BREAKING: Queensland’s border with New South Wales will close to reduce the risk of COVID-19 spread.
This is an important step that allows Queensland to safely ease COVID-19 restrictions across the state. Measures include:
• Declaration of all of New South Wales as a hotspot from 1am on Friday, July 23. A border zone will be put into place, however residents living in the nominated border zone will be able to come into Queensland for a limited range of reasons, including health care, work, education, essential shopping and if they provide care to vulnerable people.
– Queenslanders will be able to travel into the New South Wales border zone for similar reasons, but not further than the border zone.
– Queensland residents can return from non-border zone locations in New South Wales, but will need to complete 14 days in hotel quarantine.
• Mask wearing will be extended and strengthened in the 11 South East Queensland local government areas of Brisbane, Moreton Bay, Ipswich, Logan City, Redlands, Sunshine Coast, Noosa, Somerset, Lockyer Valley, Scenic Rim and Gold Coast for one more week until 6am on Friday, July 30. Masks will now be required to be worn in all indoor seated, ticketed venues. This includes all stadiums, theatres and cinemas.
• Stadiums across the state with a capacity of 20,000 spectators or more will be required to reduce capacity to 75 per cent. Spectators will now be required to wear masks while seated unless consuming food or drink, in addition to current mask wearing requirements.
• Density restrictions in South East Queensland will be eased to match current levels in the regions. This means increased numbers of people allowed at weddings, funerals and indoor events.
New South Wales will remain a declared hotspot for four weeks, with a possible earlier review pending the outcome of their current outbreak.
The local government areas and regions in the border zone are Ballina, Bourke, Brewarrina, Broken Hill, Byron, Clarence Valley, Glen Innes Severn, Gwydir, Inverell, Kyogle, Lismore, Moree Plains, Richmond Valley, Tenterfield, Tweed, Unincorporated Far West and Walgett.
