Mask rules to ease
QUEENSLAND is on track to lift widespread COVID-19 restrictions within days, meaning face masks could soon be removed and visitors allowed back into hospitals and aged care facilities.
Mandatory face masks indoors, limits on gatherings and a ban on visitors to hospitals, aged care and disability facilities have lingered since the state’s recent three-day Greater Brisbane lockdown.
Chief Health Officer Jeannette Young said no community transmission since the Princess Alexandra Hospital cluster meant Queensland was on target to ease restrictions.
“We’ll go back to where we were prior to these outbreaks,” she said. “The slow rollback has happened, we had the three-day lockdown and then we had some restrictions for a further 14 days.
“At the end of the 14 days, assuming that we hadn’t had any cases which has been the case, we would go back to where we were prior to the last outbreak.”
Health Minister Yvette D’Ath said the snap lockdown had allowed the state to manage the virus: “If we are in a fortunate position to lift these restrictions on Thursday we will be back to having some of the lowest restrictions in the country. We’ll be more open than most economies around the world. That helps business.”
Dr Young also encouraged people to continued to be tested so authorities could locate the first case before it spreads.
“We never know how it might get back into our community,” she said.
Dr Young has flagged the easing of restrictions on Thursday if the state continues to record no new community cases of COVID-19. Here’s what is likely to change.
● Masks will not be mandatory indoors (except for airports),
but you’ll be encouraged to carry one and wear it on public transport or when social distancing is not possible.
● Patrons of pubs and clubs will be permitted to stand indoors while eating or drinking. ● You can have 50 people gather in homes, up from 30.
● Visitors permitted to aged care, hospitals, disability care and correctional facilities.
● Dancing at nightclubs and indoor venues permitted.