Overview
In response to the latest local case of COVID-19 in Brisbane, in a hotel quarantine worker, Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has announced that the entire Greater Brisbane region — spanning the Brisbane, Logan, Ipswich, Moreton and Redlands local government areas — is going into lockdown for three days. The shutdown will start at 6pm on Friday, January 8 and run through until 6pm on Monday, January 11.
"All residents living in those areas will be required to stay at home. Think of it as a long weekend at home," the Premier said at her daily press conference today, Friday, January 8. "We need to do this... If we do not do this now, it could end up being a 30-day lockdown. So we will do a very strong three-day lockdown in those areas," she continued.
The Greater Brisbane region will return to the rules in place during March's lockdown — which means that you're only allowed to leave the house for four reasons. So, you can only head out for work or education if you can't do that at home, for essential shopping, for exercise in your local area, and for health care or to provide support for a vulnerable person.
While Queensland has had community cases of the coronavirus before — including back in July and August, when restrictions were tightened only weeks after they had been relaxed from the first lockdown — the state is being particularly cautious in the current instance because it involves the new, more contagious UK strain of COVID-19. In today's press conference, Chief Health Officer Dr Jeanette Young noted that this strain is 70 percent more infectious, hence the need to lockdown to try to get any community spread under control.
As part of the lockdown, there is a limit of two visitors in homes. Masks are also compulsory for the three days of lockdown, and are required to be worn everywhere in Greater Brisbane's local government areas, other than if you're at your own home.
Cinemas, entertainment and recreation venues will all close, as will places of worship, while cafes, pubs and restaurants are only allowed to open for takeaway service. Weddings can only have ten guests, and funerals can only have 20 attendees.
Also, folks who decide to come to the Greater Brisbane region during the lockdown will be bound by the same restrictions, although travel is discouraged — and no one should leave Greater Brisbane during this period. The government strongly encourages non-residents currently in Greater Brisbane to remain until the end of the lockdown.
And, if you've been in the Greater Brisbane area since January 2 but you're now elsewhere, you still must quarantine wherever you are. You'll also need to wear a mask when you leave your home — for one of the permitted reasons.
Announcing the news, the Premier said that "we have learned from Victoria, South Australia and New South Wales that a short, sharp lockdown is better than a long one — and this a more contagious strain. All we can do is stay home and stay safe and please get tested".
Queensland Health is maintaining an active register of locations that have been visited by positive COVID-19 cases, which you can check out on its website. Extra testing clinics have been set up, and you can find a rundown of clinic locations online as well.
For more information about the status of COVID-19 in Queensland, head to the QLD COVID-19 hub and the Queensland Health website. More details about the lockdown and associated restrictions can also be found on the Queensland Health website.