Covid-19 News Updates

Brisbane lockdown extended: "We need another 24 hours"

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has announced lockdowns will be lifted for much of Queensland this evening as planned, but the detection of two new cases who visited numerous central Brisbane sites means the state capital's restrictions will be prolonged for an extra day.

The ongoing lockdown will apply to both the Brisbane City Council and Moreton Bay Regional Council areas, after a mother and daughter from Carindale got tested yesterday and returned positive COVID-19 results. A third locally acquired case has also been reported - the partner of a case from yesterday.

"They had been out quite extensively around Brisbane," the Premier said.

"Because our contact tracers need that extra time, we need another 24 hours," she said.

"We will come back early tomorrow morning once our contact tracers get on top of this, and we'll look at the case numbers overnight."

Chief Health Officer Dr Jeannette Young revealed several venues the mother and daughter had visited:

• Harris Farm Markets, West End - Sunday, 26 June (11:50am-1:50pm)
• Woolworths, West End - Sunday, 26 June (approximately 1:50-1:55pm)
• Greek Orthodox Community Centre, South Brisbane - Monday, 28 June (most of the day)
• Greek Orthodox Community Centre, South Brisbane - Tuesday, 29 June (most of the day)
• Espresso Engine, Turbot St - Tuesday, 29 June (7:20-7:30am)
• Woolworths Metro, Turbot St - Tuesday, 29 June (9:30-9:35am)
• JB Hi-Fi, Albert St - Tuesday, 29 June (12:20-12:30pm)
• Zara, Queen St - Tuesday, 29 June (12:30-12:41pm)
• Mecca Maxima, Queen St - Tuesday, 29 June (12:42-12:50pm)

"We will get more information but you can see there's a lot of venues there that we're now going to have to go and contact trace," Dr Young said.

"I also need to know whether they're linked to any of our current Delta outbreaks, because of course, that's more contagious, or whether to our Alpha outbreak related to the Portuguese centre.

The local government areas (LGA) where the lockdown will end tonight are Noosa, Sunshine Coast, Ipswich, Logan, Redlands, Gold Coast, Scenic Rim, Lockyer Valley, Somerset and Townsville, but some restrictions will still apply in these regions for the next two weeks.

"That means everyone will have to carry a mask on them and wear that mask whenever they're outside of their home, but of course not when you're driving your vehicle," the Premier said.

"This is our added protection at the moment until everyone gets their vaccine."

The Premier will also be calling for a 50 per cent reduction in Queensland's international arrivals intake at today's National Cabinet to reduce pressure on the health system.

Updated at 8:55am AEST on 2 July 2021.

Negative COVID-19 test now a requirement to enter New Zealand

Australians wanting to travel to New Zealand are now required to present a negative COVID-19 test before departure as the country ramps up its response to pandemic developments on this side of the Tasman Sea. 

Travellers will now need to have had both a COVID-19 sample taken and a result returned no more than 72 hours before the scheduled departure time of the first international flight.

It comes as quarantine-free travel to New Zealand is currently paused from every Australian state and territory in response to the ongoing outbreaks across the country.

Travel from New South Wales, Northern Territory, Queensland and Western Australia is paused until at least 11.59pm NZT on Tuesday 6 July.

Meanwhile, quarantine-free travel from Tasmania, the Australian Capital Territory, Victoria and South Australia to NZ is expected to resume at 11.59pm NZT on Sunday 4 July.

Once the bubble reopens to certain states those travellers must also not have been in NSW after 11.59pm on 22 June or in QLD, the NT or WA after 10.30pm on 26 June in order to enter NZ.

Updated at 9.42am AEST on 1 July 2021.

NSW businesses have two weeks to prepare for mandatory QR codes

If the current lockdown in Greater Sydney and a handful of nearby local government areas (LGAs) is lifted as planned on Friday, 9 July, businesses will have the weekend to make sure they're on top of new compulsory laws for QR code check-ins at a wider range of venues.

Use of the Service NSW QR code will be mandatory at all workplaces and retail businesses from 12 July, including supermarkets, retail stores, gyms and offices.

Minister for Digital and Customer Service Victor Dominello said expanding the mandate would give NSW Health contact tracers real-time access to QR code data from a greater number of venues.

"This is about keeping customers and staff safe and getting all businesses open again as soon as possible," Dominello said.

"We know the Delta variant of COVID-19 moves quickly and we must do everything we can to get it under control.

"While many retail businesses, including large supermarkets and hardware chains, have voluntarily adopted the Service NSW QR code, this measure will ensure check-in rates are high across the board and contact tracers have access to reliable records."

From 12 July, these businesses will need to display the Service NSW QR code and take reasonable steps to ensure people entering their premises check-in using the Service NSW QR codes or digital sign-in sheet:

• Retail businesses and supermarkets
• Individual shops within shopping centres
• Shopping centres will also be asked to display QR codes at entry points where practicable
• Gyms
• Offices, including call centres
• Manufacturing and warehousing
• Universities and TAFE
• Schools including teachers and visitors (such as parents and contractors) but excluding students.

Businesses such as hospitality and hairdressers that were already using the Service NSW QR code will also need to ensure staff and visitors such as maintenance workers and delivery drivers check-in, when they resume services after the lockdown period.

Hospitality businesses will now need to extend the use of the Service NSW COVID-Safe check-in to all customers including takeaway orders.

Businesses that fail to comply with the new health order requirements may be subject to fines and in case of flagrant breaches, temporary closure orders.

"There is no excuse not to check-in everywhere you can businesses and customers all have a part to play to keep NSW safe," Dominello said.

"In the same way customers routinely check into cafes, restaurants and bars, we need them to adopt the same approach when visiting a supermarket, retail store and workplace.

"Inspectors have been asked to monitor the situation alongside the NSW Police."

There are more than 5.2 million active users of the Service NSW app. The NSW Government emphasises the data captured by the check-in is only used for the purposes of contact tracing by NSW Health. It is deleted after 28 days.

The expansion of the app's scope mirrors developments in Queensland and Victoria where it is now mandatory across a greater range of venues. Mandatory check-in usage is also in place across a variety of settings in South Australia, Western Australia, and Tasmania.

Updated at 12:59pm AEST on 30 June 2021.

No lockdown for SA as mask recommendation and new gathering restrictions come into play

South Australian Premier Steven Marshall has confirmed his state will not go into lockdown after five cases of "linked transmission" were recorded today.

Instead, home gatherings will be reduced to just 10 attendees, and masks are now recommended when South Australians are out in public.

The new restrictions come after the state recorded five new cases of what the Premier has called "linked transmission" a man, his wife and three of his four children.

The man is a worker at the Tanami mine in the Northern Territory and has been in isolation with his family since Saturday 26 June.

The family has since been transferred to SA's quarantine hotel in the Adelaide CBD.

"While this is a very concerning turn of events we are very relieved that this person and his family have been at home since Saturday," SA Premier Steven Marshall said.

"We do know that this Delta variant is particularly worrying, we're seeing further deterioration of the situation around the country again today, so we all must remain extraordinarily vigilant."

In addition to the new home gathering limit and recommendation South Australians wear masks in public, the Premier has also advocated people work from home if possible.

The restrictions build on already announced COVID-19 rules for SA which include the banning of dancing and the reintroduction of the one person per two square metre rule.

The news comes after Northern Territory Chief Minister Michael Gunner imposed a snap lockdown for Alice Springs from 1pm today.

That lockdown is in response to the movements of the infected Adelaide man who spent an extended period at the Alice Springs airport last Friday.

Updated at 12.51pm AEST on 30 June 2021.

As scarcity plagues Pfizer supply, QLD urges against AstraZeneca vaccines for under-40s

"I don't want an 18-year-old in Queensland dying from a clotting illness, who if they got COVID probably wouldn't die," says Queensland's Chief Health Officer Dr Jeannette Young.

Queensland health authorities forecast some of the state's vaccine centres could run out of Pfizer supplies in just eight days, after a call for Canberra to lift incoming weekly volumes was rebuffed.

The state's Health Minister Yvette D'Ath told a press conference this morning some sites, including the Sunshine Coast University Hospital, were at "critical" levels and on track to running out of Pfizer vaccines by as soon as the week of 5 July. 

She explained the state would be receiving 64,500 doses a week in July, although to meet demand a request had been made for an additional 152,100 doses which was denied by Lieutenant General John Frewen.

The minister has questioned whether a possible shortage might be the reason why Prime Minister Scott Morrison called on young Australians yesterday to get AstraZeneca (AZ) vaccinations despite the nation's leading medical authorities recommending it only be administered to people aged 60 and over.

"It can't simply be because we have a lot of stock of one vaccine and not enough of the other to start recommending that people get a particular vaccine. That advice should always be based on clinical advice," D'Ath said.

"I am disappointed that we have been denied any extra vaccines despite the reasons we've been given, despite the fact that we are going to start running out of vaccines, and I would welcome the Commonwealth telling us exactly how much vaccines they currently have on stock.

"We are getting to that point that we will have to start prioritising only second doses if the Commonwealth do not have any vaccines left."

Ever since the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) and the Federal Government raised alarm bells in April around the potential effects of AstraZeneca in younger demographics, there has been a focus on "informed consent" for vaccination that has overlayed public health policy even as age recommendation limits rose.

Therefore nothing has actually changed regarding the possibility for young people to consult with their doctor and get the AZ jab if it's available - keeping in mind the extremely low probability of complications - but for the Australian Medical Association (AMA) the message came as a surprise. 

While the PM's comments came after a National Cabinet meeting in which a no-fault indemnity scheme was introduced for GPs and vaccine providers, on the request of the AMA, Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk emphasised this did not equate to a decision on an AZ roll-out for younger people.

"There is some clear guidelines that have been put in place by the Chief Health Officer, ATAGI and the AMA, and there has been no National Cabinet decision about providing AstraZeneca to the under 40s," she said.

"The advice is for people aged 40 to 59 to get Pfizer and people 60 and over to get AstraZeneca."

Queensland's Chief Health Officer Dr Jeannette Young said an urgent meeting had been called by the Commonwealth today with chief health officers around the country to talk through the issue.

"I don't want an 18-year-old in Queensland dying from a clotting illness, who if they got COVID probably wouldn't die," she said.

"We've had very few deaths due to COVID 19 in Australia in people under the age of 50, and wouldn't it be terrible that our first 18-year-old in Queensland who dies related to this pandemic died because of the vaccine?"

"The borders are not genuinely closed" @StevenJMiles The Federal government's "commitment" to strong borders and effective quarantine exposed by Deputy Premier and ABS figures. And these so devastating that @ScottMorrisonMP has directed ABS to stop publishing them. https://t.co/S6n0hpl0dX

Bill Bowtell AO (@billbowtell) June 30, 2021

Queensland's Deputy Premier Steven Miles doubled down on his calls to tighten restrictions on international arrivals, raising questions around Federally-granted permits for frequent travellers in and out of the country without vaccinations.

"The borders are not genuinely closed, and these travellers are displacing Australians who are genuinely stranded overseas, genuinely trying to get home," he said.

"In addition to the non-Australians returning every month, about 40,000 Australian citizens and about 6,000 permanent visa holders are allowed to leave the country. Many then seek to return, rejoining the queue, going back through hotel quarantine, putting our community at risk."

He noted genomic sequencing confirmed Queensland's Delta case - an unvaccinated 19-year-old woman who had worked as a casual employee at the Prince Charles Hospital in Brisbane's north, and who was in the community while infectious for a week including on a family holiday to Magnetic Island - was linked to a returned traveller from Indonesia.

Minister Miles claimed that returned traveller had been given permits to travel back and forth to Indonesia during the pandemic, but had not been vaccinated.

"There are a large number of people that are traveling overseas for business for a whole range of reasons, and there are questions that need to be answered about why they are not vaccinated leaving," added Premier Palaszczuk.

"And also, if people are coming to Australia, why are they not getting their vaccinations? Because it is overseas arrivals that are bringing this delta virus into our state."

The Sunshine State reported three new COVID-19 cases today - one linked to the casual hospital worker, one who is a close contact of the Portuguese restaurant cluster, and one who is a close contact of the Virgin flight crew member.

Today's developments come as more than half of Australia's residents are currently in lockdown conditions, including snap lockdowns in Southeast Queensland, the region around Townsville, Darwin, Alice Springs, and Perth and Peel in WA, as well as a two-week lockdown in NSW for Greater Sydney, the Blue Mountains, the Central Coast, Wollongong and Shellharbour.

Updated at 12:21pm AEST on 30 June 2021.

Alice Springs to enter snap lockdown for 72 hours

Update (12.32pm AEST): South Australian Premier Steven Marhsall has since confirmed the Tanami mine worker tested positive for COVID-19 as well as his wife and three of his four children. 

Alice Springs will go into a snap lockdown for 72 hours from 1pm today after a COVID-infected man spent an extended period in the Central Australian town's airport last week.

Though the Northern Territory reported no new cases of COVID-19 today, the state's Chief Minister Michael Gunner says he is concerned contacts at the airport may have brought the virus into the community.

The man in question is currently isolating in Adelaide with symptoms of the virus, and four out of five of his household contacts have since tested positive.

As such, Alice Springs will enter a full lockdown from 1pm today for 72 hours, with the rules applying to everyone in the town's council boundaries and town camps.

Gunner explained the man worked at the Tanami mine site and spent an "extended period of time" at Alice Springs airport on Friday 25 June.

"He arrived at the airport via a charter flight on Friday morning and remained at the airport between 9:00am and 3:50pm. He did not exit the airport. On Saturday 26 June, after returning to Adelaide, he got a COVID test. That result was not positive," Gunner said.

"However, he has since developed symptoms while isolating in Adelaide and four of his five household contacts have now tested positive. For this reason, we believe he is positive for COVID-19 and we believe that he is highly infectious.

"It is unlikely that he was highly infectious during his time at Alice Springs airport. But, like all other decisions we will not take a punt on this. We will operate on the assumption that he has COVID-19 and we will operate on the assumption that he was infectious while in the Territory."

Gunner urged people not to leave Alice Springs and has emphasised the town has ample supplies to manage the lockdown period.

"To everyone in Alice Springs, I know this is really challenging. The reason we are doing this lockdown is the size of the exposure window and vulnerability of the local population. I will take no risk with that," he said.

"To all Territorians. I woke up this morning hoping this was a day for good news and there is some good news, there is zero cases today, but we are still in a dangerous period. The Territory is still under threat."

It comes as Darwin remains under lockdown settings until 1pm on Friday 2 July after 900 workers left a mine northwest of Alice Springs on the weekend where a Victorian man had earlier tested positive.

Updated at 12.09pm AEST on 30 June 2021.

Image credit: View of Alice Springs, Northern Territory, Australia, from Anzac Hill by Bahnfrend.

Parts of Queensland in lockdown from 6pm tonight for three days

Much of Queensland, including the entirety of the state's southeast, will go into lockdown from 6pm tonight as health authorities scramble to trace outbreaks of COVID-19 on multiple fronts.

As such, residents of Brisbane, Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, Townsville, Palm Island, Ipswich, Logan City, Moreton Bay, Redlands, Noosa, Somerset, Lockyer Valley and Scenic Rim will be in lockdown for three days until 6pm on Friday 2 July.

Residents can only leave the home for one of these four reasons:

• To buy essentials such as groceries or medications
• Work or study if you can't do either from home
• Exercise in your local area
• Healthcare or to provide help, care or support

The restricions mean non-essential businesses are not permitted to operate, with cinemas, entertainment and recreation venues, hairdressers, beauty and personal care services, gyms and places of worship to close.

Childcare centres will remain open.

Restaurants and cafes can provide take away or home delivery services only, and commercial hotel operators are permitted to continue trading from their attached bottleshops.

Funerals will be limited to 20 people, and weddings will be limited to 10 people, including the celebrant and the couple.

Restrictions on aged care, hospitals, disability care and correctional facilities apply with no personal visitors allowed.

It comes as the state recorded two new locally acquired cases of COVID-19 today, including a 19-year-old woman - a healthcare worker who was not vaccinated and was active in the community for 10 days.

QLD Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said health authorities were very concerned about the movements of the unvaccinated 19 year old.

"I am absolutely furious about this," she said.

"We need to make sure that we are getting our population vaccinated, right across the state."

RELATED: QLD Deputy Premier calls for tightening of international arrival exemptions

The 19-year-old woman developed symptoms on Monday a week ago but was infectious in the state for 10 days, and had travelled from Brisbane to Townsville and then to Magnetic Island. As such, everyone that lives on Magnetic Island has been encouraged to come forward and get tested for COVID-19.

The infected person also visited the Sandgate Woolworths, the Bay Health Gym in Brisbane, caught the VA369 flight from Brisbane to Townsville on Thursday 24 June, and went to the Townsville Sunday Markets.

A full list of the exposure sites and relevant times is now available here.

"This leaves us with no other option," the Premier said.

"We've got these multiple issues happening across the southeast and now some risk of exposure in Townsville and regional Queensland, we've got that outbreak linked to the Portugese restaurant, we've got the flight attendant from Sydney who came up on multiple flights.

"We need to act quickly, we need to go hard, we need to go fast."

VIC and WA to close border to QLD LGAs

In response to the outbreaks in QLD and Western Australia the Victorian Government will impose border restrictions from 1am on Wednesday 30 June.

The local government areas (LGAs) of Perth and Peel in WA and the 11 LGAs in southeast QLD going into lockdown will all become red zones under the VIC travel permit scheme, meaning arrivals from those locations must undertake 14 days of quarantine on arrival.

In addition, WA is reintroducing a hard border with all of Queensland, transitioning the state from 'low risk' to a 'medium risk'. As such, travel from QLD to WA will no longer be permitted from 3pm today (AWST).

Updated at 11.58am AEST on 29 June 2021.

NSW unveils support package for small businesses

Small businesses across New South Wales will be able to take advantage of a new support package announced by the state government today to alleviate financial pressure associated with the ongoing lockdown.

Grants make up the core of the support package, with eligible small businesses and sole traders in NSW able to claim up to $10,000 depending on the nature of the loss in turnover they can demonstrate.

In addition, payroll and gaming tax liabilities are being deferred for hotels in the state through to August.

Further, the state's 'Dine & Discover' voucher program has been extended until the end of August, meaning those living in the state have more of an opportunity to order takeaway or delivery from eligible restaurants at the government's expense.

"Our message today to every business and every person right across New South Wales is that we've got your back," NSW Treasurer Dominic Perrottet said.

"We know that many businesses and individuals in regional New South Wales are also going through a difficult time, particularly in circumstances where this lockdown period has occurred during the holiday season."

Small businesses and sole traders will be eligible for the grant payments if they have up to 20 full time employees or have payrolls of up to $1.2 million plus turnover of more than $75,000 per year.

Businesses will receive a payment of $10,000 if there's a turnover reduction of 75 per cent, a payment of $7,000 if there's a turnover reduction of 50 per cent, or a $5,000 payment if turnover has reduced by 30 per cent.

The payment will also be available to businesses in the tourism, hospitality and accommodation sector with payrolls of up to $10 million.

Funds will be available from 19 July.

NSW recorded 19 new locally acquired cases of COVID-19 in the 24 hours to 8pm last night. Seventeen of these cases are linked to previously confirmed cases and the source of infection for two cases is under investigation.

Click here to see the full list of case locations and alerts for NSW.

Updated at 11.00am AEST on 29 June 2021.

Public health alerts issued for The Oasis Shopping Centre on the Gold Coast

Update: Parts of Queensland will go into lockdown from 6pm tonight for three days. Read more here.

A public health alert has been issued for two sites on the Gold Coast overnight after the Queensland Government imposed new COVID-19 restrictions.

The two sites are both in the Oasis Shopping Centre in Broadbeach, and anyone who was at the places at the times listed must immediately quarantine and get tested for COVID-19:

• Woolworths Oasis, The Oasis Shopping Centre, Broadbeach on Saturday 26 June from 1.25-1.50pm
• BWS Bottleshop, The Oasis Shopping Centre, Broadbeach on Saturday 26 June from 1.30-2pm

The alerts come as much of Queensland is living with new COVID-19 restrictions this morning after the state recorded two locally acquired cases yesterday.

A mask wearing mandate and other restrictions are now in force for the following QLD local government areas (LGAs):

• Noosa
• Sunshine Coast
• Ipswich
• Logan
• Redlands
• Morton
• Brisbane
• Gold Coast
• Scenic Rim
• Lockyer Valley
• Somerset

Venues will return to the one person per four square metre rule, dancing will be banned except for at weddings, eating and drinking must be done while seated, and Queenslanders must remember to check in at venues.

The new settings will be in place for two weeks.

Updated at 10.04am AEST on 29 June 2021.

Perth and Peel in lockdown after Delta strain enters Western Australia

Those living in the Perth and Peel regions of Western Australia have woken up to a four-day lockdown this morning after one new case of COVID-19 was uncovered in the state overnight.

It also comes after WA health authorities determined the three locally acquired cases in the state have the highly infectious Delta strain, with genome sequencing linking the cases directly to the Sydney outbreak.

People will be required to stay at home unless they need to:

• work because it is not possible to work from home or remotely;
• purchase or provide essentials such as food, groceries, medicine and necessary supplies;
• attend medical or healthcare needs including a COVID-19 vaccination, and looking after the vulnerable; and
• exercise with a maximum of two adults from the same household (children under 18 years are not counted), limited to one hour per day within a five kilometre radius from home, and masks must be worn (except for vigorous exercise).

Schools, boarding schools and childcare centres in the Perth and Peel regions will remain open except for the three schools that have been directly impacted as they are a listed exposure site.

Universities, TAFEs and training colleges will be closed unless for critical activities.

Unless exempt, people in Perth and Peel are required to wear masks outside of the home, at all indoor settings, on public transport, and outdoors at all times unless for vigorous exercise or you are travelling in your private vehicle with members of your household.

Anyone who has travelled outside of the Perth metropolitan area and Peel region since Sunday, June 27 2021 must continue to wear face masks in public.

Anyone who has been to one of the potential exposure locations will need to get tested and quarantine as per the instructions they are given.

"We now know we are dealing with the highly infectious and dangerous Delta strain, which is a new beast that has entered WA," WA Premier Mark McGowan said.

"Escalating to an immediate lockdown will help us break the circuit and give contact tracers an opportunity to track and trace so we can get on top of this situation sooner.

"I acknowledge lockdowns are frustrating but they are a necessary response to the threat we face."

The following restrictions apply for the lockdown period:

• people can enter the Perth and Peel areas only to access or deliver essential health and emergency services and other essential requirements;
• restaurants, cafés, pubs and bars to provide takeaway service only;
• casinos, nightclubs, entertainment venues and public venues to close;
• beauty, nail and hair services to close;
• retail permitted but only for essential health services and essential goods such as supermarkets, pharmacies, hardware, petrol and others;
• public venues such as swimming pools and recreation centres to close;
• fitness venues including gyms, Pilates, yoga, dance studios to close;
• places of worship to close;
• community sport is not permitted;
• private outdoor gatherings are not permitted and events and functions are not permitted;
• weddings are restricted to five people - for compassionate reasons only;
• funerals are restricted to 10 people;
• no visitors will be allowed in homes unless it is for essential services, critical maintenance, caregiving and compassionate reasons or in an emergency;
• no visitors to residential aged care and/or disability facilities except for exceptional circumstances such as essential care, compassionate reasons, end of life and advocacy;
• no visitors to hospitals except for compassionate reasons, end of life, accompanying a child, supporting a partner giving birth;
• category 2 and 3 elective surgeries will be postponed until Friday July 9. People are urged not to contact hospitals directly as they will be contacted to reschedule their appointments;
• travel outside the Perth and Peel region is not permitted unless you are exempt to obtain or provide essential goods or services, or other compassionate and medical reasons; and
• travel remains prohibited to remote Aboriginal communities.

"I am asking everyone to please do the right thing here and follow the health advice and instructions we are putting in place," McGowan said.

"The developments with the additional case is disappointing but we can take comfort in the fact we have acted quickly and always we have followed a careful and cautious approach which has worked."

The announcement came after Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison addressed the nation following a meeting of National Cabinet.

The PM announced National Cabinet agreed to make vaccinations mandatory for aged care workers and to put into place an indemnity scheme for GPs administering COVID-19 vaccines.

As such, GPs can continue to administer the AstraZeneca vaccine to Australians under 60 years of age with informed consent.

Updated at 9.21am AEST on 29 June 2021.