Queensland Scraps COVID Isolation Requirements For Close Contacts

Queensland are scrapping Covid isolation rules for close contacts, bringing the state in line with NSW, the ACT and Victoria.

From 6pm on Thursday, April 28, asymptomatic close contacts will instead be required to wear masks indoors and outdoors where they cannot socially distance, for seven days.

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In addition, close contacts are also required to deliver a negative RAT every two days before entering the community and notify their boss before returning to work.

Health Minister Yvette D’Ath said "it really is an individual’s choice now,” and that “it is more important than ever that people … be watching for symptoms, getting themselves tested and staying home”.

"We are moving from a situation where these measures are controlled by public health directives and now leaving it to individuals and employers to look at these for workplace health and safety measures in vulnerable settings," she said.

"Of course, we still encourage people who can work from home, who are close contacts, to do so over those seven days."

Queensland will also ditch hotel quarantine for unvaccinated travellers from next Thursday.

“It is important that every state along the east coast of Australia have the same rules for unvaccinated international arrivals,” Ms D’Ath said.

Queensland's new COVID rules:

A close contact of a COVID case can go about their daily lives provided they:

• Have no COVID-19 symptoms
• Test negative every second day for a week from the day of becoming a close contact (day 0, 2, 4 and 6)
• Wear a mask outside of home for seven days
• Don’t visit any vulnerable settings for seven days
• Let their employer know they are a close contact, and work from home if possible

International arrivals (vaccinated or unvaccinated) aren’t required to quarantine provided they:

• Have no COVID-19 symptoms
• Test negative within 24 hours of arriving, or if any symptoms develop
• Don’t visit any vulnerable settings for seven days
• Anyone who has any COVID-19 symptoms must isolate at home until symptoms resolve, even if they test negative on a RAT.

The relaxed restrictions are expected to lead to a slight increase in positive cases across the country.

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