Revoked - Home Quarantine for Household Members of a Domestic Traveller from a COVID-19 hotspot Direction

This Direction was revoked on 10 December 2021, and is no longer in effect.

Direction from Chief Health Officer in accordance with emergency powers arising from the declared public health emergency

Public Health Act 2005 (Qld)

Section 362B

On 29 January 2020, under the Public Health Act 2005, the Minister for Health and Minister for Ambulance Services made an order declaring a public health emergency in relation to coronavirus disease (COVID-19). The public health emergency area specified in the order is for ‘all of Queensland’. Its duration has been extended by regulation to 26 December 2021 and may be further extended.

Further to this declaration, l, Dr Peter Aitken, Chief Health Officer, reasonably believe it is necessary to give the following direction pursuant to the powers under s 362B of the Public Health Act 2005 to assist in containing, or to respond to, the spread of COVID-19 within the community.

Guidance

A household member residing with a domestic traveller must comply with the requirements of this Public Health Direction from the arrival of the domestic traveller at the shared private residence in Queensland for home quarantine.

Separately from the requirements under Public Health Directions, under sections 362G and 362H of the Public Health Act 2005, a person may be given a direction by an emergency officer (public health) to stay at or in a particular place for up to 14 days if the emergency officer believes it is reasonably necessary to assist in containing, or to respond to, the spread of COVID-19 in the community.

Preamble

1. This Public Health Direction is to be read in conjunction with other Public Health Directions issued under section 362B of the Public Health Act 2005 that have not expired or been revoked.

2. This Public Health Direction establishes a requirement to home quarantine and the quarantine conditions for a household member of a domestic traveller completing home quarantine at a private residence.

Citation

2. This Public Health Direction may be referred to as the Home Quarantine for Household Members of a Domestic Traveller from a COVID-19 hotspot Direction.

Commencement

3. This Public Health Direction applies from the time of publication until the end of the declared public health emergency, unless revoked or amended.

Application

4. This Public Health Direction applies to a person residing at a private residence at the same time as a domestic traveller, during the quarantine period for the domestic traveller.

PART 1 — QUARANTINE CONDITIONS FOR HOUSEHOLD MEMBERS

5. Each person who is a household member residing at a private residence with a domestic traveller during the quarantine period must home quarantine until:

   1. the end of the fourteenth day after the domestic traveller arrived into Queensland by air and arrived at the private residence to quarantine, or

   2. such time permitted under the Border Restrictions Direction (No.55) or its successor, that ends the quarantine period for the domestic traveller before the fourteenth day; or

   3. such time as another public health direction requires the domestic traveller or a household member to isolate or to comply with different quarantine requirements

provided the domestic traveller provides a negative COVID-19 PCR test prior to being able to leave quarantine, or the requirements for ending the isolation or quarantine under another public health direction are met.

Note: where the domestic traveller is permitted under Border Restrictions Direction (No. 55) to end their quarantine period early to leave Queensland (provided they have first obtained a negative COVID-19 PCR test result), the household members may also end their home quarantine once the domestic traveller has left.

Note: where a household member or the domestic traveller becomes a diagnosed person or a close contact, the requirements of the Designated COVID-19 Hospital Network Direction (No.4) or the Management of Close Contacts Direction (No.3) will apply rather than this direction.

Example: a household member of a domestic traveller that arrived at Brisbane Airport at 1pm on 1 May (day 0) and then travelled by private vehicle to the private residence must quarantine from the time the domestic traveller arrives at the private residence until 1pm on 15 May (day 14).

Permitted purposes to leave the private residence during quarantine

6. Each person who is a household member at the private residence during the quarantine period must not leave the private residence for 14 days other than for the following permitted purposes

   1. for the purposes of obtaining essential medical care at a hospital; or

   2. to avoid injury or illness or to escape a risk of harm; or

   3. in the event of an emergency situation; or

   4. to undertake a COVID-19 PCR test; or

   5. if the person is a minor, for the purpose of traveling in prescribed transport to reside in a second premises to fulfil an existing obligation relating to shared parenting or child contact provided:

      1. neither the domestic traveller nor the minor has symptoms consistent with COVID-19; and

      2. the domestic traveller has had a negative COVID-19 PCR test in the 24 hours prior to the minor moving to the second premises.

   Note: this subparagraph only applies to established and/or long-term arrangements e.g. a week-on week-off shared parenting arrangement.

   Note: only those in the household due to have a COVID-19 PCR test are to travel together to obtain a test; household members not undertaking a COVID-19 PCR test must remain at the private residence unless one of them is required to drive the others.

Permitted purposes for other persons to enter the private residence during quarantine

7. Each person who is a household member at the private residence during the quarantine period must also not permit any other person to enter the private residence unless that other person:

   1. resides, or usually resides, in the private residence and is also or will be quarantining at the private residence; or

   2. enters to provide emergency, medical or other essential care to a person residing in the private residence, including a COVID-19 PCR test; or

   3. enters to respond to an emergency situation; or

   4. is an essential worker required to attend the property; or

   5. enters as otherwise required or permitted under a direction given to the person by an emergency officer (public health).

Example 1: a fly in fly out (FIFO) worker who usually lives at the private residence is working away in Longreach when the domestic traveller arrives in Queensland. The FIFO worker doesn’t return home until the 5^th day of home quarantine. The FIFO worker must home quarantine with the domestic traveller for the remaining nine days of the quarantine period, or stay in alternative accommodation.

Example 2: an electrical fault at the private residence causes shutdown of refrigerators and other electrical appliances including medical devices. An electrician is required to fix the fault and restore power to refrigerators and the medical devices. The electrician is an essential worker.

Example 3: a toilet is blocked and sewerage is leaking into the private residence, creating a health hazard. The plumber who is called to fix the toilet and sewerage leak is an essential worker.

Example 4: a State Emergency Services worker may attend a property as an essential worker after a severe weather event if the work required is essential work but may not enter the private residence where persons are quarantining.

Example 5: a cleaner or gardener is not considered an essential worker during quarantine and cannot attend a property that is a private residence to provide services during the quarantine period, regardless if they enter the private residence or not.

Other quarantine at home requirements

8. Each person who is a household member at the private residence during the quarantine period must:

   1. use prescribed transport to attend a COVID-19 PCR testing centre when testing is required during the quarantine period; and

   2. ensure any groceries, essential household items or essential medical supplies required by the household during the quarantine period are organised and stocked before arrival of the domestic traveller wherever practicable, and otherwise obtained by contactless delivery to the private residence

   3. undertake a COVID-19 PCR test if they develop symptoms consistent with COVID-19 during the quarantine period; and

   4. wear a face mask at all times when leaving the property for a permitted purpose or when a person enters the property for a permitted purpose; and

   5. use only prescribed transport when travelling to or from the private residence for a permitted purpose.

9. A household member attending a COVID-19 PCR testing centre for a COVID-19 PCR test must:

   1. where possible, attend for COVID-19 PCR testing at a drive through testing centre; and

   2. wear a face mask when attending the COVID-19 PCR testing centre, unless the household member is aged under 12 years of age or cannot wear a face mask for medical reasons; and

   3. on arrival at the COVID-19 PCR testing centre, advise the healthcare professionals that they are in quarantine and are attending for symptomatic testing; and

   4. maintain at least 1.5 metres physical distance from all persons other than members of their household, except when receiving the COVID-19 PCR test; and

   5. immediately after the COVID-19 PCR testing is completed, return to the private residence by prescribed transport, without stopping, except in an emergency or if directed to do so by law enforcement, and using the most direct route practicable.

10. If a household member refuses to be tested as required under this public health direction, they must complete a further 14 days of quarantine.

11. If requested by an emergency officer (public health) or a contact tracing officer, a household member must:

    1. provide their contact telephone number, email address and their date of birth; and

    2. if a parent, guardian or responsible adult of a minor, must provide the minor’s name and their date of birth; and

    3. any other information or documents required by an emergency officer (public health) or a contact tracing officer.

PART 2 –END OF HOME QUARANTINE FOR HOUSEHOLD MEMBERS

12. For a household member subject to Part 1, the quarantine period ends:

    1. at the end of the domestic traveller’s quarantine period; or

    2. at an earlier time permitted under the Border Restrictions Direction (No.55) or its successor, that ends the quarantine period for the domestic traveller before the fourteenth day

subject to the domestic traveller having provided a negative COVID-19 PCR test prior to leaving quarantine.

Note: a household member who becomes a diagnosed person must then isolate in accordance with the Designated COVID-19 Hospital Network Direction (No.4).

Note: a household member who fails to comply with the quarantine conditions may be directed by an emergency officer (public health) to quarantine in government nominated accommodation.

Note: the quarantine period under this public health direction may also end when new isolation or quarantine requirements apply under another public health direction.

PART 3 –RECORD KEEPING REQUIREMENTS

13. A household member quarantining in a private residence with a domestic traveller is required to maintain contact records for any essential worker attending the property during their quarantine period as permitted under paragraph 7. The records that are required to be kept are:

    1. the date, time and location at which the essential worker entered the property; and

    2. if possible, the name, phone number and email address of the essential worker who entered the property.

14. Any records required to be kept under paragraph 13 must be provided to an emergency officer (public health) or contact tracing officer, if requested.

    Note: Where there are multiple household members quarantining in the private residence, only one set of contact records need to be kept for an essential worker attending the property during the quarantine period.

PART 4 – EXEMPTIONS

15. The Chief Health Officer, the Deputy Chief Health Officer or their delegate may grant a person an exemption from all or part of these directions on the basis of extreme exceptional circumstances.

16. An exemption may be given on conditions and if so, the person given the exemption must comply with the conditions.

PART 5 – PENALTIES

A person to whom the direction applies commits an offence if the person fails, without reasonable excuse, to comply with the direction.

Section 362D of the Public Health Act 2005 provides:

Failure to comply with public health directions

• A person to whom a public health direction applies must comply with the direction unless the person has a reasonable excuse.
• Maximum penalty–100 penalty units or 6 months imprisonment.

Dr Peter Aitken
Chief Health Officer

15 November 2021

Published on the Queensland Health website at 5pm AEST 15 November 2021.

Schedule 1 Definitions

Contactless collection of a hire vehicle means the hire vehicle is collected by a household member before the domestic traveller arrives, or which the domestic traveller pays for and collects by cashless and contactless means.

Close contact has the same meaning as in the Management of Close Contacts Direction (No.3) or its successor.

Contactless delivery means a delivery made without any physical contact between the delivery person and the persons home quarantining in the private residence and paid for using cashless and contactless payment methods.

COVID-19 hotspot means a COVID-19 hotspot declared by the Queensland Chief Health Officer.

COVID-19 PCR test means an oropharyngeal and deep nasal swab for a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test approved for use in Australia by the Therapeutic Goods Administration to detect whether a person has the COVID-19 virus.

Note: A COVID-19 PCR test does not include a self-test.

Diagnosed person means a person who has been diagnosed with COVID-19.

Domestic traveller means a person permitted to enter Queensland from a COVID-19 hotspot under paragraph 38(b) of the Border Restrictions Direction (No.52), or its successor.

Note: a domestic traveller does not include a person who has been in a place outside Australia within the last 14 days even where the person has been in another State or Territory of Australia after being overseas and before entering Queensland.

Emergency officer (public health) means an emergency officer appointed under the Public Health Act 2005.

Endorsed transport provider means a person, business or entity that provides a transport service to a person who is required to quarantine and is endorsed by a government authority and has a Transport Plan in the form approved by the Chief Health Officer.

Note: Information about endorsed transport providers and Transport Plans is available here: https://www.qld.gov.au/health/conditions/health-alerts/coronavirus-covid-19/current-status/public-health-directions/covid-19-testing-for-quarantine-facility-workers/endorsed-transport-providers.

Essential medical supplies include medicines prescribed by a doctor or dispensed by a pharmacist that are necessary to maintain treatment of the person’s pre-existing medical conditions, or to treat an urgent medical condition where the absence of prompt treatment would likely produce an adverse health outcome for the person.

Face mask means a flat surgical mask, P2/N95 mask or a cloth face mask with three layers that covers the nose and mouth (but does not include a face shield).

Note: a scarf or bandana is not a face mask.

Government-nominated accommodation means hotel or other accommodation premises at which the person is directed to quarantine by an emergency officer (public health).

Home quarantine means quarantine for:

1. a domestic traveller at a private residence complying with the quarantine conditions in Schedule 2 Part D of Border Restrictions Direction (No.52), or its successor, for the duration of the quarantine period; or

2. a household member also residing at the private residence during the quarantine period, under this Public Health Direction.

Household member means any person who is residing at a private residence where the domestic traveller is undertaking their home quarantine and who will continue to reside at the private residence during the quarantine period for the domestic traveller.

Minor means a person under the age of 18 years.

Premises has the same meaning as in Schedule 2 of the Public Health Act 2005 but excludes vehicles, and for premises that are a hospital, means the person’s allocated room or ward within the hospital.

Private residence means a self-contained dwelling with no shared common areas accessible by any persons other than those residing at the property.

Note: A self-contained dwelling may include a duplex, townhouse or ground floor apartment where there are no shared common areas, with separate or external entrance that requires no access via shared enclosed areas such as a foyer, stairwell or lift. It may include temporary commercial accommodation (for example, a short-term rental accommodation). It does not include an apartment within a high-rise building, hotel room or caravan.

Prescribed transport means any of the following with a maximum seating capacity of no more than a maxi taxi:

1. a private vehicle driven by the domestic traveller or a household member who will be home quarantining at the private residence; or

2. a hire vehicle obtained via contactless collection for use solely by the domestic traveller and household members for a permitted purpose during the quarantine period at the private residence; or

3. a private vehicle driven by a domestic traveller that the domestic traveller accessed by a contactless process and that during the quarantine period, only the domestic traveller or a household member who quarantines with the domestic traveller under the Home Quarantine for Household Members of a Domestic Traveller from a COVID- 19 Hotspot Direction travels in; or

4. an endorsed transport provider.

Note: travel in a private vehicle may include being driven for a permitted purpose by one other household member. It does not include any form of public transport, taxi or rideshare.

Quarantine conditions means the conditions set out in Part 1 of this Public Health Direction.

Quarantine period means:

1. for the domestic traveller - the 14 day period commencing from the arrival of the domestic traveller in Queensland, or

2. for a household member – the period commencing from the arrival of the domestic traveller at the shared private residence and ending as determined under Part 2; or

3. for either of the above - any alternative period of quarantine as directed by an emergency officer (public health).

Symptoms consistent with COVID-19 means fever or history of fever, symptoms of acute respiratory infection (cough, shortness of breath, sore throat), headache, loss of smell, loss of taste, runny nose, diarrhoea, nausea, vomiting or fatigue.