Health by Luke Mortimer, Andrew Potts and Kyle Wisniewski 22nd Dec 2020 7:37 AM
Premium Content MAYOR Tom Tate has pleaded with Gold Coast residents and visitors to do the right thing as maskless Christmas crowds pack in shoulder-to-shoulder at bustling city shopping centres. He has warned social distancing and other COVID-19 prevention measures are crucial to avoid tougher restrictions being imposed, and the potential spread of the virus. Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate speaking to the media. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Steve Holland The State Government has already closed the border to almost five million Greater Sydney residents in response to an outbreak in the metropolis, which reached 83 cases on Monday.
Queensland health authorities are on high alert after a mutant, super-spreading strain of COVID-19 was found in Australia. A woman, whose husband was forced into home quarantine after being identified as a close contact of the COVID-infected person who attended The Glen Hotel last Wednesday, told The Courier-Mail that a Queensland Health contact tracer had sounded the alarm over the new UK strain, which is feared to be 70 per cent more contagious.
Queenslanders urged to get tested for COVID-19 as border shuts to NSW: Queensland’s Chief Health Officer Dr Jeanette Young is urging people to get tested for COVID-19 as the state is set to reimpose a hard border with New South Wales.
Queensland to roll out unified tracing platform after ban on paper check-ins
Queensland to roll out unified tracing platform after ban on paper check-ins
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Queensland s Health Minister Yvette D Ath says a new public health direction will mandate the use of electronic check-in processes at businesses this week, in the latest deadline for businesses as the state s hard southern border is again established for travellers from Greater Sydney.
As queues formed at fever clinics and border stops amid the growing cluster in Sydney, Ms D Ath confirmed the government would also set up its own platform for tracking patrons after efforts were frustrated by illegible paper logs.
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk also offered a slightly larger window of opportunity for Queensland residents to return without being shuffled into hotel quarantine. If you are from greater Sydney, now is not the time to travel to Queensland, she told reporters at a Sunday afternoon briefing. If you are a Queenslander and you are in greater Sydney, please return home quickly.
Residents returning before 1am on Tuesday will be able to undertake a test and quarantine in their home, if deemed suitable. Anyone else who has been in the new hotspot since December 11 will not be able to enter the state without an exemption and a hotel quarantine stay.
Contact tracing frustrations as two new quarantine cases recorded in Qld
Contact tracing frustrations as two new quarantine cases recorded in Qld
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Queensland has gone a second day without recording a new case of COVID-19 in the community, Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has confirmed, but there have been frustrations with contact tracing efforts due to poor or non-existent venue details.
The state recorded two new cases among returned overseas travellers, Ms Palaszczuk said in an update posted to social media on Sunday morning.
A woman unknowingly infected with COVID-19 visited The Glen Hotel in Eight Mile Plains on December 16, 2020.