Superseded - Interstate Exposure Venues Direction

Summary

Effective from: 10pm AEST 28 April 2021

Posted: 28 April 2021

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 29 June 2021 and may be further extended.

Further to this declaration, l, Dr Jeannette Young, 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 person entering Queensland must comply with any relevant requirements of other Public Health Directions while the person is in Queensland. A person entering Queensland who has been overseas in the 14 days prior to arriving in Queensland must comply with the entry and quarantine requirements under the Quarantine for International Arrivals Direction or its successor. If there are declared COVID-19 hotspots, a person entering Queensland who has been in a declared COVID-19 hotspot in the 14 days prior to entering Queensland must comply with the requirements under the Border Restrictions Direction or its successor.

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.

Citation

  1. This Public Health Direction may be referred to as the Interstate Exposure Venues Direction.

Commencement

  1. This Direction applies from the time of publication until the end of the declared public health emergency, unless revoked or replaced.

PART 1 – DIRECTION – QUARANTINE FOR PERSONS ENTERING QUEENSLAND WHO HAVE VISITED AN INTERSTATE EXPOSURE VENUE

  1. The purpose of this Part is to require individuals who enter Queensland and have been to an interstate exposure venue during the exposure period to quarantine in order to limit the spread of COVID-19.

  2. A person who enters Queensland and has been to an interstate exposure venue during the exposure period must quarantine at nominated premises in accordance with the requirements in paragraphs 5 to 7.

Requirements for quarantine

  1. A person who has been to an interstate exposure venue during the exposure period must quarantine for a period of 14 days commencing on the date of their arrival to Queensland unless otherwise directed by an emergency officer (public health).

  2. A person who has been to an interstate exposure venue required to quarantine under this part or by a direction of an emergency officer (public health) will be quarantined for a further period of 14 days from the end of the quarantine period if the person is not tested for COVID-19 when requested to do so by an emergency officer (public health).

  3. A person who has been to an interstate exposure venue must:

    1. travel to the nominated premises in the manner instructed by an emergency officer (public health), or if not instructed by an emergency officer (public health), by the most direct practical route and means to the place; and

    2. not leave the nominated premises for a 14-day period, except:

      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

        Example – escaping a risk of harm related to sexual or domestic and family violence

      3. in the event of an emergency situation; or

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

    3. provide a negative COVID-19 test result prior to being able to leave quarantine for any reason other than:

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

      2. an emergency situation; or

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

    4. if directed to quarantine at government-nominated accommodation, not open the door to the nominated premises, except when:

      1. leaving the nominated premises for a permitted purpose under paragraph 7(b); or

      2. allowing a person to enter a nominated premises for a permitted purpose under paragraph 7(i); or

      3. permitted by a quarantine facility worker to collect any food, laundry, medical supplies or other items left at the door of their nominated premises; or

      4. permitted by a quarantine facility worker to place any laundry, rubbish or other items directly outside the door of their nominated premises for collection; and

    5. for a person directed to quarantine at government-nominated accommodation, must not:

      1. physically interact with other guests from another nominated premises on a balcony of the nominated premises; or

        Note: a quarantined person should maintain physical distancing from other guests on other balconies at government-nominated accommodation

      2. accept or exchange items with other guests between balconies at government-nominated accommodation; or

      3. enter any balcony other than a balcony of the person’s nominated premises.

    6. wear a surgical mask whenever:

      1. directed to do so by an emergency officer (public health); and

      2. when leaving quarantine as permitted under paragraph 7(b); and

      3. when the door to a nominated premises within government-nominated accommodation is open as permitted under paragraph 7(d), unless:

        1. it is not practicable because of the emergency situation or the need to avoid immediate injury or illness or to escape a risk of harm; or

        2. permitted under a direction given to the person by an emergency officer (public health); and

    7. ensure any travel when permitted to leave and return to the nominated premises during quarantine under paragraph 7(b)(i) must be by ambulance service; and

    8. ensure any travel to leave and return to the nominated premises under paragraph 7(b)(ii),(iii) or (iv) is by:

      1. ambulance service; or

      2. from time of publication until 9.00am on 7 May 2021, transport arranged by a government authority; or

      3. from 9.00am on 7 May 2021, a transport provider endorsed by a government authority and with a Transport Plan in the form approved by the Chief Health Officer; or

      4. for a person not quarantining at government-nominated accommodation, private transport; or

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

    9. not permit any other person to enter the nominated premises unless that other person:

      1. resides in the nominated premises for the purpose of complying with this direction; or

      2. is required or permitted under a direction given to the person by an emergency officer (public health) to perform a COVID-19 test; or

      3. for government-nominated accommodation, is required or permitted under a direction given to the person by an emergency officer (public health) in an emergency situation and contact details of the other person are recorded; or

        Example: an emergency medical situation where it is not practicable to transport the quarantined person to a hospital.

      4. for a residence, is required to enter in an emergency situation; and

        Note: A nominated premises includes the balcony of a government-nominated hotel room. A quarantined person must not permit any person to enter their balcony unless they are permitted by paragraph 8(g) above.

Masks

  1. A requirement of this Direction to wear a surgical mask does not apply to:

    1. a child under the age of 12 years; or

    2. a person with a physical or mental health illness or condition, or disability, which makes wearing a mask unsuitable.

      Examples: persons who have obstructed breathing, a serious skin condition on their face, an intellectual disability, a mental health illness, or who have experienced trauma.

PART 2 – DIRECTION – QUARANTINE FOR PERSONS WHO ARE ALREADY IN QUEENSLAND

  1. A person who has been to an interstate exposure venue who is already present in Queensland when an interstate exposure venue they have visited during the exposure period is published must:

    1. immediately contact Queensland Health; and

    2. immediately travel by private transport directly to their home or place of accommodation or other suitable premises to quarantine at until further instructions are provided by Queensland Health or a direction is given by an emergency officer (public health) under section 362G or 362H of the Public Health Act 2005.

PART 3 – EXEMPTIONS

  1. The Chief Health Officer, Deputy Chief Health Officer or their delegate may give a person or class of persons an exemption from a requirement of this Direction if other extreme exceptional circumstances exist.

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

PART 4 – DEFINITIONS

  1. Definitions used in this Direction are in Schedule 1.

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 Jeannette Young

Chief Health Officer

28 April 2021

Published on the Queensland Health website at 10pm.

SCHEDULE 1 – DEFINITIONS

For the purposes of this Public Health Direction:

Cleared case of COVID-19 means a person who was a diagnosed person and has, in the 14 days before entering Queensland, been given a letter or other written evidence from a doctor or health authority of the jurisdiction where they were diagnosed that they are cleared of COVID-19.

Close contact means:

  1. a person who has been determined to be a close contact of a diagnosed person by a public health officer and has been, or has advised they will be, provided with a quarantine direction under the Public Health Act 2005; or

Note: notification from the Queensland Government may be through SMS, email or telephone call.

  1. a person in Queensland who has been determined to be a close contact or a casual contact of a diagnosed person by an interstate government authority.

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

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

Note: Emergency officers appointed under the Public Health Act 2005 include public health officers and police.

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

Informed means given oral or written notice by a public health officer or a government authority in another jurisdiction, irrespective of whether that oral or written notice is correct.

Example: a public health officer may inform a person by SMS, email or telephone call.

Interstate exposure venue means a place that is:

  1. identified by the relevant government authority for a State or Territory or safe travel zone country as a site where a person who was present at that site during an exposure period is required to quarantine, isolate or be tested for COVID-19 and isolate until they receive a negative result or for another period due to potential exposure to COVID-19; and

  2. published on the government website for the relevant State, Territory or safe travel zone country.

Note: an interstate exposure venue includes all venues listed by a relevant government authority including venues identified as either close contact venues or casual contact venues.

Nominated premises means:

  1. a person’s allocated room within government-nominated accommodation as directed by an emergency officer (public health); or

  2. another premises as directed by an emergency officer (public health).

    Note: A person may be required to pay a fee for quarantine under chapter 8, part 7AA (Fees for quarantine during COVID-19 emergency) of the Public Health Act 2005.

Private transport means:

  1. a private vehicle; or

  2. if travel by (a) is not available, a taxi with a protective shield between driver and passenger or a taxi van that allows for physical distancing between the driver and passengers; or

  3. if travel by (a) and (b) is not available, a taxi or ride share sitting in the back seat on the passenger side.

Safe travel zone country has the same meaning as in the Quarantine for International Arrivals Direction, or its successors.

Surgical mask means a single use, surgical mask with a minimum level 1 barrier protection level under the Australian Standard (AS 4381:2015) that covers the nose and mouth.

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

Last updated: 18 May 2021