
