{"id":311801,"date":"2021-12-21T18:22:25","date_gmt":"2021-12-21T08:22:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/?p=311801"},"modified":"2021-12-22T09:49:48","modified_gmt":"2021-12-21T23:49:48","slug":"quarantine-rules-to-ease","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/2021\/12\/21\/quarantine-rules-to-ease\/","title":{"rendered":"Quarantine Rules To Ease"},"content":{"rendered":"

December 21, 2021<\/strong><\/p>\n

COVID-19 quarantine rules will ease in Queensland from 1:00am on Wednesday for fully vaccinated people who have come into “close contact” with a positive case.<\/p>\n

The 14-day quarantine period will be halved to seven days.<\/p>\n

However, the quarantine period will remain at 14 days for unvaccinated contacts.<\/p>\n

Chief Health Officer Dr John Gerrard told Tuesday’s COVID media conference the new rules were “consistent with the national guidelines”.<\/p>\n

The seven-day rule has been brought forward; it was originally supposed to come into effect on January 1.<\/p>\n

Dr Gerrard said the change was possible as Queensland’s double-vaccination rate is above 85 per cent for people aged 16 and over.<\/p>\n

The change is also expected to relieve pressure on the QPS and QAS which currently have a number of staff members away from work in isolation.<\/p>\n

* * *<\/strong><\/h2>\n

A record number of confirmed COVID-19 cases were announced in Queensland on Tuesday.<\/strong><\/p>\n

A total of 86 new cases were announced – with only one person in hotel quarantine.<\/p>\n

This is the largest number of COVID-19 cases announced in Queensland in one day since the pandemic began last March.<\/p>\n

Queensland currently has 269 active cases.<\/p>\n

Dr Gerrard said the source of infection for most of these was still under investigation.<\/p>\n

But, as expected, the number of new cases was doubling every 48 hours – a trend seen around the world for Omicron.<\/p>\n

“You can do the maths yourself. If we double cases every 48 hours we will expect thousands of cases in January,” Dr Gerrard said.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Dr Gerrard confirmed that one of COVID-19 patients in hospital had been shifted into intensive care “as a precaution”.<\/p>\n

And he said Queensland Health was also working to manage a number of the 75 patients currently in hospital outside the hospital environment to clear beds.<\/p>\n

* * *<\/strong><\/h2>\n

A record\u00a03057 new cases of COVID-19 were announced in NSW on Tuesday, taking the weekly tally in that State to\u00a015,727 (up from\u00a03768 last week).<\/strong><\/p>\n

There are 18,798 active cases, including 284 in\u00a0hospital,\u00a039 in ICU and\u00a011 requiring ventilation.<\/p>\n

There are almost 1400 healthcare workers in NSW currently off work due to COVID-19 – either after testing positive to the virus or in isolation after being exposed to someone with COVID.<\/p>\n

External links:\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n