Queensland planning to ease border restrictions by Christmas

Monday, October 18, 2021

Queensland is planning to reopen its borders to the rest of the country in time for Christmas, as per the state premier. Annastacia Palaszczuk recently revealed new quarantine requirements for opening the Queensland border under a COVID-19 vaccination plan that hinges on double dose milestones being hit.

The plan outlines that residents from interstate hotspots including Victorian and New South Wales will be allowed into Queensland when the state hits its 70 per cent vaccination milestone, which is expected to be on November 19. However, all travellers are required to be fully vaccinated, travel into Queensland by air, and must undertake 14 days of home quarantine

Visitors must also return a negative COVID-19 test within 72 hours prior to their departure. The date could be moved forward if the target is hit earlier. The state will scrap its quarantine requirement on December 17 if it hits its 80 per cent vaccination milestone.

Travellers entering via road or air from hotspots will still need to be fully vaccinated and test negative within 72 hours prior to arriving in the state. International arrivals would still complete hotel quarantine for 14 days at the 70 per cent milestone. At the 80 per cent milestone, fully vaccinated international arrival travellers who provide a negative COVID-19 result within 72 hours of arrival will be allowed to quarantine at home.

Those who do not meet those requirements will have to complete 14 days of hotel quarantine. At 90 per cent double dose vaccination milestone, there will be no border restrictions for fully vaccinated travellers. Unvaccinated travellers will need to meet requirements for entry and undertake an undisclosed period of quarantine.

Ms Palaszczuk said the announcement was good news for families who wanted to be reunited for Christmas. She said the dates and easing of border restrictions could be brought forward if vaccination rates increased. She also mentioned that parts of Queensland that had low vaccination rates may be forced into lockdowns if they fell victim to a large COVID-19 outbreak – even once the state had reached its vaccination targets.

Queensland Deputy Premier Steven Miles said Queensland’s plan to drop its border restrictions was based on the “best available modelling”. He warned Queenslanders to get vaccinated if they wanted to travel, reunite with family and move freely around the country. Vaccinated Queenslanders will have more freedoms than those who are unvaccinated.

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