MEDIA RELEASE: Western Queenslanders "Close the Gate on Coronavirus"
NEW CAMPAIGN: Outback residents doing their bit to confront COVID-19 in the bush.
CLICK HERE: Interview grabs and overlay of Western Queenslanders #ClosingTheGateOnCorona
CLICK HERE: Edited social media video to be released online (17/04/20)
Western Queenslanders have embraced a new campaign to raise awareness about the importance of self-isolating but also keeping communities together in the battle against COVID-19 in the bush.
The Western Queensland Primary Health Network (WQPHN), which commissions health services across almost a million square kilometres of rural and remote Queensland, has launched a campaign entitled “Close the Gate on Coronavirus”, and residents are already jumping on board.
“Closing a gate is what many property owners do several times a day to keep livestock from running amok, and it’s what most town-dwellers do to keep the kids or pets from bolting onto the road,” WQPHN CEO Stuart Gordon said.
“It’s also a great metaphor for how the bush is reacting to the intrusion of COVID-19 in our daily lives, through the need to self-isolate and maintain hygiene.”
“By now everyone’s very familiar with the distancing rules, but we wanted to put a Western Queensland spin on the messaging to help give our communities a clear point of reference,” Mr Gordon said.
Local hospitals, general practices and pharmacies have been the focus of activity in the region since the pandemic first emerged as a threat to Western Queensland, with hospital fever clinics and GP Respiratory Clinics being established, and personal protective equipment distributed to clinicians across the region.
The WQPHN has been busy sourcing and distributing Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to GPs and Pharmacies across Western Queensland, with close to 20 thousand P2 and surgical masks already distributed, and another 20 thousand due to be delivered to clinicians in the coming days.
The full media release can be found here
Media Liaison: Paul Stone (WQPHN) M: 0414 326 848 E: paul@sticksandstonespr.com.au