Christmas chaos as Covid-19 test delays mean travellers can’t meet Qld requirement

Queensland will not back down on the need for a negative PCR test within 72 hours of entering the state, despite significant delays in southern states throwing Christmas plans into chaos.

Authorities are standing firm on travellers obtaining a negative PCR test before entering Queensland, despite significant testing delays in southern states throwing Christmas plans into chaos.

chief health officer John Gerrard has confirmed the 72-hour testing requirement will remain because it is considered the optimal time to test for Covid-19 before a person travels to Queensland. 

Scores of travellers are being left stranded waiting for their results well after the 72-hour time frame elapses or turning up at the border without their results due to test processing times blowing out.

People in Brisbane are waiting as long as three hours to get a Covid-19 test, with some areas interstate experiencing much longer delays. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Tertius Pickard

Covid-19 testing queues have exploded interstate, with reports people are waiting up to nine hours at some testing centres while others are not getting results within 72 hours.

And there were long lines at Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital on Tuesday night, with no further people allowed after 6.30pm for a closing time of 9pm.

Rowan Hunnam has been stranded in Byron Bay with the 72-hour deadline on her PCR test rapidly approaching.

Coming back to Queensland from Melbourne for Christmas, Ms Hunnam did a test a Armidale on Sunday morning.

“So, 53 hours ago and am still waiting for a result,” she said.

The queue for Covid-19 testing at Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital on Tuesday night

She said she had called Queensland Health for advice and was told to keep getting tests until one came back within 72 hours of travel.

“I’ve just been told by Queensland Health I have to just keep trying as in, keep getting tests until I can get one returned in that time frame,” she said.

“Despite basically isolating since getting tested, the likelihood now is that we need to go for another, because the first hasn’t been returned in time. Ridiculous waste of resources, if so.

It doesn’t work to have a policy that the system doesn’t support.”

Ms Hunnam eventually received her result - negative - on Tuesday afternoon.

Queensland Police Commissioner Katarina Carroll says some travellers are flouting the 72-hour test rule, with hundreds of cars turned around. Picture: Josh Woning

Queensland Police Commissioner Katarina Carroll said hundreds of people were arriving at the border without the required a negative PCR test.

“We are seeing people actually flout this at the moment so the strong message is if you don’t have that negative PCR test, you will be turned around,” she said.

“We have taken a compassionate approach in extreme cases, placing people in quarantine, however, we are seeing people not making a genuine effort to get the PCR test and wait for that required period to get the test back and come into Queensland.”

In the past 24 hours 36,271 vehicles crossed the border with 325 turned around.

There were 8800 passengers checked, with 14 refused entry and 107 put into hotel quarantine.

Ms Carroll said there had been one arrest and four fines issued for non-compliance. 

“We’ve seen a number of people failing to comply with the Covid health directions in terms of wearing masks and being asked to do so, and trying to get into premises while unvaccinated,” she said. 

Deputy Premier Steven Miles refuted claims testing delays meant the border was effectively closed.

“Many, many people are coming here,” he said. 

“The police commissioner just outlined how we’ve issued 235,000 border passes – that is hundreds of 1000s of people coming here from hotspot states, that doesn’t include people coming from states where they don’t need those border passes.”

Police completing border checks at the Queensland-NSW border at Coolangatta. Picture: Chris Hyde/Getty Images

The 72 hours is based on the current experience of the incubation period of the virus.”

People in Brisbane are waiting up to three hours to get their Covid tests, a week after the borders opened to interstate travellers.

Drive-through Brisbane fever clinics were packed to the brim on Tuesday, including Murarrie QML Pathology testing clinic where cars were lined for around half a kilometre with three hour wait times at 9am before it dropped to around two hours after lunch.

Meanwhile, at the Herston fever clinic and the Highgate Hill location, wait times sat around an hour and a half to just under two hours.

A large number of the cars were receiving their five-day test that’s required after crossing the border.

Harry Roellgen, 24, from Paddington was getting tested after he had been deemed a casual contact.

He said he was made aware of his status after a friend of his, who works at the hospital, told him he needed to get tested.

“It’s just something I’ve got to do, work as well wants me to get tested to be safe,” he said.