In detail: The new restrictions for Greater Brisbane after lockdown lifted

Lockdown has been lifted but Greater Brisbane still faces 10 days of restrictions to avoid the spread of the UK variant of COVID-19. SEE THE FULL EXPLAINER HERE.

Lockdown may be over but Greater Brisbane will still have to abide by restrictions for the next 10 days, in a bid to stop the spread of the highly infectious UK variant of COVID-19.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk announced this morning that the three-day lockdown would end as planned at 6pm on Monday.

However, she also revealed that until 1am on Friday January 22, several restrictions will stay in place.

Chief Health Officer Jeannette Young joined Ms Palaszczuk this morning and said the restrictions mirrored those in other states, insisting it was important that the Greater Brisbane region came out of the lockdown “carefully and sensibly”.

Here is your cheat sheet for the next 10 days.

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk provides a COVID-19 update on Monday morning. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Josh Woning.

1. Where do I have to wear a mask?

Masks must be carried at all times and must be worn in indoor places including shopping centres and supermarkets, gyms, workplaces where people cannot socially distance and where it is safe, places of worship, libraries, public transport, taxis and ride-share vehicles. But you don’t need to wear a mask driving your car anymore. You don’t have to wear a mask while at the hairdressers or getting a beauty treatment if that’s not possible, but Dr Young says if it is possible, you might want to pop one on just to be safe.

2. Do I have to wear a mask at the office?

You do not have to wear a mask if you are socially-distanced from your colleagues at the office. But if that’s not possible you will need to wear your mask. People working outside, like construction workers, don’t need to wear a mask. Masks also don’t need to be worn if they would make work dangerous, like if a person is using a machine and the mask could get caught. Workplace health and safety rules override the direction to wear a mask.

3. Do I still have to wear a mask while exercising?

No. You don’t need to wear a mask outside when you’re at a safe distance from others, like when you’re walking a dog or going for a run. But you do have to wear one at the gym, even if you’re socially distanced. That’s because you’re breathing hard and that helps spread the virus if people are infectious and don’t know it.

Masks will no longer have to be worn when exercising outside at a safe distance from others. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Dan Peled

4. What about when I’m going out to eat?

You don’t need to wear a mask when you’re out for a meal at a cafe and restaurant, although those businesses will need to have restrictions on how many people they allow in and you’ll have to be seated at all times. The servers will need to be masked because they’re dealing with the public, but the people working in the kitchen won’t need to.

5. Can I leave Greater Brisbane after the lockdown ends?

There will be no restrictions on where you can go after 6pm tonight, but you will need to observe the same restrictions as here wherever you are. So if you visit the Gold Coast for the day, you will need to mask up if you go shopping or are in close proximity to others.

6. How many people can I have over to my house?

People will be able to have a total of 20 people at their house and to meet up in public spaces, like a picnic in a park. That’s including all members of the household. So if you’re a family of five, you can invite 15 people over.

7. Are weddings and funerals allowed now?

Weddings can have up to 100 and dancing is allowed. Funerals can host up to 100 people as well.

8. What was the whole point of the three-day lockdown anyway? Isn’t the incubation period two weeks?

Greater Brisbane locked down for three days to give health authorities time to track down all the people who had been in contact with the cleaner who had been in the community while infectious with the UK mutant strain of COVID. Dr Young says she’s happy they’ve chased down all close contacts and will be finished their work by tonight, allowing the lockdown to end. This doesn’t mean there won’t be more cases, but Dr Young says if any of those contacts do come down with the virus, they’re in quarantine now and won’t pose a danger to the wider community.

Other restrictions on visits to hospitals, aged care, disability accommodation and prisons will still remain while the Gabba cricket Test is also due to go ahead on January 15, but spectator capacity at the ground will be capped at 50 per cent.

A father and daughter wear face masks as they ride their bikes during the three day Greater Brisbane lockdown. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Dan Peled.

“When in doubt wear a mask,” the Premier said after announcing the restrictions on Monday morning.

Ms Palaszczuk also said she was “absolutely relieved” to have three days of no community transmission in Queensland but warned the highly contagious UK variant was “a whole new ballgame”.

She would not comment on whether one more case of community transmission of the UK variant would put the state into lockdown again.

Hospital nurses wear face masks during the first day the COVID-19 lockdown in Brisbane. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Dan Peled

SNAPSHOT

MASKS

– Must be worn in indoor places including shopping centres and supermarkets, gyms, workplaces where people cannot socially distance and where it is safe, places of worship, libraries, public transport, taxis and ride share vehicles

– Must be carried at all times

– Are not required to be worn when outdoors at a safe distance from other people (for example, walking a dog), in private vehicles or doing strenuous exercise

BUSINESSES AND VENUES

– Indoors: 1 person per 4 sqm

– Outdoors: 1 person per 2 sqm

– Seated eating and drinking only

– Smaller venues up to 200 sqm: 1 person per 2 sqm up to a maximum of 50

– No dancing except for weddings

GATHERINGS

– Up to 20 in homes and public spaces

– Weddings: up to 100. No restriction on dancing

– Funerals: up to 100

– Indoor concert venues or theatres: 50% capacity or 1 person per 4 sqm whichever is greater

– Outdoor stadiums: 50% capacity with COVID-safe plans

Originally published as In detail: The new restrictions for Greater Brisbane after lockdown lifted