Mask rules change and jabs soon mandatory for truck drivers after QLD reports four new cases

With Queensland today reporting four new locally acquired cases of COVID-19, the state will reintroduce recently eased rules for mask-wearing in Brisbane and Moreton Bay, alongside mandating vaccines for truck drivers.

At a press conference this morning, QLD Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk confirmed the state’s four new COVID-19 cases - some of which had been in the community while infectious.

One of the cases is a man who works at an aviation training facility and lives in Eatons Hill in the Moreton Bay region. He was infectious in the community for three days and his wife has also contracted COVID-19.

The third case is a truck driver who was living in shared accommodation but was infectious in the community for around one week, and the fourth is a person who completed two weeks of hotel quarantine but tested positive to COVID-19 after leaving.

Palaszczuk said the QLD chief health officer Dr Jeanette Young was most concerned about the truck driver given the amount of time he spent in the community while infectious.

In response to the new cases, Premier Palaszczuk has walked back recent changes to mask-wearing in Brisbane and Moreton Bay - meaning it is again mandatory to wear a mask when inside a venue.

Further, truck drivers entering Queensland using the freight pass must have had one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine by 15 October, and a second dose received or an appointment to get one booked by 15 November.

New contact tracing locations have been added today by Queensland Health including:

  • Mother Duck Childcare & Kindergarten, Eatons Hill on Thursday 23 September from 7.25-8am
  • McDonalds Albany Creek Drive Thru on Friday 24 September from 5.05-5.10am
  • Seatss 'R' Us, Rocklea on Friday 24 September from 11.15-11.45am
  • Freedom Furniture Aspley, Friday 24 September from 4.40-5pm

Updated at 10.03am AEST on 28 September 2021.

This update is brought to you by Employment Hero.

Click here to go to Employment Hero’s COVID-19 Resource Hub for essential resources to help employers, managers and HR specialists navigate the ongoing pandemic. 


 

Help us deliver quality journalism to you.
As a free and independent news site providing daily updates
during a period of unprecedented challenges for businesses everywhere
we call on your support