Covid-19 infection cloud over Queensland

Queensland is facing a renewed lockdown scare after a Covid-positive truck driver spent five days on the Gold Coast while contagious.

Queensland chief health officer Jeannette Young. Picture: Sarah Marshall

Queensland is facing a renewed lockdown scare after a Covid-positive truck driver spent five days on the Gold Coast while contagious and a border-­dodging family refused to be tested.

A Gold Coast school was forced to close on Thursday after children “boasted” to classmates about sneaking back into the state from Melbourne.

Students, staff and their families were plunged into quarantine because the family of five, including three children under the age of 10, refused to be swabbed.

Health Minister Yvette D’Ath said the children attended school at the Australian Inter­national Islamic College at ­Carrara on Tuesday.

“Early indications are this family recently travelled to Melbourne before returning un­detected to the Gold Coast via an inland route,” she said.

“Unfortunately this family is refusing to be tested, is not co-operating with authorities and is refusing to reveal where they have been.”

Queensland Health confirmed later on Thursday that all family members had been tested and results were expected on ­Friday.

Meanwhile, a 46-year-old truck driver tested positive on the Gold Coast after spending five contagious days in the community. The man, from Win­daroo in Logan, has since driven south into NSW.

Chief health officer Jeannette Young said she was “very worried about these cases” and urged unvaccinated Queenslanders to get the jab.

“We need to get as many ­people in Queensland vaccin­ated as possible – we are ­nowhere near where we need to be,” Dr Young said.

“We are going to see spread and if we do not have enough people vaccinated, and we do not today, we are going to see what is happening in NSW and Victoria.

“It is just a matter of time – it could be tomorrow.”

Dr Young said she “totally endorsed” Premier Annastacia Palas­zczuk’s push for more data about how the Covid-19 Delta variant affected children younger than 12. Ms Palaszczuk faced a national backlash on Thursday after casting doubt on Australia’s reopening plans. “This is a serious issue that needs a serious discussion,” she told parliament. “These are questions that I want answers to.”