Everything you need to know about Queensland’s day five Covid test

Travellers arriving in Queensland from a hotspot from 1am on Monday will need to get a Covid-19 test on day five after their arrival. This is what you need to know.

Travellers arriving in Queensland from a Covid-19 hotspot from 1am on Monday will need to get a test on day five after their arrival.

Arrivals are expected to attend a public or private testing clinic five days after they have arrived to be tested, but do not need to isolate while waiting for results.

Health Minister Yvette D’Ath said that Queensland Health has been working on how to handle the five day test rule.

“The sensible approach is that people should get a five day test,” she said.

Queensland’s Health Minister Yvette D’Ath. Picture: Annette Dew

She said they had received complaints from families who would be coming into the state on the 20th and therefore their fifth day would be Christmas Day.

“For people coming in on the 20th, we will have a few public testing sites open,” she said.

She said it was not understood if private testing sites would be open on Christmas Day yet.

Queensland Health’s solution is a direction that allows for people to get a test shortly before or shortly after their fifth day.

“If they test positive, the public health unit will determine how unwell they are, but they would absolutely have to isolate.”

Ms D’Ath told 4BC on Monday that people who did not have testing sites available to them on Christmas Day could get tested as close to the day as the could.

“If your day five falls on Christmas Day and there isn’t any testing clinics close to you then I’d be recommending that they go on day four or leave it to the next available day.”

WHAT IS THE DAY FIVE TEST RULE?

From Monday December 13, all travellers arriving from a hot spot must get a Covid-19 PCR test on day five after their arrival.

WHERE DO I GET MY DAY FIVE TEST?

Covid-19 PCR tests are available at public testing facilities and private clinics like Sullivan Nicolaides and QML Pathology.

DO I HAVE TO ISOLATE WHILE I WAIT FOR MY RESULT?

No, arrivals do not need to quarantine while awaiting their day five Covid-19 test result.

WHAT HAPPENS IF I’M COMING TO QUEENSLAND FOR LESS THAN FIVE DAYS?

Travellers who come to Queensland and leave the state less than five days after arrival do not need to get a test while in Queensland.

WHAT IF DAY FIVE FALLS ON CHRISTMAS DAY?

Health Minister Yvette D’Ath said there would be some public testing clinics open on Christmas Day, but if people in areas that do not have access to Covid-19 tests on Christmas Day should be tested as soon as possible before or after.

DOES MY CHILD NEED TO BE TESTED ON DAY FIVE?

Children younger than 16 will only need to be tested on day five if they have symptoms of Covid-19.

WHAT HAPPENS IF I TEST POSITIVE?

Travellers who test positive for Covid-19 will be contacted by the Public Health Unit and be placed into isolation.

DO I NEED TO GET A DAY FIVE TEST IF I’VE TRAVELLED FROM THE BORDER BUBBLE?

No, people arriving from within the border zone do not need to have a test on day five after arrival.