Queensland has announced it will close its borders to people from NSW from Friday, while ACT residents will still be allowed entry into the state.
Deputy Premier Steven Miles said travel between Queensland and NSW will be banned from 1am on Friday July 23.
The Queensland border will remain open to ACT residents, Queensland Chief Health Officer Dr Jeannette Young confirmed.
Dr Young praised the ACT for its management of the COVID-19 outbreak in NSW. However, she said Queensland residents should reconsider travel to the ACT, where possible.
"The ACT, as we all know, has done an excellent job of keeping Covid out of their area and it's been a long time since they've had a case," Dr Young said.
BREAKING: Queensland’s border with New South Wales will close from 1am Friday to reduce the risk of COVID-19 spread.
— Annastacia Palaszczuk (@AnnastaciaMP) July 22, 2021
This is an important step that allows Queensland to safely ease COVID-19 restrictions across the state.#covid19pic.twitter.com/Q71I5Bis5l
Queensland recorded zero cases of coronavirus overnight, while there are 31 active cases of COVID-19 in the state. There was another 124 cases recorded in NSW overnight until Thursday, with as many as 87 of the new cases potentially infectious in the community.
From 1am on Friday, NSW residents who live in the border zone will be able to travel into Queensland for limited reasons, including healthcare, work, education, essential shopping and caring for vulnerable people.
Queensland residents will be able to travel into the NSW border zone for similar limited essential reasons, but not further than the border zone, health officials have advised.
Queensland residents can return from non-border-zone locations in NSW, but will need to complete 14 days in hotel quarantine.
Mr Miles said residents from 11 local government areas around south-east Queensland will be required to continuewearing masks for another seven days, except for when seated, eating and drinking, or during strenuous exercise.
"The Chief Health Officer has also recommended that we bring in some additional restrictions for stadiums events, for large stadium events where people travel great distances and we have large crowds," Mr Miles said.
"That's in part recognition to the sheer number of sporting events currently happening in Queensland, with those additional NRL and AFL matches happening in the state."
Stadiums that have 20,000 or more seats will be required to limit the numbers to 75 per cent capacity.
Police Deputy Commissioner Steve Gollschewski urged any Queensland residents in NSW to come home before 1am on Friday to avoid being placed in 14-day hotel quarantine.
