COUNCIL’S PLAN

RUBBISH bins will still be picked up and council workers will be made to work from home or different locations throughout the city to ensure Townsville City Council services are maintained when the coronavirus pandemic hits the city proper.

Mayor Jenny Hill confirmed the council was “well advanced” in its preparedness for COVID-19, which has so far infected 61 people in Queensland, including a Townsville man who flew to New Zealand before realising he had contracted the virus.

“Our role is to help protect our workforce and community and maintain essential services to the city,” Cr Hill said.

“We have been working closely with Queensland Health and will continue to do so in order to help slow this virus down so our health services can do what they do best.”

The council’s pandemic plan, which it has been working on for more than a month, includes ensuring IT systems are tested and ready for staff to work from home where appropriate and when needed, while other teams will be split up into different offices through the city to secure business continuity.

Corporate travel bans have also been implemented and hygiene has been increased in the workplace and at community venues.

Large events and gatherings of more than 500 people have been banned from today nationwide, and the council is preparing to postpone or cancel those in Townsville “as appropriate”.

Cr Hill said essential services including waste, sewerage and water would be kept running as a matter of priority.

Cr Hill also urged people to keep calm and stay informed from official sources.

“Things are changing quickly and there is a lot of misinformation. We will do our best to share the information we are receiving but I encourage people to get their information from official sites like Queensland Health,” she said.

“I have every faith in our local health services, and we will continue to work in full cooperation with them.”