June 28, 2021
The State Government has announced new mask-wearing restrictions in south-east Queensland … but for the moment, the South Burnett, Toowoomba, Cherbourg and Gympie council areas are not part of the nominated areas.
However, Linville and Moore residents should take note, Somerset Regional Council is one of the 11 Council areas affected by the new restrictions.
And anyone elsewhere in Queensland who has been in any of the 11 listed council areas within the past 14 days must carry a mask and wear it whenever they are outside the house (excluding vigorous exercise or when seated).
From 1:00am on Tuesday (June 29), anyone living in or visiting the Local Government Areas of Brisbane, Gold Coast, Ipswich, Lockyer Valley, Logan, Moreton Bay, Noosa, Redlands, Scenic Rim, Somerset and Sunshine Coast must:
- Carry a mask and wear it whenever you are outside your home (excluding during vigorous exercise or while eating or drinking)
- Be seated when eating or drinking at a cafe or restaurant
In the 11 Council areas, private gatherings will be limited to a maximum of 30 people, including residents, visitors and children; and in all indoor settings, a maximum of one person per 4 square metres is allowed; or 100 per cent capacity with ticketed and allocated seating.
Other restrictions in the 11 Council areas:
- Weddings: up to 100 people with one person per 4 sq m, limited to 20 people dancing at any one time
- Funerals: up to 100 people with one person per 4 sq m
- Residential aged care facilities, disability accommodation services and hospitals will have increased visitor restrictions.
Queensland Chief Health Officer Dr Jeannette Young said that although the new restrictions will come into force at 1:00am on Tuesday, she urged Queenslanders to adopt the measures straight away.
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said the measures would be in place for the next two weeks.
“These are important measures we know will work because they have worked before,” the Premier said.
“I’m calling on everyone to wear a mask and help us stop the spread of this new strain and keep our community safe.”
The increased restrictions will be reviewed on Tuesday, July 13.
* * *
In the rest of Queensland – including the South Burnett:
- All indoor settings: One person per 2 sq m, or 100 per cent capacity with ticketed and allocated seating
- Private gatherings: Limited to a maximum of 100 people
- Indoor wedding ceremonies and funerals: One person per 2 sq m or 200 people (whichever is greater) or 100 per cent capacity with ticketed and allocated seating.
* * *
The changes in Queensland’s Health Directions follow the confirmation a mine worker who returned to Queensland from the Northern Territory has the highly contagious Delta variant of the COVID-19 virus.
The woman, who lives at Bli Bli, was tested after an alert was issued about possible cases linked to the Granites gold mine in the Tanami Desert.
Dr Young said the woman had begun a road trip after flying back from the NT but when she received the alert, immediately returned home.
It is believed she was probably only contagious in the community for one day.
However, a number of new locations have been added to the Queensland contact tracing list, including the United Petroleum service station at 86 Wallace Street, Warwick, from 5:30pm to 5:45pm on Friday (June 25).
Workers from the Granites mine have also tested positive in the Northern Territory.
As well, about 750 employees are in quarantine at the mine, and 900 others have been ordered into isolation in Darwin, Alice Springs, Western Australia, South Australia and Queensland.
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