AAP General News Wire, 21 September 2021:
Byron and Tweed shire residents in NSW will only be allowed to enter Queensland for essential work and limited essential purposes from 1am on Wednesday.
Queensland will remove Byron Bay and Tweed Heads from the border bubble after the NSW government ordered those shires into a seven-day COVID-19 lockdown.
The state government says Byron and Tweed shire residents will only be allowed to enter Queensland for essential work, emergency volunteering and other limited essential purposes from 1am on Wednesday.
Previously they had been allowed to cross into Queensland for work, education, compassionate care or essential shopping, provided they've had one vaccine dose.
The announcement comes as NSW moved to lock down Byron and Tweed from 5pm on Tuesday after a COVID-19 case was infectious in both shires last week.
Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk had foreshadowed changes to the border bubble earlier on Tuesday.
"The concern is, of course, if there are cases in northern NSW," Ms Palaszczuk told reporters.
"That will present a real risk to the southern parts of the Gold Coast, where I have thousands of families holidaying on the Gold Coast at the moment."
Removing Byron and Tweed from the bubble has complicated interstate travel for other border zone residents further south.
For Ballina, Richmond Valley and Clarence Valley shires residents the most direct route to Queensland is via Byron and Tweed.
Queensland Health said people entering the state from non-restricted border zone local government areas in NSW can do so if they transit through Byron and Tweed without stopping, in a private vehicle, in under two hours…….
Queensland Health, media release, 21 September 2021
Updated border restrictions for northern NSW
Increased border restrictions will be reinstated for the local government areas (LGA) of Byron Shire and Tweed Shire, as New South Wales announce an increased COVID-19 public health risk.
Byron and Tweed LGAs will become part of the restricted New South Wales border zone from 1am Wednesday 22 September.
Border zone residents who have been to Byron and Tweed LGAs will only be allowed into Queensland for limited essential purposes.
Queensland residents may only return to Queensland if they have entered a restricted area for limited essential purposes.
Those entering Queensland from a non-restricted LGA, who must transit through a restricted LGA, can do so if they transit, without stopping, using private transport for no more than two hours.
To enter Queensland from an LGA within the border zone you must:
complete a Queensland entry pass
get tested if you develop any COVID-19 symptoms after arriving in Queensland
monitor the list of interstate exposure venues daily (at least once every 24 hours) from the time you complete a declaration and for 14 days after arriving in Queensland
comply with face mask requirements.
Anyone who is currently in Queensland but has visited the area in the past 14 days should get tested if they have symptoms and isolate until they receive a negative result.
We will continue to monitor the situation in New South Wales and review restrictions as the situation evolves.
For more information about the border restrictions, visit www.qld.gov.au/health/covid19/update.
Public Health Alert – new exposure sites at Brisbane Airport
A public health alert is being issued for contact tracing locations at the Brisbane Domestic Airport after a previously confirmed positive case transited from New South Wales to the Northern Territory, via Brisbane.
The case was infectious on the flight to Brisbane, a flight from Brisbane to Northern Territory and while within the airport on 17 September 2021.
Please contact Northern Territory health authorities for specific information relating to this case.
We are asking all Queenslanders to regularly monitor the list of exposure venues on the Queensland Health website and follow the public health advice, as there may be more locations.
Contact tracing venues can be found at https://www.health.qld.gov.au/tracing.
A reminder for all Queenslanders – if you have any COVID-19 symptoms at any time, no matter how mild, you should immediately get tested for COVID-19.
ENDS
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