Page 569 - Week 03 - Tuesday, 30 March 2021
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green zone travel arrangements for anyone who had been in Auckland in the previous 14 days.
These travel restrictions were adopted by the ACT, as well as requiring any traveller already in the ACT who had previously been in Auckland on or after 20 February to get tested for COVID-19 and isolate until they received a negative result, or quarantine for 14 days if they had been in a location of interest identified by the New Zealand government. Working closely with the airlines, ACT Health contacted 32 people with residential addresses in the ACT believed to have arrived from Auckland since that date. Thirteen of these people confirmed that they were in the ACT and all returned a negative COVID-19 test.
On the advice of the Australian Chief Medical Officer, the New Zealand green zone flight arrangements were subsequently reinstated from 11.59 pm on 11 March, allowing people to travel from New Zealand to Australia without having to quarantine for 14 days. We know that New Zealand has been pretty successful in suppressing COVID-19, but this situation is another example of how quickly the COVID-19 situation can change.
In Australia, many jurisdictions are operating under eased public health restrictions as we continue to move into the phase of COVID normal. I urge Canberrans to keep practising the COVID-safe behaviours. Remember that you are required to use the Check In CBR app when out and about, and continue to follow the public health advice to help keep the ACT in a strong position. While the situation is optimistic, we must continue to be cautious as we expect to continue to see new clusters and outbreaks despite our best efforts, as we are currently witnessing in Queensland.
As members would be aware, greater Brisbane was placed under a snap three-day lockdown from 5 pm yesterday, 29 March 2021 in response to a new COVID-19 outbreak. A 26-year-old man tested positive for COVID-19 on 25 March and has been linked to a previous cluster announced on 12 March. A close contact of this case also recorded a positive COVID-19 test result on 27 March 2021. In response to these new cases, a public health direction came into effect in the ACT from midday on 28 March requiring anyone entering or already in the ACT who had been in greater Brisbane on or after 11 March to complete an online declaration form.
In completing the online declaration, people were required to identify whether they had attended any of the close or casual contact exposure locations identified by the Queensland government. People who have been in a close contact exposure location need to quarantine for 14 days, get tested and call ACT Health. People who have been in a casual exposure location need to get tested, isolate and call ACT Health.
Following the Queensland government’s announcement on 29 March 2021 of four additional cases and a snap lockdown, the ACT’s restrictions were strengthened by listing greater Brisbane as a COVID-19 affected area from 6p m Australian eastern daylight time yesterday, 29 March. At this time, these travel restrictions will remain in place until at least 6 pm on 1 April 2021 while greater Brisbane is in lockdown and Queensland Health continues to manage this latest outbreak of COVID-19.
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