COVID-19 lockdown rules for Brisbane, south-east Queensland, Townsville, Palm Island and Magnetic Island

A snap three-day lockdown has been ordered for millions of people in south-east Queensland and areas around Townsville.

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has announced the restrictions will apply to those in 11 local government areas in south-east Queensland, including Noosa, Sunshine Coast, Ipswich, Logan, Redlands, Brisbane, Gold Coast, Scenic Rim, Lockyer Valley, Moreton Bay and Somerset.

The following mask and social distancing rules will apply to those in Townsville, Palm Island and Magnetic Island.

From 6:00pm today until 6:00pm on Friday, if you’re in these areas there are four reasons you will be allowed to leave your house:

If you leave the areas that are going into lockdown before 6:00pm today you will still need to abide by the lockdown rules wherever you are.

What else is changing?

There will be a limit of two visitors (including children) allowed into your home, in addition to those who live there.

You can exercise outside with members of your household or with one person who is from another house.

Twenty people can attend a funeral.

Ten people can attend weddings, but no dancing or singing is allowed.

Restaurants and cafes will only be allowed to provide takeaway or home delivery for the next three days.

Cinemas, entertainment venues, recreational venues, beauty and personal care services, gyms and places of worship will all be closed.

What about hospital and aged care visits?

Visitors have already been banned from all hospitals, aged care facilities, corrections facilities and disability accommodation services in the 11 south-east Queensland local government areas.

However, end-of-life visits will be allowed.

Parents of children under 18, carers and partners of pregnant patients are still allowed into hospitals as long as they wear a mask.

Anyone working in an aged care facility or providing medical services to residents are still OK to enter.

What are the mask-wearing rules?

Face masks became mandatory from 1:00am today (Tuesday 29 June) for two weeks for those in south-east Queensland.

That is not changing so you still need to wear a mask if you leave your home for one of the four essential reasons mentioned above.

These rules will now apply for those in Townsville, Palm Island and Magnetic island from 6:00pm.

There is a $200 fine for anyone not wearing one.

What if I live in Townsville?

Fever clinics are being set up on Magnetic Island and in Townsville. 

All Magnetic Island residents and anyone who was at the Sunday markets in Townsville on June 27, as well as anyone else in the region with symptoms is being urged to get tested after a Brisbane woman visited while she may have been infectious.

What about border restrictions?

There are no hard border closures in place but police are continuing to monitor things very closely.

From 1:00am tomorrow anyone from Perth or Peel in Western Australia or Darwin, Palmerston or Litchfield in the Northern Territory will need to apply for an exemption to enter the state.

If that is granted, they must spend 14 days in hotel quarantine. 

Queensland residents are able to return but will also need to quarantine in a hotel for two weeks.

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