REDLAND council will urgently review its pandemic management plans to ensure it is prepared should a COVID-19 outbreak occur.
Mayor Karen Williams said that given the spread of the virus, it was likely Covid-19 would hit the Redlands sooner or later.
With the virus most dangerous to older people, it puts the Redlands with its 27 aged care facilities at particular risk.
She wants a review of council systems to ensure the community was prepared and that council operations would continue in the event of an outbreak.
"People over 60 years old are most likely to be effected by the coronavirus," she said.
"There will be no vaccine for the next 18 months to two years, so it is likely the virus will emerge in our community."
According to the World Health Organisation the latest global fatality rate for coronavirus is 3.4 percent.
Cr Williams said council was doing everything possible to ensure it could serve the community's needs.
"The Redlands has an ageing population and thousands of residents who live on un-bridged islands, so it is important these demographic and isolation challenges are on the radar of the state and federal government," she said.
Council will also speak with aged care providers to see what help they need in transporting residents to medical appointments.
Cr Williams has asked the federal government to ensure island communities had access to COVID-19 testing.
"While they recently announced temporary Covid-19 testing clinics were being established and telehealth would be included as part of Medicare, some of our islands don't have internet or phone access and face significant challenges travelling to health clinics, which all needs to be considered," she said.
Cr Williams said council would also investigate ways to generate economic activity to support local business during the Covid-19 outbreak.
"We will urgently look for road and transport projects that can be brought forward in response to a request from the federal government, as well as investigating local tourism and business incentives across all levels of government to support local business."
Cr Williams said she would meet with the disaster management team this afternoon for an update.
"The message is for the community to be prepared but not alarmed. Life should be led as normal. Make hygiene a priority and keep being informed," Cr Williams said.
- A total of 18 people in Queensland have been confirmed with COVID-19, of this, eight patients have been clinically cleared by their treating team and discharged from hospital.