Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk provides update on Queensland’s Covid response

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has announced Queensland’s Covid restrictions will lift from Friday while issuing a warning to any Queenslanders in NSW at the moment.

Queensland has not recorded any new local cases of Covid-19 in the past 24 hours, allowing restrictions to lift from Friday, Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has announced.

While Ms Palaszczuk did not close Queensland’s borders to NSW amid a worsening Delta outbreak in that state, she warned that the situation could change at anytime and urged Queenslanders in NSW to come home.

Asked what it would take to trigger a hard border shutdown to NSW, chief health officer Dr Jeannette Young said it would be a concern if there were cases that were detected outside the locked down zones.

The Premier said Queensland was still monitoring the situation in NSW very closely with extensive discussions underway.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk. Picture: Dan Peled

Meanwhile, one new case was detected in hotel quarantine in Queensland, taking the state’s total active cases to 47.

“We haven’t had a case infectious in our community since the 5th of July, Ms Palaszczuk said.

Ms Palaszczuk said restrictions would be eased from 6am this Friday.

Masks will still be required at airports and on planes, but there would be no restrictions on aged care homes or hospitals.

Queenslanders currently in New South Wales are urged to return home. We will continue to monitor the situation in Greater Sydney carefully.

— Annastacia Palaszczuk (@AnnastaciaMP) July 12, 2021

Pubs, clubs and restaurants will be able to cater to three people per 4 sqm while dancing will be back at public venues.

Gatherings at homes will be able to reach 100 people as long as a list of relevant guests is kept.

The Premier also confirmed that taxpayers would not pay a cent towards the final Origin game being played on the Gold Coast.

Queensland Chief Health Officer Dr Jeannette Young. Picture: Dan Peled

Dr Young said as long as everyone who was currently in home quarantine stayed in home quarantine, then officials could be very confident that there was no transmission in the community.

Over 4,100 people in Queensland remain in home quarantine as a result of the latest outbreaks in the Sunshine State.

Health Minister Yvette D’Ath said Queensland would receive over 60,000 vaccine doses on Tuesday and Thursday.

But she warned that Queensland’s current level of stocks were low.

Police have handed out over 80 masks in the past 24 hours, while only two vehicles were turned around at the borders during the same period.

Ms Palaszczuk’s update comes amid response to a growing Covid outbreak in NSW.

There are fears today that NSW could record more than 100 cases of the highly contagious Covid Delta variant.

It comes after NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian delivered grim news that her state recorded 77 new cases on Sunday, as well as one death.

Yet despite the outbreak, Queensland’s borders remain open to NSW with the cases remaining contained within the lockdown areas so far.

Meanwhile, the Federal Government launched a new national advertising campaign encouraging people to get vaccinated.

It encourages people to “arm themselves” against the virus, while showing images of Australians rolling up their sleeves and displaying the bandaid from where they were vaccinated.