Greater Brisbane goes into a three-day lockdown after recording 10 new cases of Coronavirus from 5 pm
Queensland has recorded 10 new cases of coronavirus, four of those locally acquired, with Greater Brisbane to go into a three-day lockdown.
Key points:
Greater Brisbane will head into lockdown from 5:00pm today until 5:00pm on Thursday, just before the start of the Easter long weekend. This could be extended. The lockdown will be reviewed on Wednesday night.
It comes after four new cases of Coronavirus from community transmission
Two of those cases are linked to the recent cluster
For everyone in the Greater Brisbane region including Moreton Bay Region — over the age of 12 – masks are mandatory when you are outside of your own home.
Schools close from March 30 to conclusion of Easter Holidays on April 19.
Restaurants and Cafes to serve take away only
Residents can only leave home for work, healthcare, essential shopping or exersize in their local area and masks required. On essential shopping please do not panic buy there is plenty of supply and your free to conduct essential shopping. On Exercise, only in your local area – either in your family group, or anyone by themselves can exercise with one other person from a different household
Only two visitors are allowed at homes in Greater Brisbane and Moreton Bay Region — outside of Greater Brisbane, gatherings are limited to 30.
Greater Brisbane will now go into a three-day lockdown as of 5:00pm today and masks will be mandatory.
The strongest restrictions will apply to everyone in the Ipswich, Logan, Redlands, Moreton and Brisbane council areas.
This includes the Ipswich, Logan, Redlands, Moreton and Brisbane council areas.
If you have been in Greater Brisbane since March 20 – and have now left to travel to another part of the state or country – you still need to follow the lockdown rules.
You cannot travel out of Greater Brisbane, and if you are arriving you will need to follow the lockdown rules, unless you are transitting elsewhere immediately.
That includes anyone who has been in those five council areas since Saturday March 20, including those who have been vaccinated.
For everyone in the Greater Brisbane region — over the age of 12 – masks are mandatory when you are outside of your own home.
That includes wearing masks in workplaces and on public transport and in ride shares.
Masks do not need to be worn when you are eating or doing vigorous exercise or in cars.
There are exceptions for those with medical exemptions.
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said six of the cases were overseas acquired and four were community transmission, two of those were linked to the 26-year-old landscaper from Stafford who tested positive to the highly infectious UK strain on Thursday night.
Two of the cases have an unknown origin.
"Two are known cases of one of the previous people, then we have two under investigation but we believe one of them is a nurse from the PA hospital," Ms Palaszczuk said.
"Now what this says to us is the fact that there are now more community transmission and these people have been out and about in the community.
"And that is of now concern to Queensland Health and of course concern to me."
One of the new cases has been infectious in the community while in Gladstone and health authorities are trying to identify where that person has been.
Schools closed from tomorrow
Schools will close from tomorrow and people in Greater Brisbane will only be able to leave their homes for essential reasons like grocery shopping, exercise, work and medical care.
Ms Palaszczuk said a three-day lockdown was necessary.
"This is the UK strain. It is highly infectious," she said.
"We need to do this now to avoid a longer lockdown.
"This will also enable our health authorities to get on top of the contact tracing.
"This is a huge job now that we have to do because we've got more of this community transmission.
Chief Health Officer Dr Jeannette Young said the new cases meant the department was now dealing with seven cases from the most recent cluster.
"The initial two gentleman, and now a brother of one of those that we think could be that link between the PA doctor who was infectious two weeks ago and this cluster," she said.
"Then we have two colleagues of the second new case that tested positive yesterday, and one of those people was in Gladstone for three days while they were infectious."
She said very late last night she was notified of another case, who was the PA hospital nurse who worked in the COVID ward.
"But I'm not sure that's where she's acquired it. We will have to wait for genome sequencing results," she said.
"Her sister is also positive, and we're not sure where the transmission has happened there.
"They have recently been in Byron Bay during their infectious period.
"So we now have significant community transmission and significant numbers of venues of concern all through Brisbane."
The restrictions will be reviewed on Wednesday night.
Ms Palaszczuk urged people not to panic buy and said supermarkets were well stocked.
"I know in is a really big call, I know it is really tough," she said.
"We have Easter coming up, we have school holidays coming up but let's do it now and let's do it right, and let's see if we can come through it at the other end."
"I know this will mean some disruption to people's lives but we've done this before and we've got through it over those three days in the past and if everyone does the right thing, I'm sure that we will be able to get through it again."
Close contact sites:
Saturday, March 20
• Shinobi Ramen Noodle shop, Westfield Carindale Shopping Centre between 12:00pm and 2:16pm
• Black Hops Brewery in East Brisbane between 12:22pm and 1:51pm
• Green Beacon Brewing Co. in Teneriffe between 2:00pm and 3:12pm
• Eatons Hill Hotel in Eatons Hill between 3:44pm and 5:30pm
• Sunday, March 21 (between 4.40pm and 4.50pm) – Liquorland at Dolphins Central Shopping Centre, Ashmole Road and Klingner Road, Kippa-Ring
• Monday, March 22 (between 7.14am and 7.27am) – Bunnings Rothwell, Cnr of Anzac Avenue and Bremner Road, Rothwell
• Tuesday, March 23 (between 7am and 8am) – Redcliffe Train Line – Kippa Ring to Lawnton
• Tuesday, March 23 (between 2pm and 3pm) – Redcliffe Train Line – Lawnton to Kippa Ring
• Wednesday, March 24 (between 2.30pm and 3.30pm) – Redcliffe Train Line – Lawnton to Kippa Ring
• Thursday, March 25 (between 1.26pm and 1.33pm) – Gin Gin Bakery, 41 Mulgrave St, Gin Gin
• Thursday, March 25 (between 2.35pm and 2.45pm) – Miriam Vale Star Roadhouse and Caravan Park, Miriam Vale
• Thursday, March 25 (between 5.45pm and 6.45pm) – Redcliffe Train Line – Lawnton to Kippa Ring
• Friday, March 26 (between 12.09pm and 12.33pm) – Coles, Stockland Gladstone, Gladstone Central
• Friday, March 26 (between 2.30pm and 3.30pm) – Redcliffe Train Line – Lawnton to Kippa Ring
• Friday, March 26 (between 3pm and 3.20pm) – Woolworths at Peninsula Fair Shopping Centre, 272 Anzac Avenue, Kippa-Ring
• Friday, March 26 (between 4.46pm and 5pm) – Stockland Gladstone (including BWS), Gladstone
• Saturday, March 27 (between 12.50pm and 12.55pm) – IGA Redcliffe, Redcliffe
• Tuesday, March 23 (between 3pm and 3.30pm) – Outside Westpac, Peninsula Fair shopping centre, Kippa Ring
BYRON BAY
Anyone who has been to the below sites at the relevant times is being urged to get tested immediately and to quarantine until the results come back negative:
• Friday, March 26 (between 7.15pm and 8.30pm) – Byron Beach Hotel, 1 Bay St, Byron Bay, NSW
• Sunday, March 28 (between 8am and 9.30am) – The Farm Byron Bay, 11 Ewingsdale Road, Ewingsdale, NSW
A number of casual contact sites were added to the Queensland Health contact tracing site on Saturday night.
Anyone who visited these locations is advised to get tested and isolate until they receive a negative result.
See the Queensland Health for the full list of locations.
People who visited these venues at the times listed are instructed to immediately quarantine at home for 14 days from the date of contact and fill out an online contact-tracing form.
Casual contact sites:
Sunday, March 21
- The Standard Market Company, Gasworks Plaza, Newstead between 9:50am and 10:20am
Monday, March 22
- Bunnings in Lawnton between 3:15pm and 3:30pm
- Strathpine Plaza Shopping Centre between 3:43pm and 3:49pm
Tuesday, March 23
- Zambrero in Lawnton between 12:51pm and 12:55pm
- Lawnton Fruit Market in Lawnton between 1:57pm and 2:05pm
- Nellas Gourmet Tucker in Lawnton between 3:37pm and 3:47pm
- Poolwerx Strathpine in Strathpine between 3:15pm and 3:57pm
- Dan Murphy's in Strathpine between 7:26pm and 7:36pm
Wednesday, March 24
- Lawnton Country Markets in Lawnton between 2:36pm and 2:43pm
Thursday, March 25
- Aldi Stafford, Stafford Shopping Centre between 8:30am and 8:45 am
- BWS in Strathpine between 6:15pm and 6:30pm
- Ceres Pizza Cafe in Strathpine between 7pm and 7:58pm
• Friday, March 26 (between 10.22am and 11.23am) – Spinnaker Park Cafe, 222 Alf O’Rourke Drive, Callemondah
• Friday, March 26 (between 7.23pm and 9.30pm) – Auckland House, 60 Flinders Parade, Gladstone Central
• Saturday, March 27 (between 7.33am and 8.20am) – Auckland House, 60 Flinders Parade, Gladstone Central
Ms Palaszczuk urged people not to panic buy and said supermarkets were well stocked.
"I know in is a really big call, I know it is really tough," she said.
"We have Easter coming up, we have school holidays coming up but let's do it now and let's do it right, and let's see if we can come through it at the other end."
The Premier has declared Greater Brisbane a hotspot and has urged other state and territory leaders to do the same.
Other Reasons to leave home that are permitted include:
Child custody arrangements
Legal obligations
Visit for end of life
Attend funeral or wedding in line with restrictions (20 at a funeral and 10 at a wedding)
In emergency situations
To escape harm
If you entered the impacted area responding to an emergency as an emergency health services or emergency service worker or national defence, state security or police officer
If required to allow an essential service to occur such as the transport of freight in and out of Greater Brisbane
You’re directed to leave by an emergency health officer
You have an exemption from the Chief Health Officer
Other rules
Schools will be closed from March 30 until Term 2 starts on April 19, except for vulnerable children and those of essential workers
Non-essential businesses are not allowed to operate. Cinemas, entertainment and recreation venues, hairdressers, beauty and personal care services, gyms and places of worship will all close
Wedding ceremonies capped at 10 people, including celebrant, witnesses and couple
Funerals capped at 20 people, excluding officials
Queensland Health advises receptions and wakes should be postponed
Cafes, pubs and restaurants no dine-in customers – takeaway allowed
Boot camps and personal training to two people outdoors (including the trainer), with physical distancing observed
Social sport is permitted, such as golf and tennis, limited to two people outdoors, with physical distancing observed
Community facilities to remain open for the purpose of hosting essential voluntary or public services, such as food banks or homeless services Community facilities may continue to operate if they provide formal out of school hours care. Physical distancing must be observed to the extent possible
Food markets and farmers markets to continue to operate
Real estate auctions and open-house inspections to private appointments only
If you live outside Greater Brisbane, you can transit through the hotspot without stopping