Why Queensland’s international travel restrictions will remain until vaccination rate hits 90 per cent

Despite increasing pressure, Queensland is sticking by its plan only increase overseas arrivals and drop quarantine requirements for overseas travellers when the state hits 90 per cent fully-vaccinated. Here’s why.

Health authorities have revealed the main reason Queensland will keep restrictions on international travel.

At a press conference on Saturday, Health Minister Yvette D’Ath said authorities still had concerns about the accuracy of rapid testing kits from overseas and confirmed the state would still require arrivals to receive a negative PCR test result and enter hotel quarantine.

Ms D’Ath said that since the beginning of the pandemic about 420 international arrivals who obtained a negative test before boarding a Queensland-bound plane had tested positive upon arrival.

This underscored her concern about removing hotel quarantine for international arrivals, fearing travellers could be infectious on the plane and immediately endanger the Queensland community.

“Despite getting on a plane negative, we’ve had two cases this week where they were positive on day zero or one which means they were infectious on the plane or upon arrival,” Ms D’Ath said.

Queensland Health Minister Yvette D'Ath during a press conference in Brisbane. Picture: Tertius Pickard

“At this stage people are still undergoing PCR tests in Australia and we know they‘re far more accurate than some other tests,” she said.

Acting chief health officer Peter Aitken said the state would continue to prioritise domestic travellers entering first before increasing overseas arrivals.

Queensland will drop quarantine requirements for domestic travellers when the state hits the 80% double-dosed mark, but not until 90% for international travellers.

Dr Aitken said this was primarily because of concerns about emerging variants overseas and protecting the Queensland community.

An empty Brisbane International Airport.

This is despite Doherty modelling which says it is safe to drop all hotel quarantine requirements when 80% of the community is fully-vaccinated.

It‘s not about disagreeing with it (Doherty modelling), it’s about managing demand and making sure our hospital system can manage Covid and people with it,“ Dr Aitken said.

He said he remains confident the Queensland health care system will manage the demand and increased pressure on hospitals as movement and travel restrictions relax.