Strict Covid flight rule that could put you in isolation for Christmas

Queensland’s reopening was going smoothly – until hundreds of people were ordered to isolate for Christmas - but a new rule is still causing problems.

Queensland’s reopening appeared to be going smoothly – until hundreds of passengers on board two Virgin Australia flights were told they’d be spending Christmas in isolation.

In a backflip move this morning, hundreds of passengers that were ordered into home quarantine after a positive Covid detection on their flights into Queensland will now be released, after the state faced furious backlash.

A positive Covid case – who flew from Newcastle to Brisbane on VA1105 on Monday before continuing on to Townsville on VA375 that same afternoon – triggered the isolation orders.

Typically only a handful of passengers are ordered to isolate if they are sat near a positive Covid case on a plane however Queensland Health last night took the unusual move to deem the entirety of both planes as close contacts.

Health authorities usually look at the surrounding seats and rows when deciding on close contacts with the row behind, row in front and row where the positive Covid case was sitting ordered into isolation.

On Tuesday, Queensland Health decided to take a different approach after assuming the positive Newcastle case likely has the Omicron variant.

However on Wednesday, Queensland Health Minister Yvette D’Ath said after further discussions, only a small passenger pool on the flight will be under the 14-day isolation order.

Close contacts are typically only those in surrounding rows. Picture: iStock

Queensland chief health officer Dr John Gerrard said the decision to deem everyone a close contact was them taking an “extremely cautious approach”.

“In terms of the flight late last night, we made the decision, given that this occurred late in the day, that we would immediately quarantine all patients on that flight until we had an opportunity to discuss, first among ourselves, the experts within Queensland Health, but in addition with our interstate colleagues, how best to deal with the passengers on this flight,” he told reporters today.

“We took an extremely cautious approach. This is the first domestic flight on which a likely Omicron case has been diagnosed.”

Dr Gerrard said health authorities believed it was safe to “use our more usual infection control measures whereby we isolate or we quarantine those people two rows in front of and behind the positive case, even if it is Omicron, as we expected.”

Two planeloads of Virgin passengers were initially told to isolate for 14 days. Picture: David Clark

The isolation orders have already triggered confusion and anxiety among those planning on flying into Queensland for Christmas or the summer holidays.

The close contacts from the two Virgin flights will be in quarantine until December 27 meaning, if they were planning on going on a quick trip with their family before Christmas, their kids will now be without presents on Christmas Day.

It’s also an issue for accommodation providers across Queensland as the hundreds of passengers across the two flights are ordered to quarantine for 14 days – meaning the bookings that come after the close contacts will likely need to be cancelled or moved.

Or, those deemed close contacts that were staying in accommodation, will need to find somewhere else to stay for their remaining isolation period.

Thankfully, Queensland Health did not decide to make those from the airports close contacts, instead deeming the passengers who were at Newcastle, Brisbane and Townsville Airport at the same time as the positive case being regarded as casual contacts.

Those at the airport at the same time were deemed casual contacts. Picture: Richard Walker

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has repeatedly warned tourists hoping to enjoy the Sunshine State that she would not delay enforcing Covid rules.

“Tourists coming into the state who are not abiding by the rules would be putting the entire state at risk,” she told reporters on Monday.

“If they are not abiding by the rules, they are putting the whole state at risk, so people know very clearly there are heavy fines associated if you do not do the right thing.”

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk. Picture: Dan Peled/Getty Images

Newcastle, two hours north of Sydney, is currently the location of NSW’s biggest Covid cluster after a superspreader event occurred at one of the city’s nightclubs.

‘Glad I decided not to go’: Queensland dragged

Dozens of Twitter users, commentators and journalists have taken to the social media platform to slam the decision made by Queensland Health yesterday.

ABC journalists Patricia Karvelas and Leigh Sales questioned the decision with Karvelas admitting she was “glad” she decided to avoid the Sunshine State this year.

I am glad I decided not to go to Queensland this year after this quarantining issue. Why would you take that risk #Covid

— Patricia Karvelas (@PatsKarvelas) December 14, 2021

Flights have been going between NSW and Vic for months - has there been a single superspreader event on a flight relating to a covid case? What is the basis of Qld locking up planeloads of vaxed people for Christmas without warning or precedent?

— Leigh Sales (@leighsales) December 14, 2021

I had hoped to visit my family in Queensland in the new year. But this really makes me think twice…

— Simon Cullen (@Simon_Cullen) December 14, 2021

Former Victorian opposition leader Michael O’Brien also lashed the decision.

Translation: don’t bother going to Queensland because they’re still in panic mode, locking up an entire flight for 14 days for a single positive case 🙄 https://t.co/FEDdJAQ1Ay

— Michael O'Brien (@michaelobrienmp) December 14, 2021

The quarantine move comes as police estimated up to 50,000 people were welcomed back to Queensland on Monday.

The state had enforced hard borders with NSW and Victoria for 141 days when it was finally dropped at 1am on Monday.

From Monday, vaccinated Australians were free to enter the state without having to enter any form of quarantine – however there are several rules that must be adhered to.

The traveller must be fully vaccinated, they must have a negative Covid-19 PCR test taken within the 72 hours prior to arrival into Queensland, and they must agree to get a Covid-19 PCR test on day five following their arrival into Queensland.

They must also complete a Queensland entry pass prior to their arrival into the state.