SUPPLIES SHORT FOR SENATOR
A TOWNSVILLE-BASED senator in isolation, who was “incredibly surprised” to find out she had contracted coronavirus, is feeling tired but otherwise fine and without other symptoms.
LNP Senator Susan McDonald, in her first interview since being tested for the virus on Friday evening and immediately going into selfisolation before finding out she was positive on Monday afternoon, told the Bulletin she still doesn’t know where she picked it up from.
Now on day six of isolation, Senator Mcdonald is home as is protocol for someone like her who is otherwise fit and healthy to help take pressures off resources at the hospital.
But the senator’s constant travel for work has revealed a stark fact for her under quarantine – her fridge contains only a carton of Great Northern beer and a jar of Vegemite, though she insists she normally keeps the spread in the pantry.
Senator Mcdonald, who opted to miss the NQ Cowboys versus Brisbane Broncos clash at the Queensland Country Bank Stadium on March 13, said in hindsight she is “very pleased” she did, although she initially felt she had been overreacting.
She cancelled all her commitments for the weekend and self-isolated at home.
Her isolation will end once two COVID-19 tests, done 24 hours apart, both come back negative.
Thirteen civic leaders, including Townsville Enterprise chief executive Patricia O’callaghan and Hinchinbrook MP Nick Dametto, have gone into self-isolation because they had contact with Senator Mcdonald on Thursday or Friday.
Former North
Queensland Cowboy Antonio Winterstein, who also went into self-isolation after meeting with the senator on Thursday, tested negative for COVID-19, his wife Brooke revealed yesterday.
Queensland’s coronavirus case total surged to 94 yesterday, with all of the new cases in the southeast corner, though the details of four patients are “pending”, according to Queensland Health.
How Senator Mcdonald contracted COVID-19 was unknown, and she doesn’t believe she’s had contact with anyone who had been unwell.
She is urging the community to have confidence Townsville’s health system is in “good stead” to handle the pandemic and said people needed to support each other through this uncertain time.