Queensland prisons from the NSW border up to and including Rockhampton have been locked down with Stage 4 restrictions due to an officer at the Queensland Corrective Services Academy testing positive to COVID-19.
The QCS Academy has a COVIDSafe plan in place, including the requirement for social distancing, however as a precaution, it has been closed until forensic cleaning occurs.
All officers who may have been in contact with this officer have been informed to attend a fever clinic and to self-isolate.
As a precautionary measure, all southern and central Queensland prisons are now on stage 4 restrictions, on the advice of the Chief Health Officer (CHO):
- Palen Creek Correctional Centre
- Numinbah Correctional Centre
- Southern Queensland Correctional Centre
- Borallon Correctional Centre
- Arthur Gorrie Correctional Centre
- Brisbane Correctional Centre
- Brisbane Women’s Correctional Centre
- Wolston Correctional Centre
- Helana Jones Centre
- Woodford Correctional Centre
- Maryborough Correctional Centre
- Capricornia Correctional Centre
These prisons are now locked down with non-essential out-of-cell time and prisoner movement suspended.
Queensland Corrective Services is working urgently with Queensland Health to better understand the implications of this positive case, including identifying any close contacts and possible exposure.
Only essential workers including officers and Queensland Health staff will be permitted entry to these prisons.
Everyone entering the prison will undergo health screening including thermal imaging, and new reception prisoners are subject to 14-day isolation protocols.
On advice from the CHO, all officers and essential workers entering these prisons must don a surgical face mask as PPE under the supervision of Queensland Health staff where they are unable to socially distance or are in close contact with a prisoner in excess of 15 minutes. This PPE will be provided by QCS.
Officers working in Escort and Security Branch are required to wear a surgical mask and gloves when escorting prisoners.
