September 25, 2020
COVID-19 restrictions eased for residents in Somerset Regional Council area at 1:00am on Friday.
Somerset residents are now on the same level of restrictions as the rest of Queensland, ie. the gathering limit is 30 people (for any gathering without a COVID Safe plan), and visitors are allowed back into aged care centres, disability residences and hospitals.
The restrictions in Somerset – along with restrictions in the Local Government Areas of Brisbane City, Ipswich City, Logan City, Scenic Rim, Lockyer Valley, Moreton Bay and Redland City- were imposed on August 22 in the wake of the cluster linked to the Brisbane Youth Detention Centre at Wacol.
Chief Health Officer Dr Jeannette Young said that as 14 days had passed without anyone infectious being out in the community all the restrictions which had been imposed due to this cluster could now be lifted.
A total of 55 cases have been linked to the Wacol outbreak.
On Friday morning, there were five active cases in Queensland with two patients in hospital.
There are currently 4010 people in hotel quarantine in 24 hotels across the State.
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said Queensland was doing so well that more restrictions could be eased from 1:00am on October 1, including increasing the density of people at outdoor venues with a COVID Safe Plan from one per 4 sq m to one per 2 sq m.
More people will be allowed into theme parks and zoos and end-of-year school and sports events can increase from 500 to 1000 people outdoors (with a COVID Safe checklist).
The capacity at sports stadiums will also be increased from 50 per cent to 75 per cent.
Also from 1:00am on Friday, the ACT is now longer considered a COVID-19 “hotspot” by Queensland, meaning ACT residents are now welcome to enter Queensland, although they must arrive by air, must have a Border “G” Pass and must not have been in a declared hotspot during the previous 14 days.
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From October 1, the border zone in NSW will be extended again (see maps, below).
Under Border Restrictions Direction (No 15), Queensland residents will be able to travel anywhere in the NSW border zone for any purpose, and NSW border zone residents will be able to travel anywhere in Queensland for any purpose.
People travelling in either direction will still require an “X” Pass.
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