This direction has been superseded on 23 April 2021. See the current Requirements for International Arrivals Direction.

Summary

Effective from: 6pm AEST 20 March 2021

Posted: 20 March 2021

Superseded on: 23 April 2021.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 under this Direction must comply with any relevant requirements of other Public Health Directions while the person is in Queensland.

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 replaces the Public Health Direction referred to as the Quarantine for International Arrivals Direction (No.6) given on 24 February 2021.

Citation

2. This Public Health Direction may be referred to as the Quarantine for International Arrivals Direction (No. 7).

Revocation

3. The Public Health Direction Quarantine for International Arrivals Direction (No. 6) given on 24 February 2021 is revoked from 6.00pm on 20 March 2021.

Commencement

4. This Public Health Direction applies from 6.00pm on 20 March 2021 until the end of the declared public health emergency, unless it is revoked or replaced.

PART 1 — DIRECTION – Quarantine for international arrivals

5. This Direction applies to a person who arrives in Queensland and who has been in a place outside Australia in the 14 days immediately before their arrival.

6. A person who is an international arrival is required to quarantine in a nominated premises for 14 days commencing on the date of their arrival to Queensland in order to limit the spread of COVID-19, unless the person:

   1. transfers directly to another international flight to leave Australia without leaving the confines of the airport; or

   2. quarantines in government-nominated accommodation until the time of their international flight to leave Australia; or

   3. is a maritime crew member entering Queensland in accordance with the Protocol for maritime crew members joining or signing off a vessel in Queensland approved by the Chief Health Officer.

   Note: Requirements for air crew are in the Quarantine and COVID-19 Testing for International Air Crew Direction (No. 9) or its successors.

7. A person required to quarantine under paragraph 6, after completing immigration, customs and any other requirements:

   1. must travel directly, in the manner instructed by an emergency officer (public health), from their port of disembarkation to the nominated premises by the most direct practical route and means and reside in the nominated premises; and

   2. strictly comply with the quarantine requirements in Part 2.

PART 2 – QUARANTINE

8. A person who is required to quarantine under this Direction:

   1. must not leave the nominated premises for 14 days commencing on the date of their arrival to Queensland, 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; or accessing support from a domestic and family violence support service

      3. in the event of an emergency situation; or

      4. for a person transiting through Queensland in accordance with paragraph 6(b), to leave Australia on an international flight; or

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

   2. for a person directed to quarantine at government-nominated accommodation, must not open the door to the nominated premises, except when:

      1. leaving the nominated premises for a permitted purpose under paragraph 8(a); or

      2. allowing a person to enter the nominated premises for a permitted purpose under paragraph 8(f); 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

   3. must wear a surgical mask:

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

      2. whenever leaving and returning to the nominated premises during quarantine as permitted under paragraph 8(a) or whenever the door to the nominated premises is open as permitted under paragraph 8(b), unless:

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

         2. it is not practicable because of the emergency situation; or

         3. the person is a child under the age of 12 years; or

         4. the person has a physical or mental health illness or condition, or disability, which makes wearing a surgical mask unsuitable; or

            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.

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

   4. any travel when permitted to leave and return to the nominated premises during quarantine under paragraph 8(a)(i) must be by ambulance service; and

   5. any travel when permitted to leave and return to the nominated premises during quarantine under paragraph 8(a)(ii), (iii), (iv) or (v) must be by:

      1. ambulance service; or

      2. transport arranged by a government authority; or

      3. an emergency services vehicle in emergency or serious situations as permitted or allowed under a direction given to the person by an emergency officer (public health); or

      4. for a consular employee quarantining at their residence, private vehicle; and

   6. must 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. enters the nominated premises to provide emergency, medical or other essential care to a person residing in the nominated premises including a COVID-19 test; or

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

   7. must quarantine in a nominated premises with a parent, guardian or other responsible adult if the person is an unaccompanied minor.

9. A person who is required to quarantine under this Direction:

   1. must quarantine in accordance with the requirements in paragraph 8; and

   2. will be quarantined for a further period of 10 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); and

   3. Chapter 8, Part 7AA of the Public Health Act 2005 applies to a person required to quarantine under this Direction.

   Notes:

   Under sections 362G and 362H of the Public Health Act 2005, an emergency officer (public health) can give a direction to a person to stay at or in a particular place for up to 14 days if the emergency officer believes the direction is reasonably necessary to assist in containing, or to respond to, the spread of COVID-19 in the community.

   Chapter 8, part 7AA (Fees for quarantine during COVID-19 emergency) of the Public Health Act 2005 applies to a person required to quarantine and requires a person to pay a fee for quarantine.

10. Unaccompanied minors can be accompanied by a parent, guardian or other responsible adult to a nominated premises to quarantine in accordance with paragraph 8 with that parent, guardian or other responsible adult, if the parent, guardian or responsible adult consents to quarantine in the nominated premises.

11. Despite paragraphs 8 and 10, an unaccompanied minor who is an international arrival can travel from Queensland to another State or Territory to quarantine as required by the other State or Territory, if allowed by the other State or Territory.

People who may quarantine outside government-nominated accommodation

Consular employees

12. A consular employee as defined in the Consular Privileges and Immunities Act 1972 (Cth) who is an international arrival and who refuses, after being requested to quarantine in government nominated accommodation, is requested to travel directly to their residence by private vehicle and quarantine in accordance with paragraph 8.

People requiring support

13. An international arrival who is unable to live independently without ongoing or regular support due to significant health needs, and their carers, must travel directly to their residence and quarantine in accordance with paragraph 8 and any other requirements of an emergency officer (public health).

Maritime crew

14. A maritime crew member must comply with any relevant protocol for maritime crew approved by the Chief Health Officer.

    Note: Cruise ships are subject to the Restricting cruise ships from entering Queensland waters Direction (No. 2) or its successor and to the Biosecurity (Human Biosecurity Emergency) (Human Coronavirus with Pandemic Potential) (Emergency Requirements) Determination 2020 (Cth). 

    Note: Maritime vessels are subject to any General Manager Maritime Safety Queensland Directions issued under the Transport Operations (Marine Safety) Act 1994 which may impose time-based arrival restrictions. 

PART 3 – QUEENSLAND INTERNATIONAL ARRIVALS REGISTRATION

15. This part applies to an international arrival who arrives in Queensland.

16. A person mentioned in paragraph 15 must apply for and receive a Queensland International Arrivals Registration and must declare:

    1. the person’s name, date of birth, primary residential address in Australia, phone number and email address; and

    2. if requested, satisfactory evidence of identity; and

       Examples of evidence of identity – Passport, driver licence, Medicare card

    3. whether the person is an unaccompanied minor and, if so, the details of the parent, guardian or responsible adult who will consent to quarantine with the minor; and

    4. travel details including arrival date in Queensland; and

    5. any other information or documents required by an emergency officer (public health) or required for the Queensland International Arrivals Registration.

17. Despite paragraph 15, the information in paragraph 16 for a minor arriving in Queensland with a parent, guardian or responsible adult may be included in the Queensland International Arrivals Registration of the adult they are travelling with.

18. The following persons are not required to give a Queensland International Arrivals Registration:

    1. a person who has only been in a safe travel zone country in the 14 days prior to arriving in Queensland and has travelled to Queensland on a quarantine-free flight; or

    2. maritime crew who are not required to quarantine in Queensland under the Protocol for maritime crew members joining or signing off a vessel in Queensland approved by the Chief Health Officer.

PART 4 – SCREENING AND EVIDENTIARY PROVISIONS

19. An emergency officer (public health) may require any person subject to this Direction to answer questions or provide evidence about:

    1. whether the person has symptoms consistent with COVID-19; and

    2. whether they have been exposed to COVID-19 in the past 14 days; and

    3. whether a person has been undertaking managed isolation or quarantine in a safe travel zone country facility in the past 14 days; and

    4. their name; and

    5. their date of birth; and

    6. their phone number while in Australia; and

    7. their intended address while in Australia; and

    8. their email address; and

    9. their flight number; and

    10. their flight seat number; and

    11. the places the person has been in in the 14 days before arriving in Queensland.

20. A person must not refuse or fail to answer a question or give an answer that is false or misleading in providing information in connection with this Direction.

PART 5 – EXEMPTIONS

21. 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.

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

PART 6 – DEFINITIONS

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

PART 7 – 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

20 March 2021

Published on the Queensland Health website at 6:00 pm

Schedule 1 - Definitions

Australia means the Commonwealth of Australia and includes the external territories of Norfolk Island, Christmas Island, Cocos (Keeling) Islands, Coral Sea Islands and Heard and McDonald Islands but excludes the Australian Antarctic Territory.

Australian Defence Force air crew means

1. an Australian Defence force air crew member performing military tasking in accordance with a lawful order, excluding members ordinarily travelling for posting or leave purposes; or

2. an off-shift Australian Defence force air crew member travelling as a passenger on an aircraft to reposition at another location to immediately commence military tasking in accordance with a lawful order.

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 includes public health officers and police.

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

International air crew has the same meaning as in the Quarantine and COVID-19 Testing for International Air Crew Direction (No. 9) or its successors.

International arrival means a person who arrives in Queensland on a flight that is not a quarantine-free flight or a person who, in the 14 days immediately before their arrival to Queensland:

1. has been in a place outside Australia, other than a safe travel zone country; or

2. arrived in Australia by sea; or

3. arrived in Australia by air on a flight that is not a quarantine-free flight, regardless of whether the flight originated from a safe travel zone country; or

4. has been in a place declared a safe travel zone country hotspot,

but excluding international air crew, Queensland based air crew and Australian Defence Force air crew as defined and regulated by the Quarantine and COVID-19 Testing for International Air Crew Direction (No. 9) or its successor.

Maritime crew includes anyone required to be part of a crew operating or providing services to support the operation of a vessel, including supernumeraries.

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, including a residence, as directed by an emergency officer (public health).

Quarantine facility worker means an individual, including an employee, volunteer or contractor who performs a quarantine service at government-nominated accommodation.

Quarantine-free flight means a flight that only carries passengers who have completed an Australian Travel Declaration at least 72 hours prior to departure declaring details of their health status and that they have been in a safe travel zone country for 14 days or more and have not been in a safe travel zone country hotspot.

Note: Information about quarantine free flights is available from the Australian Department of Home Affairs: https://covid19.homeaffairs.gov.au/new-zealand-safe-travel-zone. Determinations about quarantine-free flights are made by the relevant airline.

Quarantined person means an individual who has been directed to quarantine by an emergency officer (public health) under section 362H of the Public Health Act 2005.

Quarantine service means a service or work of any kind during the course of which a person is physically present at government-nominated accommodation, or a service in relation to government-nominated accommodation, which is identified in the operational protocol for COVID-19 testing of quarantine facility workers approved by the Chief Health Officer including:

1. health;

   Example: providing medical care to or taking a swab for COVID-19 testing from a quarantined person

2. personal care;

   Example: assisting a quarantined person with a disability with personal care needs such as showering

3. security;

   Example: monitoring and directing the movement of a quarantined person within the government-nominated accommodation

4. cleaning;

   Example: cleaning a guest room at which a quarantined person is residing or has resided including after the quarantined person has departed

5. any other service identified in the operational protocol for COVID-19 testing of quarantine facility workers approved by the Chief Health Officer.

   Example: providing check in or check out services for a quarantined person, preparing meals for consumption by staff or guests, maintaining hotel premises, or driving a bus transporting quarantined persons

Queensland International Arrivals Registration see paragraphs 16, 17 and 18. The Queensland International Arrivals Registration is available on the Queensland Government website at: https://www.qld.gov.au/internationalarrivalstoqld.

Queensland-based air crew has the same meaning as in the Quarantine and COVID-19 Testing for International Air Crew Direction (No. 9) or its successors.

Residence means premises used, or intended to be used, as a dwelling or mainly as a dwelling, and includes the land on which the residence is situated, and includes:

1. a single detached dwelling; or

2. each of one or more attached dwellings that are separated by a common wall; or
   Examples for paragraph (b) — villa unit, townhouse, terrace house, row house, unit in an apartment block.

3. a manufactured home as defined in section 10 of the Manufactured Homes (Residential Parks) Act 2003; or

4. a caravan as defined in section 7 of the Residential Tenancies and Rooming Accommodation Act 2008; or

5. any other building or structure situated on the same land as the premises or dwelling.
   Examples for paragraph (e) – pool house, granny flat.

But does not include an aged care residential facility, corrective services facility or detention centre.

Safe travel zone country means a country specified in Schedule 2.

Safe travel zone country facility means a hotel or hospital where a person has been directed to complete managed isolation or quarantine by a relevant government authority in a safe travel zone country.

Safe travel zone country hotspot means an area within a country in Schedule 2 that has been specified by the Chief Health Officer by a direction published on the Queensland Government website: https://www.qld.gov.au/health/conditions/health-alerts/coronavirus-covid-19/current-status/hotspots-covid-19/declaration-of-covid-19-hotspots

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.

Unaccompanied minor means is a child who is not in the presence of a responsible adult.

Vessel means a commercial vessel, research vessel or government vessel that is in Australian waters and is 50 metres or more in length. It does not include cruise vessels, private vessels, super yachts or recreational vessels.

Schedule 2 – Safe Travel Zone Countries

New Zealand