Clinical guidelines
COVID-19 assessment, treatment and management
- Testing clinics and accessing Rapid Antigen Tests
- PHLN guidance on laboratory testing for COVID-19 (Source: Australian Government)
This Public Health Laboratory Network information sheet provides guidance on laboratory testing for COVID-19. - National Covid-19 Clinical Evidence Taskforce flowcharts and guidance
- PBS eligibility criteria
- Product information
- Consumer medicine information
For information on the current status of these medicines see the Queensland Health List of Approved Medicines.
Note: Prescribing hydroxychloroquine
Under the Medicines and Poisons (Medicines) Regulation 2021, a prescription for hydroxychloroquine is not lawful unless written by an authorised prescriber.
Prescribers are authorised to prescribe hydroxychloroquine if:
- they are one of the following specialist practitioners: dermatologist, emergency medicine physician, haematologist, immunologist, infectious disease physician, intensive care physician, nephrologist, paediatrician, rheumatologist, specialist physician in general medicine, a dentist who is a specialist registrant in oral medicine; or
- they are a medical practitioner or nurse practitioner who is continuing treatment with hydroxychloroquine that was initiated by one of these specialist practitioners.
Medical practitioners and nurse practitioners who are continuing treatment with hydroxychloroquine must mark the prescription with the words ‘Continuing treatment’.
For information on TGA-approved medicines for COVID-19 please visit the TGA website. Further advice to guide their use in Queensland will be provided soon.
Care and advice for specific patient cohorts
Paediatrics
Preliminary evidence suggests children have a lower susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2 than adults, play a lesser role in transmission, and have a much lower risk of severe infection.
Children, adolescents, and young adults with underlying medical conditions are an exception, with some studies showing that these patients have an increased likelihood of developing severe disease and complications when infected with SARS-CoV-2. However, these studies do not reflect the epidemiology related to the more recently emerged variants such as the Delta variant and the Omicron variant of concern.
The following resources are designed to support health services and healthcare providers in managing COVID-19 in children:
- CHQ-GDL-63400 Paediatric Inflammatory Multisystem Syndrome Temporally Associated with COVID-19
- CHQ-GDL-63327 The management and treatment of children with acute SARS-CoV-2 infection (COVID-19)
- COVID-19 in children and adolescents: vaccines, transmission at school and disease outcomes webinar (source: National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance).
- COVID-19 Community Child Health Services Guidance for service provision
This document has been developed to support service adaptation by community child and youth health services in Queensland Hospital and Health Services (HHSs). - COVID-19 and your child’s health (source: Children’s Health Queensland).
- Protecting yourself and the community: Mask-wearing video for adolescents
This video helps Queensland adolescents to understand why wearing a face mask is important. It provides tips for what kind of mask to wear and how to wear it properly. The video is designed for both health professionals and educators who work with high schoolers aged 12 years and above.
Maternity and neonatal
COVID-19 Guidance for maternity and neonatal services
This site refers to the Maternity and Neonatal Clinical Guidelines page and contains information specific to the care of mothers and babies during the COVID-19 pandemic including flowcharts for neonates of suspected or confirmed COVID-19 mothers, operational frameworks for COVID-19 maternity and neonatal services as well as videos and consumer information.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people
- COVID 19 Resource Toolkit for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Professionals (the Toolkit)
- Additional resources for Health Professionals
- Additional resources for Consumers
Consumers with a disability
- National Health Professional Disability Telephone Advisory Service can be accessed on 1800 131 330 between 8am and 9pm Monday-Friday to assist health professionals involved in the care of people with disability diagnosed with COVID-19 or experiencing COVID-19 symptoms.
- Care for people with disability (COVID-19) checklist (PDF 491 kB)
- Disability sector resources
This includes the plain English ‘What to do if I have COVID-19’ which is also available in large font. Please note, this resource will be continually reviewed to ensure it is in line with any recent changes to Public Health Directions. - Responding to a Confirmed Case of COVID-19 in Disability Accommodation Services
This document provides a list of actions for operators of disability accommodation services to take in response to residents or staff testing positive to COVID-19.
Mental health alcohol and other drugs clients
- Support for vulnerable people (PDF 181 kB)
Advice from Assoc. Prof. John Allan, Executive Director, Mental Health Alcohol and Other Drugs Branch on how COVID-19 may affect people with serious mental ill health. The Mental health support webpage provides advice regarding services for people who may be struggling with their mental health in the context of coronavirus.
Domestic violence resources
- COVID-19 is no excuse for Domestic and Family Violence
Resources to support health clinicians to recognise, respond, and refer safely and appropriately to suspicions and disclosures of domestic and family violence.
Aged care sector
Residents of residential aged care facilities (RACFs) are at increased risk of acute respiratory infections (ARIs) including COVID-19 and influenza and are more vulnerable to serious complications if they do become infected. The single most important measure for preventing ARIs in RACFs is the avoidance of exposure.
- COVID-19 guidelines for outbreaks in residential care facilities (source: Australian Department of Health).
- Acute respiratory infection (potential or confirmed COVID-19 or influenza)
This pathway details isolation and treatment steps to be taken in managing suspected COVID-19 cases in residential aged care facilities. - COVID-19 Infection Prevention and Control Manual for acute and non-acute healthcare settings (PDF 6718 kB)
Other guidelines
- Clinical Guidelines - ICU inpatient clearance of COVID-19 infection (PDF 537 kB)
The Statewide Intensive Care Clinical Network in coordination with the Statewide Infectious Clinical Network have developed clinical guidelines to assist determining when an Intensive Care Unit (ICU) inpatient may be considered cleared of COVID-19 and can be moved from a designated COVID area to a non-COVID area to continue treatment. The clinical guidelines assist in a consistent approach across Queensland ICUs in determining COVID clearance, and the collection of uniform reporting for statewide and national reporting. - Considerations for the delivery of palliative care during the COVID-19 pandemic (PDF 809 kB)
This guideline is for Queensland Health staff working across various settings to support and optimise the inclusion of planning for the delivery of palliative care services. - Guideline Statement for Management of Post-acute COVID-19 in General Medicine Services (PDF 464 kB)
The purpose of this document is to highlight the potential ongoing medical sequelae experienced by adult COVID-19 positive patients beyond the acute phase of the illness, and to summarise emerging evidence to guide management within general medicine services.
