Greater Brisbane's Gathering and Venue Restrictions Will Ease Again From 6am Tomorrow
You'll be able to have up to 100 people over to your house, and hospitality density quotas are easing; however, outdoor stadiums will bring in new capacity caps.
It has been a big 24 hours for Queensland, with Brisbane just named the host of the 2032 Olympic Games. And, if you're a Greater Brisbane resident and you're keen to celebrate, you'll be able to do so in more places and with more people from 6am tomorrow, Friday, July 23.
As announced today, Thursday, July 22, by Deputy Premier Steven Miles, most of the current COVID-19 restrictions throughout the Brisbane City Council, Logan, Moreton Bay, Ipswich, Redlands, Sunshine Coast, Gold Coast, Noosa, Somerset, Lockyer Valley and Scenic Rim Local Government Areas will ease again in the morning. This was already flagged last week, when the present rules were extended into this week, but it has now been confirmed based on low local coronavirus case numbers in Queensland.
Wondering what's changing? Firstly, you'll be able to have up to 100 people over to your house — and there'll be no limits for folks gathering in outdoor public spaces.
Another big shift that'll hit at the same time: amending the rules for hospitality businesses, with a one person per two-square-metres capacity cap coming into effect. That'll apply to clubs, pubs, bars, cafes and restaurants, as well as to galleries, museums, convention centres and places of worship. If these types of venues have seated and ticketed capacity, they can fill those areas to 100 percent, too.
While indoor ticketed venues will be able to fill to 100 percent, there will be an exception when it comes to outdoor stadiums. In a change to the usual rules — and to the current conditions — a 75-percent cap will be put in place for outdoor stadiums that can seat more than 20,000 people. So, if you have a trip to the football in your future, you'll be surrounded by a smaller crowd.
Weddings can increase to one person per two-square-metres or 200 people. Funerals can proceed under the same conditions as well.
When the changes come into effect, they'll bring the Greater Brisbane area in line with the rules currently in place around the rest of the state. Accordingly, all of Queensland will be under the same conditions in almost all situations — except when it comes to wearing masks.
Donning face coverings will still be required in the 11 LGAs where they're presently already mandatory. So, if you're in the Brisbane City Council, Logan, Moreton Bay, Ipswich, Redlands, Sunshine Coast, Gold Coast, Noosa, Somerset, Lockyer Valley and Scenic Rim areas and you're not at home, you'll need to keep wearing them until 6am on Friday, July 30. Obviously, you'll always need to have one with you — and you'll still need to wear a mask in all indoor spaces other than your own house, all indoor workplaces unless it is unsafe to do so, on public transport, in taxis and ride share vehicles, and outdoors, unless you're doing vigorous exercise.
The government has also advised that masks will now also be mandated in all indoor ticketed venues, including stadiums, theatres and cinemas, statewide.
Queensland is also closing its borders to all of New South Wales from 1am on Friday, July 23, which the Deputy Premier said was an important step in order to proceed with easing local restrictions.
The Sunshine State currently has 26 active cases, with none reported in the past 24 hours.
As always, Queenslanders are asked to keep social distancing, maintaining the hygiene practices that have been in place since March 2020, and checking the state's list of exposure sites — and to get tested if you're feeling even the slightest possible COVID-19 symptoms.
For more information about the status of COVID-19 in Queensland, head to the QLD COVID-19 hub and the Queensland Health website.
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