Greater Brisbane restrictions set to ease

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has thanked the people of Greater Brisbane for their success in stopping the spread of a new, highly contagious strain of COVID-19 allowing businesses to get back to normal.

It came as restrictions including the mandatory use of masks were lifted 14 days after a hotel cleaner tested positive.

“Brisbane was Australia’s first battleground for this new strain,” the Premier said.

“A short, sharp shutdown was successful in keeping the movement of people and the virus to a minimum.

“We followed that with the mandatory use of masks in crowded places for the 14 day incubation period.

“The care Queenslanders have for each other is as plain as the masks we saw on thousands of faces.”

The Premier said masks would continue to be recommended for public transport and places where social distancing could not be achieved but not mandated.

The overwhelming co-operation of Queenslanders showed that, should the masks be needed again, Queenslanders need only to be asked.

As of 1am tomorrow:

Businesses including cafes and restaurants can return to having 1 customer for every two square metres;

• Weddings can have 200 guests
• People can stand and drink in licensed premises; and
• Dancing can return

Health Minister Yvette D’Ath paid tribute to health staff, police and, especially contact tracers.

“In the 14 days since we learned a person had been in our community with the UK strain:

• 103,549 people in Queenslander came forward for testing;
• 743 close contacts were identified and managed, with 700 tested so far; and
• 38 overseas acquired cases of COVID-19 were detected among returned travellers in hotel quarantine  

“I want to thank all Queenslanders for rising to the challenge this latest strain has posed. 

“As always, we’re continuing to encourage anyone with symptoms to come forward for testing.”