Queensland Government makes Covid vaccine mandatory for cross-border essential workers

Essential workers attempting to cross from NSW into Queensland will need to have at least one Covid-19 vaccine jab from Saturday, with border residents given just one week to comply.

Unvaccinated essential workers attempting to cross the border from NSW into Queensland will be turned away from Saturday.

Queensland chief health officer Dr Jeannette Young said the measure was an attempt to suppress the spread of the delta variant into Queensland, which has run rampant through NSW.

Dr Young said absolutely essential workers, who have a border exemption to enter Queensland from NSW, must also have had at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine by 1am Saturday August 21 in order to enter Queensland or enter NSW from Queensland and then return to Queensland.

The Queensland Government has identified essential workers as police, health workers and construction workers involved in essential construction activity.

“If it’s not absolutely essential, please I urge you not to cross the border to go into Queensland from NSW or to enter New South Wales from Queensland,” Dr Young said.

Those individuals, who commute between the border zone frequently for essential work and have not yet received their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine will be fast tracked to receive the COVID-19 vaccine at a Queensland Health vaccination facility.

Queensland Health is also urging essential workers permitted to enter Queensland from a NSW border zone to keep a record of their first dose of a Covid-19 vaccination.

Goondiwindi Regional Council Mayor Lawrence Springborg said many residents have been left confused by the new restrictions.

“Council is in total support of keeping Queensland communities safe and will do everything we can to ensure compliance with directives and requirements,” Mr Springborg said.

“But in order that we and our residents can do that, we need information to be clear and concise, with more definitive explanations around what comprises ‘essential workers’ in particular.

“I do currently understand that improvements to the online system are under way, and I want to thank residents for their patience and commitment to doing the right thing by our community.”