April 22, 2022
COVID-19 quarantine requirements for close contacts will be removed in Queensland from 6:00pm next Thursday (April 28).
Health Minister Yvette D’Ath said the relaxation of the rules was the next step towards managing COVID safely in the community and getting our lives back.
“When COVID reached our State, Queenslanders pulled together to deliver one of the world’s most successful pandemic responses,” the Minister said.
“At every stage of the pandemic, Queenslanders followed the health advice to protect them and their loved ones and to keep our economy strong.
“The health advice means we can now take the next step and remove quarantine requirements for close contacts.
“This will provide a much-needed boost to businesses and allow many workers to return to their jobs.
“Because we’ve listened to the health advice and because more than 92 per cent are fully vaccinated, Queenslanders can move forward with increased confidence.”
The measures announced on Friday only apply to asymptomatic close contacts.
Close contacts who have symptoms of COVID-19 will be required to test and isolate until these symptoms resolve, even if they return a negative RAT result.
Under the new arrangements, close contacts will need to wear masks outside their home for seven days and will need to have a negative COVID-19 test result every second day since becoming a close contact.
Minister D’Ath said close contacts who work in a vulnerable setting will still need to meet a range of criteria, including meeting the vaccination requirements, wearing a mask at all times, being free of symptoms, and undertaking regular COVID-19 testing.
“We’ll continue to ensure our pandemic response prioritises the health and wellbeing of all Queenslanders,” the Minister said.
Also from April 28, unvaccinated travellers will be allowed to enter Queensland without having to quarantine.
“This will deliver a shot in the arm to our tourism industry,” the Minister said.
“We hope to see many thousands of international travellers visiting Queensland thanks to these changes.”
International arrivals, whether vaccinated or unvaccinated, will still need to return a negative COVID-19 test result within 24 hours of their arrival and will need to undertake further testing if they develop symptoms.
Chief Health Officer Dr John Gerrard said it was important for all Queenslanders to continue to take precautions when needed.
“It is essential that common sense continues to prevail as we move out of this pandemic,” Dr Gerrard said.
“By no means should we consider this pandemic to be over.
“All Queenslanders should continue to use the techniques we already know; wash your hands, wear a mask when you are unable to distance yourself, and stay at home if you are unwell.”
* * *
southburnett.com.au has been keeping track of some basic statistics for local Council areas since the re-opening of the State border on December 13.
These statistics, from Queensland Health, show the total number of confirmed positive cases per Local Government Area since the pandemic began in January 2020.
They are NOT the total of current ACTIVE cases but demonstrate how the virus has spread recently throughout the local community.
We have taken snapshots on Dec 13, Dec 21 and daily since December 29.
These figures are current to 7:00pm on Thursday (April 21):
- South Burnett: 3 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 18 / 21 / 25 / 39 / 52 / 83 / 135 / 188 / 213 / 239 / 250 / 255 / 273 / 289 / 296 / 338 / 346 / 349 / 389 / 400 / 450 / 450 / 463 / 480 / 500 / 511 / 531 / 556 / 560 / 604 / 625 / 640 / 651 / 661 / 695 / 706 / 714 / 720 / 729 / 733 / 738 / 745 / 761 / 765 / 775 / 776 / 780 / 790 / 803 / 819 / 823 / 828 / 838 / 841 / 848 / 852 / 853 / 858 / 858 / 858 / 859 / 863 / 873 / 873 / 878 / 878 / 882 / 885 / 885 / 889 / 894 / 895 / 895 / 895 / 897 / 900 / 902 / 905 / 908 / 909 / 910 / 911 / 913 / 915 / 923 / 928 / 933 / 936 / 940 / 942 / 952 / 972 / 978 / 979 / 983 / 985 / 987 / 988 / 1002 / 1006 / 1008 / 1010 / 1011 / 1021 / 1030 / 1031 / 1036 / 1036 / 1037 / 1037 / 1041 / 1051 / 1059
- * Cherbourg: – / – / – / 3 / 12 / 21 / 30 / 51 / 61 / 71 / 74 / 89 / 96 / 96 / 97 / 97 / 100 / 100 / 104 / 104 / 104 / 104 / 104 / 105 / 106 / 106 / 106 / 106 / 106 / 110 / 127 / 127 / 128 / 133 / 133 / 133 / 145 / 145 / 164 / 167 / 167 / 167 / 167 / 170 / 170 / 177 / 182 / 185 / 185 / 185 / 188 / 188 / 188 / 188 / 192 / 192 / 192 / 194 / 200 / 203 / 203 / 205 / 205 / 205 / 205 / 205 / 205 / 206 / 206 / 206 / 206 / 206 / 206 / 206 / 206 / 206 / 207 / 207 / 207 / 208 / 208 / 209 / 209 / 209 / 208 / 208 / 213 / 213 / 213 / 214 / 214 / 214 / 214 / 214 / 217 / 220 / 221 / 221 / 221 / 224 / 224 / 225 / 225 / 225 / 225 / 225 / 228 / 228 / 237 / 236 / 237 / 237 / 237 / 238 / 246 / 256 / 261
- Toowoomba: 52 / 56 / 233 / 312 / 368 / 396 / 463 / 579 / 665 / 751 / 841 / 940 / 1141 / 1315 / 1405 / 1565 / 1870 / 1971 / 2119 / 2252 / 2446 / 2539 / 2733 / 2922 / 3247 / 3247 / 3361 / 3437 / 3505 / 3608 / 3665 / 3773 / 3846 / 3953 / 4008 / 4054 / 4109 / 4208 / 4292 / 4361 / 4428 / 4459 / 4487 / 4506 / 4560 / 4600 / 4630 / 4641 / 4695 / 4706 / 4720 / 4765 / 4784 / 4882 / 4958 / 4983 / 5003 / 5042 / 5067 / 5092 / 5128 / 5145 / 5153 / 5166 / 5167 / 5209 / 5258 / 5268 / 5302 / 5324 / 5341 / 5358 / 5395 / 5430 / 5454 / 5469 / 5498 / 5510 / 5533 / 5566 / 5620 / 5657 / 5692 / 5707 / 5719 / 5737 / 5808 / 5864 / 5929 / 5966 / 6006 / 6050 / 6135 / 6226 / 6293 / 6371 / 6428 / 6485 / 6537 / 6622 / 6695 / 6804 / 6890 / 6966 / 7039 / 7084 / 7131 / 7217 / 7290 / 7363 / 7403 / 7428 / 7452 / 7499 / 7634 / 7704 / 7806
- Gympie: 7 / 6 / 23 / 26 / 38 / 43 / 48 / 68 / 82 / 104 / 144 / 169 / 222 / 243 / 270 / 304 / 355 / 393 / 425 / 478 / 526 /563 / 633 /685 / 786 / 786 / 851 / 887 / 923 / 941 / 988 /1016 / 1033 / 1076 / 1111 / 1123 / 1147 / 1189 / 1232 / 1259 / 1285 / 1307 / 1310 / 1325 / 1360 / 1387 / 1414 / 1427 / 1479 / 1480 / 1494 / 1548 / 1573 / 1613 / 1642 / 1655 / 1669 / 1685 / 1716 / 1739 / 1755 / 1768 / 1771 / 1771 / 1776 / 1776 / 1804 / 1816 / 1821 / 1826 / 1831 / 1833 / 1838 / 1846 / 1852 / 1854 / 1855 / 1856 / 1868 / 1888 / 1895 / 1907 / 1920 / 1932 / 1943 / 1968 / 1999 / 2016 / 2035 / 2045 / 2054 / 2063 / 2100 / 2117 / 2147 / 2167 / 2189 / 2206 / 2228 / 2248 / 2287 / 2306 / 2328 / 2349 / 2361 / 2379 / 2402 / 2433 / 2456 / 2475 / 2488 / 2493 / 2505 / 2523 / 2551 / 2581
- North Burnett: 3 / 3 / 5 / 5 / 8 / 9 / 13 / 13 / 14 / 14 / 17 / 21 / 23 / 27 / 29 / 31 / 31 / 44 / 50 / 54 / 57 / 66 / 77 / 85 / 95 / 95 / 99 / 107 / 112 / 150 / 150 / 155 / 181 / 184 / 190 / 191 / 192 / 193 / 194 / 194 / 199 / 202 / 206 / 206 / 211 / 212 / 213 / 215 / 216 / 217 / 221 / 223 / 224 / 225 / 226 / 229 / 229 / 231 / 231 / 231 / 231 / 231 / 233 / 234 / 236 / 237 / 238 / 240 / 240 / 244 / 247 / 248 / 251 / 253 / 255 / 260 / 263 / 265 / 270 / 273 / 278 / 279 / 287 / 290 / 295 / 296 / 300 / 301 / 302 / 305 / 307 / 308 / 309 / 314 / 315 / 315 / 320 / 324 / 326 / 329 / 331 / 340 / 340 / 346 / 356 / 360 / 363 / 363 / 367 / 368 / 368 / 369 / 372
- Somerset: 6 / 6 / 14 / 15 / 15 / 20 / 28 / 34 / 38 / 48 / 64 / 104 / 127 / 160 / 178 / 201 / 231 / 282 / 329 / 369 / 397 / 417 / 451 / 508 / 558 / 558 / 597 / 628 / 644 / 665 / 701 / 734 / 752 / 773 / 798 / 811 / 825 / 850 / 865 / 881 / 912 / 918 / 929 / 942 / 946 / 950 / 953 / 965 / 971 / 973 / 984 / 987 / 994 / 1004 / 1010 / 1014 / 1019 / 1021 / 1026 / 1029 / 1038 / 1042 / 1042 / 1042 / 1043 / 1043 / 1044 / 1045 / 1045 / 1046 / 1046 / 1046 / 1049 / 1049 / 1050 / 1055 / 1057 / 1058 / 1059 / 1065 / 1072 / 1081 / 1085 / 1088 / 1095 / 1100 / 1105 / 1108 / 1114 / 1118 / 1121 / 1133 / 1143 / 1149 / 1163 / 1168 / 1179 / 1181 / 1185 / 1205 / 1211 / 1224 / 1234 / 1243 / 1243 / 1245 / 1252 / 1262 / 1266 / 1269 / 1269 / 1271 / 1271 / 1273 / 1285 / 1297
- Western Downs: 3 / 3 / 16 / 18 / 23 / 30 / 36 / 48 / 52 / 60 / 89 / 114 / 140 / 203 / 216 / 248 / 301 / 357 / 401 / 412 / 435 / 457 / 464 / 504 / 568 / 568 / 596 / 632 / 639 / 655 / 676 / 695 / 706 / 725 / 735 / 750 / 758 / 770 / 784 / 795 / 815 / 815 / 822 / 826 / 828 / 831 / 832 / 839 / 839 / 839 / 843 / 848 / 849 / 855 / 857 / 860 / 864 / 868 / 877 / 880 / 884 / 886 / 887 / 888 / 894 / 895 / 899 / 904 / 904 / 907 / 910 / 918 / 933 / 939 / 946 / 954 / 956 / 963 / 968 / 978 / 983 / 991 / 994 / 995 / 998 / 1001 / 1004 / 1011 / 1018 / 1022 / 2026 / 2028 / 1035 / 1044 / 1046 / 1054 / 1057 / 1059 / 1060 / 1064 / 1075 / 1080 / 1082 / 1083 / 1083 / 1088 / 1092 / 1097 / 1102 / 1104 / 1106 / 1107 / 1108 / 1113 / 1115 / 1116
* On April 22, Cherbourg Council reported two new cases in the community, taking the number of active cases from local tests to 28.
NB. Data is reported by Queensland Health daily but can vary over time due to case reviews. When we took the first snapshots, Cherbourg LGA had not been added to the list by Qld Health as no cases had been recorded there. From December 31, data is current to 7:00pm the previous day. Numbers for all regions must also be considered underestimated. Not everyone who has tested positive using a Rapid Antigen Test has reported their result to Queensland Health. Not everyone who has had a mild dose of the disease has been tested. Also, the official statistics show 482,538 positive results (as at April 21) which have not been allocated to a Local Government Area since the pandemic began.
[UPDATED]
