How a community-led approach helped Queensland's remote Indigenous communities through COVID-19 outbreaks

Embargoed until: Publicly released: 2024-10-01 11:20

Australia; QLD

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Many remote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities throughout Queensland were able to manage COVID-19 outbreaks with low death and serious illness rates, according to Australian researchers who say a community-led approach was key. The researchers describe the approaches of six remote communities; Badu Island, Cherbourg, Lockhart River, Palm Island, Woorabinda and Yarrabah, as  COVID-19 was first spreading across Queensland. The researchers say these communities were able to achieve modest to high rates of vaccination and with leadership from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community health workers, were able to tackle additional challenges these communities face when it comes to pandemic management such as overcrowded housing and a need for digital healthcare.