Greater Brisbane lockdown ends tonight but new rules on wearing masks
The lockdown of more than 2.3 million south-east Queensland residents will end as scheduled at 6pm after the state recorded no new locally-acquired coronavirus cases on Monday.
While the Greater Brisbane lockdown is set to end tonight, the Queensland Government has announced new rules on wearing masks.Credit:Tertius Pickard
There were four new cases detected in hotel quarantine, taking the state's total to 25 active cases.
There were 18,904 tests conducted in the past 24 hours.
For the next 10 days, masks must still be worn in shopping centres, supermarkets, retail outlets, hospitals, aged care facilities, places of worship, gyms, public transport and ride-share services.
The stay-at-home restrictions came into effect at 6pm on Friday amid fears of a community outbreak of a highly-infectious strain of COVID-19, which first emerged in the United Kingdom.
The three-day lockdown was triggered by a Brisbane cleaner working in a quarantine hotel, the Hotel Grand Chancellor, tested positive for the UK strain.
Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has not ruled out parts of the state going back into lockdown if there is a new coronavirus case identified in coming days.
"It depends if it is from this UK variant," Ms Palaszczuk said.
"This is a whole new ball game. It is something we have never seen before and this could happen in Victoria, it could happen in South Australia, Western Australia, it could happen to any state at any time.
"I don't have a crystal ball but this is fantastic news today and what we are saying is for the next ten days when you are going into those public indoor areas we need you to wear your mask and especially on public transport as well."
Ms Palaszczuk stressed “you'll have to carry a face mask with you at all times”.
Masks: the rules
- Must be worn indoors at places including shopping centres, hospitals, churches, supermarkets, cinemas, ride-shares services and public transport.
- Masks must be worn at work if you cannot socially distance.
- Not needed while exercising outdoors or in a private vehicle.
Gathering restrictions will remain in place across Brisbane for the next 10 days as the city works to stamp out any chance of a mutant strain of COVID-19 spreading in the community.
Greater Brisbane, including Brisbane, Ipswich, Moreton Bay. Logan and Redland council areas, will be subject to new restrictions until 1am January 22.
Businesses and venues:
- Indoors: one person per 4 square metres
- Outdoors: one person per 2 square metres
- Seated eating and drinking only
- Smaller venues up to 200 square metres: one person per 2 square metres up to a maximum of 50
- No dancing except for at weddings
Gatherings:
- Up to 20 people in homes and public spaces
- Weddings: up to 100. No restrictions on dancing
- Funerals: up to 100
- Indoor concert venues or theatres: 50 per cent capacity or 1 person per 4 square metres (whichever is greater)
- Outdoor stadiums: 50 per cent capacity with COVID-safe plans.
More to come
Toby Crockford is a breaking news reporter at the Brisbane Times
Lydia Lynch is Queensland political reporter for the Brisbane Times