South Australia will ease some of its heightened coronavirus restrictions from Thursday.
Key points:
- Most businesses will be able to welcome 1 person per 2 square metres
- Masks will still be required in places such as high schools
- More border restrictions may be brought in for south-east Queensland
Premier Steven Marshall has urged South Australians in south-east Queensland to consider whether they should return home.
Mr Marshall also announced the state would ease strict density limits on businesses in the wake of the recent lockdown.
From Thursday, hospitality venues will be able to return to 50 per cent capacity — or 1 person per 2 square metres — up from 25 per cent.
Gyms will be able to return to 1 person per 4 square metres.
Sport will be able to return to competition, but with limits on spectators.
Requirements to wear masks in personal care and healthcare settings, on public transport and at high schools will continue.
Masks will continue to be required in high schools, but excursions and assemblies will be allowed to return.
“The mask-wearing this week has really given the Transition Committee, the Chief Public Health Officer and the Police Commissioner great cause for optimism and also this was one of the key reasons why they were keen for us to further step down restrictions,” Mr Marshall said.
A ban on public singing and dancing will continue, and the 10-person home gathering restriction will remain.
Concerns about Queensland cases
South-east Queenslanders are currently prevented from entering SA, but SA residents can return and quarantine at home for 14 days.
Mr Marshall said it was possible that, if the situation worsened in Queensland, South Australian residents may required to apply for an exemption to return, as required for locals wanting to return from NSW.
Queensland announced 13 new locally acquired COVID-19 cases today.
“I think we need to all recognise that there could be a changed situation in Queensland,” Mr Marshall said.
A cross-border buffer with Victoria was extended from 40 kilometres to 70km.
Sport will be added as a reason to travel across the border ahead of this weekend.
Twenty-one cases were linked to South Australia’s Modbury cluster that led to a seven-day lockdown that ended last Tuesday.
Three of them are in hospital.
One new positive case was recorded in South Australia today, in a child in hotel quarantine.
No move in brain cancer case
Chief Public Health Officer Nicola Spurrier has defended SA Health for not allowing an Adelaide man, who has returned from Spain, to see his mother who has been diagnosed with brain cancer.
Daniel Cioffi arrived in Australia on July 24 but has been ordered to complete his hotel quarantine in Brisbane despite wanting to come home earlier to see his mother, Emanuela Cioffi, who is currently in the Royal Adelaide Hospital.
Professor Spurrier said exemptions were given for end-of-life visits and Ms Cioffi appeared to be going better than expected.
“This morning, talking to the clinicians that we do on a daily basis, they are even considering some discharge options for this woman, which I am really pleased about,” Professor Spurrier said.
“I’m pleased she is getting better.
“So it’s very likely that when the gentleman finishes his quarantine in Queensland and comes down to South Australia, I think that is likely on Saturday … it will be around about the time that Mrs Cioffi may even be getting ready to go home.”
Mr Cioffi this morning said his mother’s condition was worsening and he wanted to see her before it was too late.
Mr Marshall, who helped expedite Mr Cioffi’s travel to Australia, said he supported SA Health “100 per cent in the tough work they have to do looking at all of these, very often heartbreaking situations”.
“There are so many heartbreaking stories where people have been dislocated from their families,” he said.
“You do have to show compassion at every opportunity, but you’ve got to weigh that against risks.”
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