As Queensland records one new Covid-19 case, and readies to reopen its borders, the state’s treasurer Cameron Dick has warned the days of low infection rates are set to end.
Tens of thousands of people are expected to enter Queensland in the days following the border reopening to the rest of the country from 1am on Monday.
The one overseas case of Covid-19 recorded in the 24 hours to 6.30am on Sunday is a man in his 30s who arrived from Nigeria.
Health authorities are closely monitoring the genomic sequencing to see if it is the Omicron variant.
Dick said it was “very good news” only one case had been detected, but warned the state border reopening meant “these days won’t last”.
It will be the first time in 229 days people will not need to quarantine on arrival, provided they are fully vaccinated.
“These days will finish as soon as the virus comes to Queensland,” Dick told reporters on Sunday.
He urged the 19% of eligible Queenslanders who have not yet been fully vaccinated to get the jab to minimise the spread of the virus.
Almost 81% of those eligible in the state have now received two doses.
Queensland’s police commissioner Katarina Carroll urged people wanting to visit the state from 13 December to be patient, travel outside peak hours, and expect extensive delays.
She estimated “tens of thousands” of people would be hoping to cross into the Sunshine State in the next few days.
The border pass system will become available online on Sunday evening and will provide different measures for separate areas.
Only those who are fully vaccinated, and provide a negative result to a Covid-19 test taken within the last 72 hours, will be admitted into the state.
There is only one international flight scheduled to land in Queensland on Monday, with 12 people on board, she said.
Deputy chief health officer James Smith said he expected more strain to be put on the public health system.
He said the state was still at least six months away from living comfortably with Covid-19.
