SA’s COVID-19 transition committee decides Queensland border can reopen immediately after snap long weekend meeting

SA’s border closure with Queensland will be lifted immediately as it’s revealed a man with COVID-19 in quarantine has been rushed to the RAH.

The state’s hard border closure with Brisbane was lifted today and hundreds of travellers released from quarantine after a backlash over confusing coronavirus rules.

South Australia’s chief public health officer, Professor Nicola Spurrier, called a snap meeting of the COVID-19 Transition Committee before the backflip was approved.

No new cases were reported but an ill expatriate in his 40s was fighting for his life in the Royal Adelaide Hospital.

The sick man is believed to be the first COVID patient in the RAH’s intensive care unit since May.

He was in a serious but stable condition last night.

The man, who had the highly contagious South African COVID, reported being left “breathless”.

Passengers arrived from Brisbane earlier this week. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Emma Brasier

He was rushed to the RAH yesterday morning by police-escorted ambulance from the Tom’s Court medi-hotel, off King William St, where all infectious patients are cared for.

“If someone is deemed unwell enough they have to go to hospital we have concerns for their welfare, but obviously they are in the right place,” said acting chief medical officer Dr Mike Cusack.

Dr Cusack announced border changes alongside acting Police Commissioner and COVID-19 co-ordinator Linda Williams.

Officials met hours after The Advertiser reported concerns from travellers over a series of confusing and contradictory official health directions.

The committee, which advises the state’s police chief, was not due to meet until Tuesday. It ruled the five-day hard border closure would lift immediately after health advice found all Brisbane infections had been accounted for.

Officials were left with a “good degree of comfort” from Queensland’s extremely high testing rates, currently 20,000 a day.

Hundreds more travellers were released from home isolation but at least 17 people who visited cluster exposure sites must serve their 14 days in quarantine.

Prof Spurrier, who was away in country SA, gave a “strong recommendation” unrestricted travel could resume after a briefing from Queensland health authorities.

But all Brisbane visitors, along with those from Byron Bay, must have an immediate COVID test and remain in quarantine until a negative result, before more checks on days 5 and 13 after arrival. Anyone with symptoms must be tested immediately.

Legal directions, which took effect at 2.31pm today, ban Brisbane visitors from “high risk” health, aged care or corrections sites and venues approved to host more than 1000 people.

Dr Cusack said the only Brisbane case reported today was already in isolation.

Travellers from Brisbane were banned from 5pm last Monday. Brisbane’s lockdown was lifted on Thursday but restrictions here remained in place. Only SA residents, essential workers and those moving here could enter.

Ms Williams said she approved the changes based on confidence that all Brisbane case had now been linked.

“That last piece of the jigsaw puzzle was closed off,” she said. She rejected criticisms about slow border decisions.

“It couldn’t have been made a couple of days ago because clinical results had not been made available,” she said.