The Queensland government is awaiting expert health advice on whether to open the state’s border with NSW.

October 27, 2020

Queensland could be days away from announcing the opening of its NSW border as the sunshine state again reported a day without any new COVID-19 cases.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk says she’s waiting on advice from Chief Health Officer Jeanette Young about the border closure.

It might not matter that NSW has ongoing community transmission of the virus and hasn’t clocked up 28 days without a locally acquired case, which was previously a requirement, she noted.

“When she’s ready to provide that advice we will make our announcement,” Ms Palaszczuk told reporters on Tuesday.

Asked if the two coronavirus cases diagnosed in the NSW community on Tuesday could torpedo the border reopening plans, Ms Palaszczuk said Dr Young would look at a range of factors, not just the 28-day border clock.

“The sewage testing, the rate of testing … and NSW Health has to work out if they can trace back (the cases),” she said.

Dr Young has previously said NSW must achieve 28 days with no community transmission of the virus for the border between the two states to reopen.

The border with NSW closed on August 8, with access only permitted to frontier residents, essential workers, freight drivers and people granted medical or compassionate exemptions.

Queensland last recorded a coronavirus case on Friday when two infected crew members from a cargo ship anchored off the Sunshine Coast were transferred to hospital.

The state has three active cases, while health workers completed 3798 tests in the 24 hours to Tuesday morning.

It has been 47 days since the last COVID-19 case was diagnosed in the community.