Ipswich residents along with Brisbane, Logan, Moreton and Redlands council areas will go into a three day lockdown from 6pm tonight (Friday 8 January).
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk declared the Greater Brisbane area a hotspot and said the government was going to go hard and go early to stop the spread of the highly contagious UK strain on COVID.
“From 6pm tonight, Friday, to 6pm Monday all residents living in those areas will be required to stay at home,” Premier Palaszczuk said.
“Think of it as a long weekend at home.
“We need to do this I have accepted the strong advice from Dr Young.
“If we don’t do this now, it could be a 30 day lockdown.”
The Premier said there will be only four reasons people will be allowed to leave their homes.
“They are: To go to essential work – if you can work from home, please do that. It is coming into a weekend, so that is good news.
“You can leave home if you are providing healthcare or support for a vulnerable person you can leave home for essential shopping, but within your local area and the fourth reason is to exercise in your local neighbourhood.
“I know this will be tough on businesses over the next few days but I am thinking about your long-term futures as well.”
The Premier added that if you leave your home you must wear a mask.
“So, if you are leaving home, you are leaving your place of residence, from 6pm Friday to 6pm Monday and you will living in those council areas, again, let me say them – Brisbane, Logan, Ipswich, Moreton and Redlands – you must wear a mask.”
Residents of the Greater Brisbane area will not be allowed to travel on holidays until Tuesday, 12 January.
You are allowed two visitors to your home if that is required for specific purposes.
Queensland Chief Health Officer Jeannette Young said the woman who has been infected with the new UK strain of coronavirus has been exceptionally helpful with contact tracing.
“I believe if we can get on top of this today we will be able to manage it,” Dr Young said.
“We know that strain is 70 per cent more infectious, so we need to act really fast and find every single case now.”
Queensland Police Commissioner Katarina Carroll said they will be conducting additional patrols, random intercepts to make sure everyone is complying with the lockdown directives.
“Any breach of the Chief Medical Officer’s directions within this scenario, at present, carries a $1300 fine, people need to understand that,” Commissioner Carroll said.
“You should remain in your home and in your local communities for the coming three days.
“You should wear masks (in public), you should practice social distancing.”
Anyone who has been to the following locations – regardless of whether they have symptoms or not – should get tested and isolate until they receive their result.
Critically, even if a negative test result is received, Queensland Health are advising to continue to monitor for symptoms and get retested if necessary.
- Saturday 2 January – 7am – Train from Altandi station to Roma street
- Saturday 2 January – 4pm – Train from Central Station to Altandi station
- Sunday 3 January – 11am -12pm – Woolworths, Calamvale North
- Tuesday 5 January – 7.30am – 8am – Coles, Sunnybank Hills
- Tuesday 5 January – 8am – 8.15am – Newsagent, Sunnybank Hills Shopping Town
For the latest contact tracing alerts, visit the Queensland Health website.
For anyone with concerns or is unsure if they need to get tested or isolate, call 13 HEALTH (13 43 25 84).
To find your nearest testing clinic, visit https://www.qld.gov.au/covid19testing
The list of contact tracing locations is available at https://www.qld.gov.au/health/covid-19/contact-tracing
Read also:
>>> Visitor restrictions imposed on Ipswich hospitals and facilities
COVID-19 Symptoms include:
Fever
Cough
Sore throat
Shortness of breath
Runny nose
Fatigue
Loss of smell and/or taste
Diarrhoea
Vomiting or nausea
Other symptoms people may experience include muscle or joint pain, and loss of appetite.
