Police set up checkpoint process for flights from Melbourne hot spot

Flights from Melbourne to the Sunshine Coast have started and will be met by police and health officials checking for COVID-19.

Police, health and fire and emergency officials will be deployed to Sunshine Coast airport to hold safety checks on all passengers arriving on flights from Victoria.

The first two flights from COVID hot-spot Melbourne landed at Maroochydore on Monday — the first since the COVID-19 outbreak sent the state into lockdown.

Sunshine Coast District Superintendent Craig Hawkins said 15 officers, in conjunction with Queensland Health and Queensland Fire and Emergency Services, would conduct safety checks on the passengers.

Supt Hawkins said authorities would check passengers for four things: whether they came from a COVID-19 hot spot, whether they came from overseas, had they been exposed to COVID-19 and whether they were showing symptoms.

“As people come off flights, they will be put through a series of checks and given a border pass, subject to monitoring,” Supt Hawkins said.

A police officer directs colleagues to don their masks before talking to a passenger who arrived to the Sunshine Coast from Melbourne this morning. Picture: Lachie Millard

“If they are from a hot spot, they will be encouraged to return home.

“Those who elect to remain will be taken to a predesignated hotel at their own expense.

“There’s no punishment for coming here from a hot spot, but if false information is provided that is subject to heavy fines.”

Supt Hawkins said he did not know how many passengers in total would arrive but said that number had “diminished”, with people reconsidering their options.

He said those free to pass could pass through but those subject to quarantine would be given options – return or go into quarantine.

He said the Sunshine Coast had enough hotel rooms to accommodate those going into quarantine.

Arrivals would be given the opportunity to fill out the online pass, and their answers would tell whether they needed to be quarantined. Any false information would attract a $4000 fine.