Three day COVID lockdown from 5pm Monday 29 March 2021
Greater Brisbane will go into a three-day lockdown until 5pm Thursday 1 April 2021 because of community transmission of COVID-19.
The restrictions will be reviewed on Wednesday evening.
Remember that services which provide critical health and disability support are considered essential. If support workers or carers need to travel for work they are permitted to do so. Support workers should wear personal protective equipment, including masks, when providing supports and should not work if they are unwell.
Remember that we have a Covid-19 planning tool available on our website. This planning tool will help you think through how to make a plan for your own individual needs and situation during COVID-19. Your emergency plan for COVID-19 can be found here.
Greater Brisbane
The greater Brisbane region includes:
- City of Brisbane
- City of Ipswich
- Logan City
- Moreton Bay Region
- Redland City
From 5pm today, residents in the Greater Brisbane region can only leave home for one of these reasons:
- shopping for essentials, food and necessary supplies
- medical or healthcare needs, including compassionate requirements
- exercise with no more than one other person, unless all from the same household
- providing care or assistance to an immediate family member
- work, or study if it is not reasonably practicable to work or learn remotely
- child custody arrangements
- legal obligations
- visit for end of life
- attend funeral or wedding in line with restrictions.
Mask wearing for Brisbane regions
If you do need to leave your house, you must wear a mask. If you can’t wear a mask because of your disability or your health condition, you just need to explain this if you are asked by police or other official.
You do not need to wear a mask when inside your home. However, a carer or support worker must wear a mask. You do not need to wear a mask when communicating with those who are deaf or hard of hearing, where the ability to see the mouth is essential for communication.
Increased testing
Remember – if you have any symptoms, get tested.
If you have been to any of these places, even if you don’t have symptoms – get tested. List of places here https://www.qld.gov.au/health/conditions/health-alerts/coronavirus-covid-19/current-status/contact-tracing
Brisbane services and businesses
Cafes, pubs, and restaurants will be open only for take-away service.
Schools are closing for Easter holidays at the end of today. For children of essential workers, schools will provide supervision until Thursday.
For all Queensland including Greater Brisbane: Disability Accommodation Services, Aged Care and Hospital restrictions
To keep Queenslanders safe, aged care, disability accommodation providers, and hospitals will close to visitors across the state.
The State of Queensland will be restricted under Queensland COVID-19 Restricted Areas (No. 13)
This means that visitors are not allowed in hospitals and aged or disability accommodation services.
Importantly, people providing health, medical, therapeutic, social work, essential disability support or pharmaceutical services to residents of accommodation services are not considered visitors and can continue to work as usual, wearing personal protective equipment as required.
If people with a disability need to attend hospital, there is an exemption in place that allows a support person to go with you – this can be a support worker, informal carer, family member or friend. It’s a good idea to talk to the hospital you are planning to go to about this before you arrive.
The Hospital Visitors Direction (No 18) is available here – (see Part 3, 15d).
QDN developed a guide called “Know your rights: Getting the hospital care you need during COVID-19″, which can be found here.
Outside Greater Brisbane – other restrictions
For regions outside of greater Brisbane, restrictions will apply relating to:
- No more than 30 people allowed for private gatherings
- Cafes, restraunts, bars – people must be seated
- Face masks must be worn inside if you can’t socially distance. If you can’t wear a mask because of your disability or your health condition, you just need to explain this if you are asked by police or other official.
Remember, if you have any symptoms, even if they are mild, go and get tested –find your nearest testing clinic here
More information about Queensland’s Public Health Directions will be made available on the Queensland Health website. Easy read versions will also be accessible here.
QDN Office Closure
The QDN office will be closed from Monday 29 March, 5:00 PM. Because of the lock-down, followed by Easter, the office will re-open on Tuesday 6 April at 9:00 AM.
The QDN team and your Local Support Groups Convenors will continue to work remotely and we are available via our usual telephone, email, website and social media contacts.
Keep in touch
QDN will be regularly updating you via email and on our Facebook page. We encourage you to keep up to date with the latest news and keep in touch with us by:
Phone: 1300 363 783 or (07) 3252 8566
Facebook: www.facebook.com/QueenslanderswithDisabilityNetwork
Website: www.qdn.org.au
Email: qdn@qdn.org.au
Mental health support is also available via the mental health access line 1300 MH CALL (1300 642255) and for carers and families – 1800 242 636.
We thank you for your support as we work together to ensure people continue to stay safe, healthy and with up to date information about this health pandemic. In the meantime, please continue to stay safe and use the usual hygiene measures – such as social distancing of 1.5 metres, washing hands or sanitising regularly, and wearing a mask outside your house.
