QLD border: September reopening not guaranteed says Chief Health Officer

Queensland’s Chief Health Officer has warned residents the border with NSW might not even be reopened in September.

QUEENSLAND'S borders may not even reopen in September according to the State's Chief Health Officer.

Chief Health Officer Dr Jeannette Young has urged patience, suggesting that while interstate travel could resume in July if all goes "perfectly", September was more realistic.

But she said even a September reopening date was not certain.

"I would love to give everyone certainty, I would love to give it myself but we can't," Dr Young said.

"This is a day by day development.

Chief Health Officer of Queensland Dr Jeannette Young speaks to the media about easing of coronavirus restrictions, Friday, May 8, 2020 - Picture: Richard Walker

"What I have said is the earliest and only if everything went perfectly we might be able to think about opening up our borders in July.

"That is only what the road map says, but that is after another two points of review, that is after a whole lot of other work.

"If the tourism industry wants a realistic scenario they should be preparing for September, but I say to them if everything went perfectly and it was possible that maybe it could happen earlier wouldn't they also want to be prepared for that?"

"September is a far, far more realistic date for this to occur, having said that I can't even commit that September would be possible."

 

 

 

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Dr Young said closure of both international and domestic borders were behind the state's success in controlling the spread of the disease.

"We need to hold firm and we need to manage our domestic borders very, very carefully," Dr Young said.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said she believes the tourism industry would still be able to bounce back from the shutdowns.

"Tourism will always survive here in Queensland, we have a robust industry and they are really hurting at the moment I understand that," she said.

"Unfortunately NSW and Victoria have community spread and they have to get that under control before visitors come here.

"We love you, but you will have to come later."

 

 

 

Originally published as Border shock: Doubt cast on September reopening