The COVID-19 pandemic in Queensland, Australia is part of the ongoing worldwide pandemic of the coronavirus disease 2019 () caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 ().
Timeline
2020 On 29 January 2020, Queensland was the first state in Australia to declare a public health emergency. The legislation was strengthened on 6 February by the Public Health (Declared Public Health Emergencies) Amendment Bill 2020. In March, power was given directly to the Chief Health Officer (rather than the Health Minister on behalf of the Cabinet) to make 'Directions', amongst other things allowing her to declare restrictions on movement, gatherings and business activities, to set social distancing or masking requirements, and to close borders. As of the end of July 2021, Queensland had recorded the death of just 7 patients with COVID-19. This fatality rate, of just under 1 per million residents, was the lowest not just in Australia, but of any sizeable jurisdiction with its own policing and health powers, in the world.
Key directions made under the Public Health Act 2005 include: 2 April – A person must not leave their principal place of residence except for essential needs including work, food, medical and exercise, outdoor gatherings only up to 2 persons or with members of household, receiving only to 2 visitors at a residence, and no gatherings in non-residences. 9 April – "Non-essential" business, activity or undertaking must not be operated. "Non-essential" businesses include cinemas, casinos, concerts, indoor sports, gyms, playgrounds, campgrounds, libraries. Restrictions also apply to restaurants (take away or delivery only), churches, hairdressers etc. However, most construction, mining, manufacturing and retail businesses continued to operate.
Restricted entry into Queensland was introduced, with only Queensland residents and those considered an 'exempt person' being allowed to enter Queensland by air, sea, rail or road from another state or territory. This was introduced in stages: Stage 1 started on 26 March 2020, with stages 2 and 3 involving tightening the restrictions. Stage 4, introduced on 11 April, was the most restrictive, every person crossing the border including Queensland residents required a permit. In addition, a person who had been in a declared COVID-19 hotspot in the previous 14 days had to self-quarantine for 14 days.
Closures of areas within Queensland included: All camping areas within Queensland national parks, state forests and recreation areas were closed on 26 March. Closure of high visitation National Parks including Fraser Island as well as all day use areas and visitor centres on 9 April. Closure of Queensland waters to cruise ships on 6 April. Closure of Surfers Paradise, Coolangatta and The Spit beaches on 8 April.
Access to the Torres Strait Islands has been restricted to prevent COVID-19 from reaching the region, which has to date remained free of cases.
2021 On 1 February 2021, Queensland opened its border to all Australian states and territories except Western Australia. Since the border closures were implemented, 6,855,750 border passes were issued.
On 22 February, the first Queenslander received a COVID-19 vaccination at Gold Coast University Hospital. She was a nurse who works in that hospital's COVID-19 ward.
On 28 February 2021, the "Check in Qld" QR code sign-in/contact tracing app was launched by the Minister for Health and Ambulance Services, Yvette D'Ath. It is based on the ACT "Check in CBR" app. Use of the app is not mandatory.
On 12 March, Princess Alexandra Hospital in Brisbane went into lockdown after a doctor tested positive for COVID-19. This was the beginning of one cluster in Brisbane connected to that hospital. Queensland had gone 59 days without any locally acquired COVID-19 infections.
Due to a growing cluster in Bondi, Sydney, from 1am on 24 June, the Queensland government declared all of Greater Sydney was a hotspot. Border entry will be refused to anyone who lives in, or has visited: Greater Sydney, the Blue Mountains, Central Coast, Wollongong or Shellharbour. Residents returning will be quarantined for 14 days. Everyone entering Queensland will have to complete a border declaration.
Brisbane lockdowns On 8 January 2021, a three-day lockdown was announced by Annastacia Palaszczuk to prevent spread of the more contagious UK strain of coronavirus that escaped from a Brisbane hotel quarantine. The lockdown applied to all of greater Brisbane including council areas of Brisbane, Ipswich, Logan City, Moreton Bay and Redland City from 6 pm that day. More than 2 million residents were affected.
On 29 March at 5 pm, Greater Brisbane went into another three-day lockdown. The step was taken when a second cluster of the UK strain of COVID-19 grew to seven people. Two of them were an un-vaccinated nurse from Princess Alexandra Hospital, and her sister. By 30 March another 8 locally acquired cases were reported, for a total of 10 new cases in the preceding 24 hours, and 2 separate clusters, both UK strain were identified. As of this date Queensland had 78 active cases in hospitals. On 31 March in Queensland 34,711 coronavirus tests and 7,596 vaccinations were conducted.
On 1 April, the "three-day" lockdown was lifted five hours early at midday. Though 10 new cases had been recorded in the previous 24 hours, there was only one case of community transmission, which was linked to the second cluster surrounding the infected nurse from the Princess Alexandra Hospital. This cluster now numbered 12, up from 7 on 29 March.
Some restrictions introduced for the lockdown were maintained temporarily: all Queenslanders had to carry a face-mask outside their home until 15 April, patrons at food or beverage venues had to stay seated, no dancing allowed, 30 person limit at private gatherings at homes statewide, businesses and churches could open, but have only one-person-per 2-square-metres of floor area, visitors were not permitted for 2 weeks at: aged or disabled care facilities, hospitals and prisons.
On 28 June Queensland recorded 3 new COVID-19 cases overnight. 2 were locally acquired, one acquired overseas. A miner was found to be infected with the Delta variant of COVID-19 after returning from the Northern Territory. As a result of these cases, from 10pm on 29 June, masks became mandatory in these local government areas: Brisbane Gold Coast Ipswich Logan Lockyer Valley Moreton Bay Noosa Redlands Scenic Rim Region Somerset Sunshine Coast Region
In addition: Masks must be worn in workplaces when another person is present. Dancing is again banned No more than 30 people are allowed inside homes.
After the lockdown was expanded: Masks mandatory when leaving the house. Household visitors limited to 2 Funerals restricted to 20 people Weddings restricted to 10 people dancing and singing not allowed
Restaurants and cafes can only provide: take away home delivery.
Lockdown expansion On 29 June from 6pm the lockdown was expanded to new areas. All of: South East Queensland Townsville city Magnetic Island and Palm Island went into lockdown for 3 days, until 6pm on 2 July. This move was taken after a casual clerical worker from The Prince Charles Hospital in Brisbane, who worked outside the COVID ward as a concierge, became infected with the Delta variant and travelled from Sandgate in Brisbane to Magnetic Island and Townsville where she visited markets.
On 23 July, the border with NSW was closed from 1:00am due to locations outside Greater Sydney reporting COVID-19 cases. From 6:00am on 23 July to 6:00am on 20 August the same rules will be used across the state, except for SE Queensland where masks were still required.
In SE Queensland wearing a face mask is mandatory whenever outside the home, unless: in a car alone or with household members eating or drinking exercising outdoors alone or with household members it is unsafe
On 24 July 2021, there was an anti-lockdown protest in Brisbane. There were also protests in Melbourne, and in Sydney, where several people were arrested, infringement notices issued and over 50 people charged.
On 31 July from 4pm, 11 LGAs in South East Queensland went into a snap lockdown for 3 days. This was after 6 new locally acquired cases of the Delta COVID variant. The areas affected were: Brisbane, Gold Coast, Ipswich, Lockyer Valley, Logan, Moreton Bay, Noosa, Redlands, Sunshine Coast, Somerset and Scenic Rim. One of the cases is a medical student at the University of Queensland, who had been to many venues, including Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital, the University of Queensland, and the Translational Research Institute at Princess Alexandra Hospital.
By 1 August there were 18 locally acquired cases of Delta variant. Deputy Premier Steven Miles said that the 9 new cases were the greatest number since August 2020.
On 2 August there were 15 new cases of COVID-19, 2 overseas acquired. Consequently, the South-east Queensland's lockdown was extended until 4:00pm on 8 August (Sunday). The same day, because of the extension, the Ekka agricultural show was cancelled for the second year, 5 days before it was to be open to the public from 7 August (Saturday).
On 8 August the lockdown in SE Queensland ended, though some restrictions remained in force, including mandatory wearing of masks.
On 9 August, Cairns went into lockdown from 4:00pm for three days. This was due to an "unexpected" case of COVID-19, a taxi driver who was infectious in the community for ten days.
On 26 August the Qld government announced its own dedicated regional COVID-19 quarantine facility would be built near Toowoomba Wellcamp Airport, 15 kilometres from Toowoomba in Queensland. Construction started that day.
On 17 December at 5am extra restrictions, published on 7 December, for unvaccinated people in Queensland became effective. Some venues will require proof of vaccination status, or a medical exemption for people wishing to enter their premises.
On 18 December from 1am masks again became mandatory across the entire state in many public and outdoor places.
On 31 December, the state had 2,266 new cases of COVID-19 in the 12 hours between 7am and 7pm. There were nearly 14,000 active cases and 80 people in hospital being treated for COVID with 1 in intensive care. 86.6% of the state population (aged 16+) had received 2 vaccine doses, 90.7% at least 1 dose.
2022 On 1 January 2022, the Qld government announced that from 2 January, at 1am, masks will be mandatory indoors at many public venues. The rule covers cafes, clubs, indoor stadiums, pubs and sports arenas, except when seated, also hairdressers, libraries, nail salons and medical centre waiting rooms. Where possible, remote work was urged.
On 5 January there were 6,781 new cases reported, and over 32,000 active cases There were 265 people hospitalised in Queensland for COVID treatment, 10 in intensive care units (ICU). 88 police officers, and another 28 Queensland Police Service employees were infected with COVID. Another 272 were in isolation.
On 6 January there was one death and 10,332 new cases reported, for over 42,000 active cases. The man, aged in his 80s, died on 27 December 2021. There were 284 people hospitalised for COVID treatment, 12 in ICU, 2 on ventilators.
On 8 January there were 2 deaths, raising total deaths to 10. Daily new cases were reported at 11,174, for 68,783 cases in total, and there were 62,919 active cases. One death was a man in his 30s, at his home on 5 January.There were 349 people hospitalised in Queensland for COVID treatment, 17 in ICU, 3 on ventilators.A state-wide suspension of non-urgent elective surgery in public hospitals, until 1 March, was announced on 8 January by the State Health Minister.