January 28, 2021
Queensland will reopen to all of NSW at 1:00am on Monday (February 1).
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said authorities were working overtime to ensure a smooth border re-opening from next week.
“It has been a really, really long haul and it has been tough on everybody, but I have always maintained I’ve got to keep Queenslanders safe,” the Premier said.
“Now that the Chief Health Officer has recommended it’s safe for Greater Sydney residents to come to Queensland, the borders can come down.
“We understand how tough border measures have been, but it’s all about keeping Queenslanders safe.
“People have done a terrific job looking after each other through the pandemic and now Queensland is good to go.”
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More fragments of the virus that causes COVID-19 have been detected in sewerage in Queensland.
Queensland Chief Health Officer Dr Jeannette Young said viral fragments had been detected at Coombabah, Capalaba and Sandgate wastewater treatment plants in south-east Queensland early last week.
A detection does not automatically mean there are new cases of COVID-19 in these communities.
“A positive sewage result means that someone who has been infected was shedding the virus. Infected people can shed viral fragments and that shedding can happen for several weeks after the person is no longer infectious,” Dr Young said.
During the past four weeks, viral fragments have been detected at 33 wastewater treatment plants in Queensland: Bundaberg, Bundamba, Caboolture South, Cairns North, Cairns South, Cannonvale, Capalaba, Carole Park, Cleveland Bay, Condon (Townsville), Coombabah, Elanora, Gibson Island, Goodna, Loganholme, Luggage Point, Mackay South, Marlin Coast, Maroochydore, Maryborough, Merrimac, Mount St John, Nambour, Oxley Creek, Pimpama, Pulgul (Hervey Bay), Redcliffe, Rockhampton South, Stanthorpe, Wacol, Warwick, Wynnum and Yeppoon.
Dr Young again urged anyone who feels unwell and has any symptoms of COVID-19, no matter how mild, to get tested and isolate until their tests results return.
