Covid Qld: Range of restrictions to be lifted for fully vaccinated as masks ditched

A range of restrictions will be lifted for fully vaccinated people only, once the state hits 80 per cent double dosed, while all Queenslanders can ditch their masks in the next couple of days.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has announced a range of restrictions will be lifted for fully vaccinated Queenslanders once the state hits 80 per cent double dosed.

It means unvaccinated people will be banned from most venues from December 17, with police to enforce the policy at all venues.

IN DETAIL: ALL THE RESTRICTIONS BEING LIFTED FOR FULLY VACCINATED QUEENSLANDERS

Ms Palaszczuk said there would be no Covid restrictions on pubs, cafes, cinemas, stadiums or shopping centres as long as staff and customers are fully vaccinated.

Events at all state government stadiums including Suncorp, The Gabba, Queensland Country Bank and Metricon will be for fully vaccinated Queenslanders only, including staff.

This will include Big Bash, T20, One Day Internationals, NRL, AFL, State of Origin and concerts.

Queensland is lifting restrictions for the fully-vaccinated. Photo: Annastacia Palaszczuk/Twitter

“There will be no restrictions on densities as soon as Queensland hits 80 per cent vaccinated,” she said.

“Queenslanders have shown time and time again that they’re prepared to step up.”

In addition, only vaccinated people will be allowed to visit aged care facilities, hospitals, prisons and disability services except in the case of end of life, childbirth or emergencies.

The fully vaccinated will be able to show their vaccine status to venues via the QLD Check-in app, with Ms Palaszczuk saying people would be able to upload their vaccination certificate into the app by mid November.

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has announced major changes for fully vaccinated. Photo: Dan Peled

Funerals may still be subjected to the density restrictions that are outlined in Queensland’s current Covid roadmap, however. This is also the case for offices.

At current rates, Queensland is expected to be reach 80 per cent fully vaccinated on December 17.

Ms Palaszczuk said she was sure businesses would do the right thing because they would not want their patrons falling sick with Covid.

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Jono Searle

She said there was still a lot of logistic planning around how the hard road border would operate once interstate borders were open and there were different rules for vaccinated and unvaccinated travellers.

Police Commissioner Katarina Carroll said police did not expect businesses to police vaccination status but noncompliance would not be tolerated.

She said businesses should display the rules and ask people to show that they were vaccinated.

“If there is no evidence, they can ask them to leave,” she said.

“And if they don’t leave, they can call the police.”

Ms Palaszczuk said Queensland Health would look at circumstances involving vulnerable people in prisons and health facilities who couldn’t get vaccinated.

She said the rules applied to people aged 16 and over.

But she encouraged families to get their children aged over 12 protected too.

“We want people to enjoy the school holidays,” she said.

“So if you haven’t been vaccinated, go and talk to your GP.”

Deputy Premier Steven Miles said from December 17 people who are vaccinated will be allowed to go to numerous venues.

“This is a reward for people who have been vaccinated … so their lives can get back to normal,” he said.

Mr Miles said it followed consultation with business and stakeholders.

Health Minister Yvette D’Ath said the news was good for business because they would be able to operate at full capacity again once people were fully-vaccinated.

Ms D’Ath said young people would be particularly excited about the return of crowds for live music.

“We will have 100 per cent capacity again because of these new rules,” she said.

She said it was important to keep checking in with the app.

“We have listened to business, we have responded,” Ms D’Ath said.

“The key issue here is the virus is coming... so please don’t wait. It is coming, it is going to infect the unvaccinated.”

Queenslanders have come out in force to do the right thing and get vaccinated. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Dan Peled

The new public health measures are the “clarity” the state needed over the additional freedoms for vaccinated people, according to infectious diseases expert Dr Paul Griffin.

“I think it’s generally a good idea because we know those people are at lower risk, but hopefully it will also serve as an incentive for the unvaccinated to go along and get their vaccine so they can similarly enjoy those freedoms.”

Dr Griffin said as the pool of unvaccinated people gets smaller, it becomes “extremely challenging” to get to the 90 per cent mark, but that the new rules could be the push the state needs.

“A number of those businesses have a duty of care to their staff and their patrons to keep them as safe as possible as we adapt to living with Covid,” he said.

“I think it’s a really good idea for this to be something that sticks around for a reasonable period of time.”

Ms Palaszczuk said mandating vaccines for teachers was still “under consideration”.

She said people should expect only fully-vaccinated people would be allowed on cruises as well.

It comes as the state recorded no new local cases overnight and edged closed to the 80 per cent first dose threshold, at which time the Premier confirmed mask mandates would be ended.

The Premier said the decision was made “as a reward and encouragement once we reach 80 per cent single dose we can do without a mask”.

The mask move, exclusively revealed by The Courier-Mail, means Queenslanders will be able to ditch their masks within days and breathe easier in schools, offices, cafes, shops, pubs and clubs. And parents have received positive signs around the future of dreaded home schooling.

Acting chief health officer Dr Peter Aitken said the relaxing of masks was about “giving people a breather”.

But he said he would still recommend people wear them where they can’t socially distance themselves.

He said authorities were now asking people to exercise their own judgments.

Queensland recorded no new local Covid cases overnight, while one new case was detected in hotel quarantine.

With 8162 vaccines administered by Queensland Health yesterday, the state reached 79.63 per cent first dose.

“We’re getting close to that 80 per cent,” Ms Palaszczuk said.

Ms D’Ath again warned the virus was coming, urging anyone who hadn’t received the jab to get it straight away.

Acting chief health officer Peter Aitken said NSW reports had shown if someone was unvaccinated, they were 16 times more likely to end up in ICU.

Deputy Commissioner Steve Gollschewski said not everyone would be intercepted when crossing into Queensland by road, when restrictions lifted.

“But what people can expect is that there will be a presence at our borders,” he said.

He said the vast majority of people did the right thing but there would be a focus on those that weren’t.

The state has hit 79.6 per cent first dose. More than 8600 vaccines were administered by Queensland Health in the past 24 hours.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said people aged 16 to 39 needed to come forward to get the jab.

Ms D’Ath said there were fewer than 100 show cause notices issued to health workers who refused to be vaccinated.

She said there were still about 4000 on paid leave, but there were hold-outs who were now getting vaccinated.

“Inevitably there will be a small percentage who don’t want to get vaccinated,” she said.

There were 8121 tests and 8632 vaccines in the past 24 hours.

Originally published as Covid Qld: Range of restrictions to be lifted for fully vaccinated as masks ditched