Covid Qld: Man tests positive after flight from Brisbane, Qld hits 70 per cent double dose target

A man has tested positive for Covid-19 after arriving in Hobart via a Brisbane flight. It comes after Queensland reached its 70 per cent double dose milestone.

A man who entered Tasmania from Brisbane on Sunday has been confirmed as a positive Covid-19 case.

The Victorian man had intended to travel to Melbourne via Hobart on Sunday afternoon but was not allowed to board the flight after a test conducted on the man came back positive.

Public Health Tasmania were informed of the positive result about 2:10pm and arrangements were immediately put in place to identify the man in the airport and isolate him.

He was taken directly to the Fountainside quarantine facility in Hobart.

Passengers on Virgin flight VA702 from Brisbane to Hobart, which arrived around 12:15pm on Sunday, are being asked to isolate immediately and phone the Public Health Hotline.

People who were in the Hobart Airport Terminal between 12:15-2:45pm are also being asked to isolate immediately.

It comes after Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk announced Queensland had hit the 70 per cent double dose vaccination target today.

Ms Palaszczuk used Twitter on Sunday afternoon the announce the milestone, congratulating the state.

“Keep it up Queenslanders,” Ms Palaszczuk tweeted.

The state was initially targeted to hit 70 per cent on November 19, however there was a recent boost in vaccination rates following the announcement of an impending vaccine mandate for most Queensland venues.

BREAKING: We just hit 70% double dosed.

Keep it up Queenslanders 💪#GetVaccinatedpic.twitter.com/PyznKOjzxW

— Annastacia Palaszczuk (@AnnastaciaMP) November 14, 2021

At this stage of the roadmap, fully vaccinated travellers can now fly into Queensland from a hotspot and will be required to home quarantine for 14 days.

Earlier today, Health Minister Yvette D’Ath urged people who wanted to return to Queensland to start preparing now.

It comes as no new cases were recorded and 23,000 Queenslanders had receive their vaccinations in the past 24 hours.

When Ms D’Ath spoke at 10am Sunday, 81.66 per cent of Queenslanders had their first dose, and 69.94 per cent were fully vaccinated. The 70 per cent target was hit at 2pm.

The target triggers the reopening of the border to fully vaccinated visitors arriving by air from hotspots, but Ms D’Ath warned there would need to be another 24 hours allowed for the border pass system to go live.

She said nevertheless, returning Queenslanders could start preparing to enter the state for when the system does eventually go live, including getting tested.

“When we can announce that we have hit 70 per cent double dose, there will be a process and a lead in time so police can prepare,” she said.

“There will be multiple checking steps along the way, when people apply online they will have to check a lot of boxes.”

All arrivals from declared hotspots would have to go into home quarantine for 14 days. International arrivals would continue to quarantine in a government-nominated facility.

Returning Queenslanders wanting to drive into the state would have to wait until the 80 per cent fully vaccination mark was reached.

Fully vaccinated visitors will be able to fly in to the state once the border reopens on Monday.

Ms D’Ath said the Premier would provide information for border restrictions changing when Queensland hits 70 per cent fully vaccinated, but returning Queenslanders have been warned they will be blocked from home quarantine, fined and potentially sent back interstate, if they turn up unvaccinated, untested or lie when borders reopen.

Around 14,000 people who have been stranded in Victoria and NSW for more than 11 weeks have been told they’ll need to wait an extra 24 hours after the 70 per cent double-dose goal is reached before boarding flights.

And those who rush back without ticking all the boxes won’t be tolerated, Ms D’Ath said.

She said when people arrived at airports they’d be checked by police or other enforcement officers to ensure they were compliant with home quarantine requirements.

Ms D’Ath said there had been 23,383 vaccinations yesterday with more than 58 per cent of people vaccinated at school hubs coming forward for their first doses.

That is incredible for a Saturday. We’re so thrilled so many came out,” Ms D’Ath said.

“Queenslanders, you are kicking this out of the park,” she said.

Ms D’Ath said the state was on track to reach their 90 per cent target.

“Please keep coming out, there are lots of vaccination centres open today.”

Ms D’Ath said people on the Gold Coast needed to remain alert as two Covid cases remain unlinked.

She urged people to continue to wear their masks, get tested if displaying any symptoms and to get vaccinated.

Acting chief health officer Dr Peter Aitken said testing numbers had dropped off on the Gold Coast and urged those with symptoms to get tested.

He said Queensland would reach 70 per cent fully vaccinated on Monday.