Parts of Queensland will go into a ‘strict’ new three-day lockdown from 4pm, after six new local cases of Covid-19 were recorded overnight - all the highly infectious Delta strain.
Parts of Queensland will go into lockdown from 4pm today, as officials confirm there are six new local cases of Covid-19 - all the highly infectious Delta strain.
There was also one new case of Covid-19 in hotel quarantine.
It is expected the lockdown will last for three days.
In the interests of public health and safety, this Covid-19 story has been unlocked.
The decision to lockdown comes after a 17-year-old girl - a student at Indooroopilly State High School - tested positive to coronavirus.
Both Indooroopilly State High School and nearby Ironside State School students are all in quarantine for 14 days.
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The girl’s parents and relatives, as well as a tutor, are among those who tested positive for Covid-19 overnight.
It is believed the girl was unknowingly infectious in the community for three days from Tuesday, including two days while at school.
Deputy Premier Steven Miles said the lockdown would start at 4pm on Saturday with the 11 local government areas (LGAs) already subject to mask requirements ordered to stay at home.
He said it would be the strictest lockdown Queensland has ever had.
Mr Miles warned that the Covid situation in Queensland was “different” this time, and he urged all Queenslanders to comply with the tough restrictions.
People will only be able to travel within 10km of their home for essential reasons.
Masks will become mandatory for everyone at high schools, including students.
Schools and childcare centres will remain open, but only essential worker parents will be able to send their children.
He said there would be no visitors to homes within those LGAs and tough restrictions will apply to funerals and weddings.
Cinemas and gyms will all close under the lockdown order.
Grocery stores will remain open during the lockdown, with the Deputy Premier urging people to not rush to the supermarkets.
The restrictions will be in place until 4pm Tuesday, but Mr Miles warned it would be subject to what occurs over the coming days.
Mr Miles said it was the government’s intention for there to be a short lockdown.
He said the government would seek to have a compensation package in place for people impacted by the shutdown.
Chief Health Officer Jeannette Young, who urged Queenslanders to “stay at home”, said she suspected that a medical student, who had tutored the 17-year-old’s younger sibling at home, was the index case.
She said officials were now rapidly contact tracing the medical student, who she said had been to a lot of places.
She said she expected an “enormous” number of exposure sites throughout Brisbane.
“I suspect that that medical student is the index case and has taken it into that household and spread it into that household,” Dr Young said.
She urged anyone to come forward for testing as soon as they experience the first signs of the symptoms.
She said she expected an “enormous” number of exposure sites throughout Brisbane.
Dr Young said it was one of the most restrictive lockdowns in Queensland since the start of the pandemic and she urged anyone who has since left the relevant local government areas to other parts of Queensland to follow the same lockdown orders.
“For the next three days I need everyone in those 11 LGAs who have been wearing masks to stay home and don’t leave unless it’s absolutely critical,” Dr Young said.
Deputy Commissioner Steve Gollschewski said police handed out 127 masks to people yesterday and fined three people including a Coolum cafe business owner who was arrested for refusing to follow directions.
He urged anyone planning to protest the lockdown restrictions to think twice and said any protest would be met with a “strong police presence”.
“Now is not the time for protests in our community,” he said.
“We ask that you don’t go ahead with those protests.”
‘Stay at home’: Lockdown from 4pm, after six new local Delta cases - Courier Mail
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