Qld records 8580 new Covid cases, as Premier encourages return to school and work

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has announced major changes for schools and workplaces as the state’s Omicron outbreak continues.

Queensland’s Premier has flagged major changes to the state’s schools and workplaces, as residents prepare to return to classrooms and offices from early February.

Return to school and work was delayed by two weeks as the state battled the Omicron outbreak.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk is adamant she made the right decision.

“We’re going through our peak, and we delayed the school term because of that,” she said on Sunday.

“I’m confident we made the right decision to delay schools for two weeks.”

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has flagged huge changes for the state’s schools and offices. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Dan Peled

Queensland recorded 8580 new Covid infections as the Premier flagged a shift for the state’s schools and workplaces from February 7.

All teachers, staff and students will return to the classroom in just over a week, with office workers also encouraged to return.

Masks will be mandatory in all secondary schools, while only strongly encouraged from Year 3 and up in primary schools.

Teachers will be able to remove their masks to teach and students can take them off while seated. Masks will also be available at schools.

Students and teachers won’t be required to take rapid antigen tests to attend school, but if students develop symptoms they will be sent home with a rapid antigen test.

“We want our schools to be a safe place and we want our parents to have confidence and their children to know exactly what they need to do going back,” Ms Palaszczuk said.

“It’s really important that if you are sick, stay home, don’t go to school.”

Office workers will also be encouraged to return to their workplaces from February 7.

Masks will also be mandated for workers indoors.

Queenslanders are being encouraged to return to the office from February 7. NewsWire / Sarah Marshall

Ms Palaszczuk said the state was moving in a positive trajectory, despite 13 deaths recorded on Sunday.

The state is also beginning to see a drop in cases, with Saturday numbers decreasing from 10,391 reported the day before.

“In encouraging news, the numbers are coming down,” the Premier said.

“We’re seeing a decline in hospitalisations on the Gold Coast, in Ipswich, Logan and Brisbane South.

“This is encouraging news but we’re still not out of the woods.”

The number of people with Covid in hospital dropped to 745, down from 853, while intensive care admission numbers fell to 41 from 53.

Chief health officer John Gerrard on Saturday said the state had reached roughly the midpoint of its Omicron outbreak.

“We’re going to see a steady fall in hospitalisations over the course of three or four days in the various regions of Queensland,” he said.

“This is the peak, it’s not the end. The unknown is what happens as those numbers decline, what the tail looks like. We’re only sort of halfway through.”