page_title: COVID-19 pandemic in Australia
section_title: Queensland
hierarchical_section_title: COVID-19 pandemic in Australia / Preventive measures / Queensland
caption_attribution_description: English: A set of Queensland Government stickers on a pedestrian signalling pole, advertising washing hands after being in public and using an elbow to press the walking button as some COVID-19 preventative measures.
context_page_description: The COVID-19 pandemic in Australia is part of the ongoing worldwide pandemic of the coronavirus disease 2019 caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2. The first confirmed case in Australia was identified on 25 January 2020, in Victoria, when a man who had returned from Wuhan, China, tested positive for the virus.
  Australian borders were closed to all non-residents on 20 March. Social distancing rules were imposed on 21 March, and state governments started to close 'non-essential' services. "Non-essential services" included social gathering venues such as pubs and clubs but unlike many other countries did not include most business operations such as construction, manufacturing and many retail categories.
  The number of new cases initially grew sharply, then levelled out at about 350 per day around 22 March, and started falling at the beginning of April to under 20 cases per day by the end of the month. A second wave of infections in Victoria, which was attributed to an outbreak at a Melbourne hotel, emerged during the period of May to June and is currently ongoing.
context_section_description: On 29 January, Queensland was the first to declare a public health emergency. The legislation was strengthened on 6 February by the Public Health (Declared Public Health Emergencies) Amendment Bill 2020.
  Key directions made under the Public Health Act 2005 include:
  2 April – A person must not leave their principal place of residence except for essential needs including work, food, medical and exercise, outdoor gatherings only up to 2 persons or with members of household, receiving only to 2 visitors at a residence, and no gatherings in non-residences.
  9 April – "Non-essential" business, activity or undertaking must not be operated.   "Non-esssential" businesses include cinemas, casinos, concerts, indoor sports, gyms, playgrounds, campgrounds, libraries. Restrictions also apply to restaurants (take away or delivery only), churches, hairdressers etc.  However most construction, mining, manufacturing and retail businesses continued to operate.
  Restricted entry into Queensland was introduced, with only Queensland residents and those considered an ‘exempt person’ being allowed to enter Queensland by air, sea, rail or road from another state or territory. This has been introduced stages: Stage 1 started on 26 March 2020, with stages 2 and 3 involving tightening the restrictions. Stage 4, introduced on 11 April, is currently the most restrictive, every person crossing the border including Queensland residents requires a permit. In addition, a person who has been in a declared COVID-19 hotspot in the previous 14 days must self-quarantine for 14 days.
  Closures of areas within Queensland include:
  All camping areas within Queensland national parks, state forests and recreation areas were closed on 26 March.
  Closure of high visitation National Parks including Fraser Island as well as all day use areas and visitor centres on 9 April.
  Closure of Queensland waters to cruise ships on 6 April.
  Closure of Surfers Paradise, Coolangatta and The Spit beaches on 8 April.
  Access to the Torres Strait Islands has been restricted to prevent COVID-19 from reaching the region, which has to date remained free of cases.
caption: COVID-19 preventive measures stickers on a pedestrian signal pole in Queensland
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