Brisbane COVID lockdown: What you need to know

Greater Brisbane will go into a three-day lockdown from 6pm tonight after the city was declared a COVID-19 hotspot. Here’s everything you need to know.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has announced Greater Brisbane will go into a three-day lockdown after a hotel cleaner tested positive to the highly contagious UK strain of coronavirus.

The lockdown will cover the Brisbane, Logan, Ipswich, Redlands and Moreton areas.

It will begin 6pm Friday and run until 6pm Monday.

Two visitors will be permitted to visit homes during this period of time.

Essential work will be allowed, but people are being urged to work from home.

People can leave if providing support for vulnerable people, exercising in their local neighbourhood and shopping locally.

Hairdressers, nail salons and gyms will be off-limits.

Community sport has also been placed on hold in Greater Brisbane for the next three days.

Masks when leaving home will be mandated during the lockdown period. A child under 12 does not need to wear a mask.

Queensland Chief Health Officer Dr Jeanette Young said contact tracers needed time to . track the woman’s close contacts. Picture: Dan Peled

Funerals will be limited to 20 people and weddings to 10 people during the lockdown period.

Ms Palaszczuk said people would face fines of $200 if they failed to wear a mask while out of their homes during the lockdown.

The Sunshine and Gold Coasts have not been included in the lockdown because the cleaner had not ventured outside the Greater Brisbane region.

Anyone who has visited Brisbane since January 2 and has now moved on to other parts of the state or country will also be required to quarantine for the next three days.

Police Commissioner Katarina Carroll said police would be stepping up enforcement and undertaking random interceptions to ensure the directions were being followed.

She warned of $1300 fines for those who break the rules.

FULL DETAILS OF THE LOCKDOWN HERE

IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR TOURISM OPERATORS

Guests already in other parts of Queensland/Australia who’ve been in Greater Brisbane since 2 January 2021

If you have guests already staying with you who have been in the Greater Brisbane area since 2 January, these people are asked to stay where they are and isolate for the lockdown period.

Greater Brisbane residents who have been in other parts of Queensland/Australia since before 2 January 2021

These guests are fine to continue their holiday as planned. They can enter Greater Brisbane from outside the region to return home during the lockdown period, and must abide by all restrictions once home.

Brisbane guests due to check in today before 6pm

While the lockdown commences at 6:00pm AEST, the advice remains that if you’ve been in Greater Brisbane since 2 January, you should stay where you are and isolate during the lockdown period.

Brisbane guests due to check in over the weekend/after 6pm tonight

Brisbane residents can only leave home for four essential reasons. Leisure travel is not one of the reasons.

Visitors arriving into Brisbane

People can continue to arrive to Greater Brisbane from outside the region to return home, stay at a residence such as a family member’s home or hotel, or for an essential purpose such as work or for essential health care.

However, if they do, they are required to comply with all the requirements contained in the Direction, including staying at home and wearing a mask when leaving their place of accommodation.

Visitors transiting through Brisbane

Visitors can travel through the Greater Brisbane area to get from one destination to another (e.g. From the Gold Coast to the Sunshine Coast; or from an area of Australia that is not a declared hotspot to an area of Queensland that is not a declared hotspot – e.g. fly from Adelaide to Brisbane and then on to Cairns).

If driving, they must do so without stopping and must travel in a private vehicle, such as their own car, a rideshare car or taxi.

They must not transit through the Greater Brisbane area by any other mode of transport – i.e. public transport.

If flying, they must not leave the airport.

Visitors currently on the islands within the Greater Brisbane region

Greater Brisbane residents who are currently on an island within the Greater Brisbane region can return home, as there is no kilometre limit for travel within the Greater Brisbane region itself.

However, residents should travel directly home and then continue to comply with the stay at home direction, only leaving for the four essential reasons.

Visitors to the islands from outside the Greater Brisbane region should remain in place during the lockdown, or depart prior to 6pm AEST Friday, 8 January, and then isolate for the lockdown period.

SOURCE: Tourism & Events Queensland

Originally published as Brisbane COVID lockdown: What you need to know