Time for all Queenslanders to wake up and follow social distancing rules before it’s too late

To those flouting coronavirus restrictions, like those fools caught soaking up the sun at Surfers Paradise yesterday, it’s time to pull your heads out of the sand and realise you’re ruining it for everyone.

I DIDN’T see Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk on the Today Show this morning, issuing her ‘final warning’ about potential beach closures if people continued to flout coronavirus restrictions.

That’s because I was at the beach, surfing a lovely little beach break near my home at Currumbin.

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Social distancing was out the window at Surfers Paradise yesterday. Picture: Nigel Hallett

Like many Gold Coasters, I’m a surfing fanatic – I’m up before dawn most days to check the waves. If it’s no good, I like to go for a run along the beach.

It was a beautiful autumn morning and there were plenty of people like me, out either surfing, jogging or walking. Everyone I saw appeared to be following social distancing and public gathering rules.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has issued a final warning to those continuing to flout social distancing rules. Picture: Nigel Hallett

But now, because of the actions of a few fools, our beloved beaches could be closed.

The many people like me who use the beach as their daily exercise risk being denied the one thing that helps keep them fit and sane.

Don’t think it couldn’t happen here – we’ve seen it in Sydney.

Surfers Paradise on the Gold Coast yesterday.

All it will take is more of the blissful ignorance demonstrated by the groups of overseas students that a Courier-Mail photographer and I saw soaking up the sun on Surfers Paradise yesterday.

“I think we’re a little bit reckless, but we all share the same room,” one Brazilian student told us.

It’s that recklessness that’s going to wreck things for everyone else.

Please people – get your head out of the sand and do the right thing.