Gold Coast dodges tough new COVID-19 restrictions, but Hinterland not so lucky

The Gold Coast has dodged new restrictions imposed on Greater Brisbane to stem a COVID-19 outbreak linked to a detention centre, but the hinterland has not been so lucky.

THE Gold Coast has dodged new restrictions imposed on Greater Brisbane to stem a COVID-19 outbreak linked to a detention centre, but the hinterland has not been so lucky.

In the Scenic Rim, including Mount Tamborine, the number of people allowed at private and public gatherings has dived from 30 to no more than 10 people, unless a COVID-Safe Plan is in place.

Visits to aged care facilities have also been restricted.

Scenic Rim mayor Greg Christensen. Picture: Cordell Richardson

Scenic Rim Mayor Greg Christensen said the community had responded well to the sudden changes,

“We’ve worked to maintain an ongoing state of alert across the region recognising the severity of the pandemic and continued to reinforce the messaging of maintaining social distancing and practising good hygiene,” he said.

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“While (Saturday’s) new restrictions from the Queensland Government were delivered at short notice, most of the community seems to understand and accept that the restrictions have been put in place to help protect our communities given the close proximity of the Scenic Rim to the current cases of COVID-19.”

Health workers are busily working with the threat of a second wave of COVID-19 to hit Queensland. Picture: John Gass.

Cr Christensen said many people holding parties and other gatherings “naturally would have been disappointed that they had to reduce the numbers of people who could help them celebrate”.

He urged the community to check the long list of venues linked to government contact tracing in neighbouring council areas and to phone their GP or Queensland Health if they felt unwell.