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Thursday, December 19, 2024

Queensland to remove all border controls

Queensland will drop all border controls from 1am Saturday after recording six COVID-19 deaths and 14,914 new virus cases.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk says it’s the largest number of people to die from COVID-19 in a day in the state since the pandemic began in 2020.

The dead were all aged between their 70s, 80s and 90s and had significant underlying health conditions.

“During the whole two years of the pandemic, we’ve lost seven people. To lose six in one day is a big shock, and our thoughts are with the people at the moment,” she said.

“It’s quite upsetting.”

The premier also said Queensland will drop all domestic border controls, with the Omicron already widespread in the community and 90 per cent of eligible Queenslanders to be fully vaccinated at some point next week.

She said road border checkpoints will be removed and travellers will no longer have to show proof of a negative COVID-19 test from 1am on Saturday.

“They do not have to show that they’ve had the border pass, they don’t have to show that they have to state that they’ve had a RAT test, rapid antigen test,” Ms Palaszczuk added. 

“But this is the time and the time it’s now right as we head towards hitting that 90 per cent.”

However, Ms Palaszczuk said international restrictions will be maintained until Queensland hits the vaccination target.

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