Schoolies Week, events and concerts will be cancelled as three new cases of COVID-19 cases have been confirmed by Queensland Health all linked to a trainer at Queensland Corrective Services.
All new cases are outside the West Moreton region with two from Pimpama at the Gold Coast and the other from Forest Lake.
The 25 recruits and staff who were working with the trainer have returned negative tests and Queensland Health are now testing all 200 people linked to that academy with results expected over the weekend.
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said Schoolies Week, and other mass gatherings will be cancelled.
“Schoolies is a mass event over multiple days and it’s high risk,” she said.
“Schoolies that we have come to know over the years will not be able to go ahead in that form this year,” she said.
“No concerts, no organised events as there can be no mass gatherings.”
The Gold Coast will now be included in extra restrictions from Saturday 8am limiting gatherings to 10 people with added restrictions on Aged Care facilities and hospitals as the new cases are the first of community transmission on the Gold Coast.
Accommodation providers will be required to register guests as part of their COVID-safe plans.
Gatherings in residences including holiday units will be limited to no more than 10 people state-wide from 21 November 21 to 11 December.
Rules for restaurants, pubs and clubs are unchanged.
“We are in a world pandemic and I just hope people can understand that,” Premier Palaszczuk said.
“It has been a tough year for everybody and I thank all of the year 12s this year for the struggle that they have been through with schools closing and opening but we have had to make these decisions as it is about the health of everyone.”
Health Minister Steven Miles said these three new cases bring the total for the Brisbane Youth Detention Centre cluster to 15.
There are 20 active cases in total in Queensland with the three new cases are people all in their thirties with 21,653 tests completed over the past 24 hours.
“The turn-around time is just over 40 hours I ask people to be patient our lab staff are working around the clock literally 24 hours a day trying to turn those test around as quickly as possible,” Minister Miles said.
Chief Health Officer, Dr Jeannette Young called for people to stay home from work if they are feeling unwell.
“Symptoms for younger people can be exceptionally mild,” Dr Young said.
“So if you have any symptoms, particularly if you live in the South East corner, please get yourself tested and isolate yourself.
“It’s highly unlikely to be the flu, we have so little flu in Queensland today, we have more COVID-19 than we have flu in Queensland at this point in time.
“Whatever you do, don’t soldier on, I know Queenslanders are such hardworking people and they keep going to work because they don’t want to let down their mates. This time staying home will be what you are doing to support your colleagues at work.
“Get yourself tested, stay home and wait for the results.”
Dr Young also advised leaving contact details wherever you go.
“What if you were planning to go and see your grandmother and you gave your grandmother COVID when we know you’ve been in contact with someone with COVID, so the more people we can get to download the COVIDSafe app the better.
There are many other COVID testing locations in the West Moreton region, with some requiring a referral from your GP. See the full list here: https://www.westmoreton.health.qld.gov.au/coronavirus
Queensland Health authorities are urging anyone who displays even the mildest symptoms to get tested.
Symptoms of COVID-19 can include a fever, cough, sore throat, shortness of breath, runny nose, fatigue or loss of taste or smell.
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