Footy, schools mask changes revealed as state records no new Covid cases

Queenslanders heading to the footy this weekend will be able to remove their masks when seated, it has been revealed. The rule will also apply to seated school children. The change comes as no new local cases were recorded.

Queenslanders heading to the footy this weekend will be able to remove their masks when seated, it has been revealed. The rule will also apply to seated school children.

The rule change was flagged by Deputy Premier Steven Miles this morning, as he revealed no new Covid cases were recorded in the state overnight.

Mr Miles said while masks will remain, there have been some changes to the rules.

“While we will be extending the restrictions relating to masks, the CHO has recommended some small changes,” he said.

“Once you are seated you can remove the mask when you are not eating or drinking.”

“You can take it off as soon as you are seated.”

Deputy Premier Steven Miles. Picture: Liam Kidston

Chief health officer Dr Jeannette Young said despite the changes she was urging Queenslanders to “persevere” with masks.

“When you stand up please put it on again because we don’t know who you are coming into contact with,” she said.

“We still don’t know when the next case will come into Queensland so we just have to persevere a little bit longer.”

Dr Young said she wants to see the vaccine rates go up ‘no matter what.’

“A really good thing that I have been seeing is more of those freight drivers we have been picking up have been vaccinated.”

“The most important thing is people should carry a mask around with them and if they feel uncomfortable they should just pop it on.”

Chief Health Officer Dr Jeannette Young. Picture: Liam Kidston.

Mr Miles said Queenslanders have told him that “Delta is the gift that we do not want from Scott Morrison.”

“When it comes to the border , that will depend on the number of cases here and in New South Wales, as well as the vaccination rate, here and in New South Wales.”

“At 70 and 80 per cent you still have large numbers of people who are not vaccinated.”

“We are already following the national plan very closely and once we see the new modelling... we can make those assessments.”

Dr Young said her recommendations to grey nomads is that they should “stay at home until all this settles.”

She said the government had also started the home quarantine process to allow children to return to Queensland.

When asked if the home quarantine process could be extended, she said “we have to work it through”.

Dr Young and Mr Miles were at Suncorp Stadium this morning, as the NRL trophy arrived at Suncorp Stadium ahead of the October 3 grand final.

There will be two NRL preliminary finals matches at Suncorp this weekend - the Rabbitohs v Manly tonight and the Storm v Panthers on Saturday.

Brisbane’s Riverfire celebration is also on this weekend.

Mr Miles said the South Brisbane vaccination hub would be open to 8pm on Saturday for Riverfire, with the last walk-ins at 7.30pm.

“Please come along this weekend to one of the vaccination hubs, no appointment necessary,” he said.

Mr Miles joined Brisbane league legends Wally Lewis and Darren Lockyer to welcome the trophy to Brisbane.

He said people could attend the NRL finals at Suncorp Stadium and also get vaccinated.

Mr Lewis said it was a “real thrill” to see the trophy travel around Queensland ahead of the final.

He encouraged Queenslanders to get along to the grand finals over the next two weeks.

Mr Lockyer said with “challenge comes opportunity”, and declared Covid had created a benefit for Brisbane.

The former Brisbane captain also welcomed the appointment of Billy Slater as Queensland Maroons coach.

The football news comes after a debacle late yesterday, which saw the Therapeutic Goods Administration forced to change their rules, following an NRL ticket giveaway that was put in place to boost vaccination numbers.

Therapeutic Goods Administration guidelines initially stated only people who had been fully vaccinated could be given an incentive.

But overnight the rules have been amended, with the TGA now stating offers “can only be made to people who have been partly or fully vaccinated”.

The original guideline caused confusion over an NRL ticket giveaway for those getting jabbed at Queensland state vaccine hubs, with Health Minister Yvette D’Ath slamming the rule as “bureaucracy gone mad”.

The TGA maintains they had never planned to take enforcement action against the giveaway, nor had flagged any issues with it to begin with.

Dr Young said it may have been” confusion” which saw the TGA intervene on the NRL ticket offer for people had been vaccinated.

“It was such a wonderful offer from the NRL which I absolutely supported,” she said.