Queensland waits for final analysis before opening state borders
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The Queensland Government wants to see Doherty Institute’s final analysis of suppression measures used against the Delta variant of COVID-19 before committing to reopening state borders.
Labor says the national cabinet has only received an “interim analysis” of some of the testing, tracing, isolation and quarantine (TTIQ) measures used in NSW to deal with the outbreak of the Delta variant.
State and territory leaders have also received an “interim update” on home quarantine trials in South Australia for vaccinated returnees.
However, Queensland is waiting for the final analysis of the trial and analysis of a trial that’s set to begin in NSW. They are also waiting for further analysis on the impact of reopening towards health networks.
“Queensland looks forward to seeing the completed advice from the Doherty Institute,” a government spokesperson said.
“Further work is also being done by AHPPC (Australian Health Protection Principal Committee) around the federal government’s proposal for seven days home quarantine as part of the trial in NSW for returning international travellers.”
Meanwhile, the state will start its own trial of home quarantine for local residents next week. Starting from Monday, 1000 people who’ve applied to enter from interstate hotspots have been offered the chance to go into 14 days of home quarantine.
“We ask that those Queenslanders taking part in the trial take the requirements of quarantining at home very seriously, to give the trial the best chance of success and possible future expansion,” a Queensland Health spokesperson said.
Exemptions for home quarantine are only currently granted to certain students who are attending boarding schools in interstate hotspots, disabled people and people recovering from medical procedures.
Participants for the home quarantine trial must have a home address in Brisbane, Moreton Bay, Sunshine Coast, Noosa, Ipswich, Logan, Gold Coast and Redland.
The trial has been welcomed by thousands of residents stuck interstate and people from other states who are trying to move to Queensland.
State borders are set to stay closed to interstate virus hotspots until 80 per cent of eligible residents are fully vaccinated. 68.3 per cent of Queenslanders have already had one dose of a vaccine as of the moment, with 49.5 per cent fully vaccinated.
Queensland Chief Health Officer Jeannette Young is considering rolling out COVID-19 vaccines in schools.
“At this stage I want … them (eligible children) to come forward with their parents and their grandparents, get the whole family out and get everyone vaccinated,” she told ABC radio.
“Then we are going to later on … look at schools because we have really good vaccine programs in our schools.”
With AAP
Eliza is a content producer and editor at Public Spectrum. She is an experienced writer on topics related to the government and to the public, as well as stories that uplift and improve the community.
