State eases rules on controversial day five Covid test

The government will consider reducing quarantine directions for vaccinated close contacts and make it easier for people in remote parts of Queensland to get their day five Covid test.

Fully vaccinated Queenslanders who come into close contact with Covid cases should soon only have to isolate for seven days.

Deputy chief health officer Peter Aiken confirmed the new and reduced quarantine direction was likely, but said proper health advice had to be sought before “jumping the gun”.

“We need to keep the community safe … In an ideal circumstance fully vaccinated individuals are likely to move to seven days, but we need to work through that in a safe manner, rather than jumping the gun at this stage,” he said.

Health Minister Yvette D’Ath said the government was getting advice on how to treat close contacts in the near future and would be working through that over the next few days.

“I’ve just said about 83 per cent of people are turning up positive in the first seven days, that means 17 per cent are positive after seven days, so if we are allowing people to leave quarantine who have been exposed to a positive case after seven days there are likely to be people who turn up on day 12 positive and who are in the community, so we all need to prepare ourselves for the fact that there will be many many more cases in Queensland,” she said.

The move to relax quarantine rules comes as Queensland has recorded one new community case of Covid on the Gold Coast on Tuesday.

The state’s single-dose jab rate has reached 87.3 per cent while double doses are at 78.6 per cent.

Meanwhile aggressive customers who attack hospitality workers over vaccination lockouts will be slapped with huge fines as part of a Palaszczuk Government effort to ease fears of conflict when its jab mandate is enforced.

Queensland Police will step-up patrols and businesses have been offered training in how to de-escalate conflict ahead of the Palaszczuk Government’s jab mandate on December 17 – when staff in “high-risk” businesses must have received a vaccination and turn away customers who have not.

People who become abusive and deliberately spit, cough or sneeze on hospitality workers will face $1378 on-the-spot fines or up to $13,000 and six months’ jail if convicted in court.

Queensland Health Minister Yvette D'Ath speaks during a press conference at the Story Bridge Hotel in Brisbane to provide a Covid update. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Dan Peled

Queensland Police Service Commissioner Katarina Carroll said officers would undertake additional patrols and said any worker concerned for their safety should “just call the police”.

“I ask though that patrons do the right thing otherwise there will be action,” she said.

“Every one of you out there, please do the right thing, do not take it out on staff.”

Queensland Hotels Association CEO Bernie Hogan said staff would check vaccination status of patrons and were prepared to turn them away.

“The hospitality industry has been handling difficult customers for absolutely generations,” he said.

“Realistically, I think this is what they would call gaining experience.”

Ms D’Ath also revealed there would be some leniency on testing people five days after they arrived in Queensland from a hotspot.

She said people who were in an area where testing was not available – such as on the Great Barrier Reef or remote parts of the state – would be given the chance “to get that test shortly before or shortly after” day five.

“If they’re stuck on an island where there’s no testing capacity, the aim would be the moment that they leave the island or if they’re about to go to the island and they’re on day three, to get the test before they go,” she said.

People who test positive on day five can isolate where they are or go to hospital if treatment is required.

Queensland Health also confirmed anyone 12 months or older must get a negative Covid-19 test within 72 hours before entering the state.

Queensland Health Minister Yvette D'Ath and Small Business Minister Di Farmer look at a sign informing patrons they must be vaccinated to enter the premises at the Story Bridge Hotel in Brisbane. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Dan Peled

Queenslanders have also been urged to use personal discretion on wearing masks, with Dr Aitken

“As we get community transmission, and it’s likely that we will get community transmission, they’re the sort of triggers that we’d look at as far as wearing a mask particularly in indoor spaces and crowded spaces,” he said.

Dr Aitken said mask wearing would be recommended, but said the level of community transmission would determine whether a mandate was required.

“I don’t think we will I think Queenslanders will recognise the risk and start wearing the mask themselves,” he said.