COVID-19 update: Border re-opening 13 December 2021

10 December 2021

With the border re-opening from 1am on 13 December 2021, Queensland Health recently released a Queensland restrictions update that covers changes to Queensland’s border restrictions at 80 per cent fully vaccinated, as well as the Border Restrictions Direction (No. 56).

We’ve pulled together a handy summary of the directive, but recommend you read the update and directive in full if you are planning to cross the border.

NON-RESTRICTED BORDER ZONE

Fully vaccinated residents

Fully vaccinated border zone residents from the non-restricted border zone will be able to enter or re-enter Queensland for any purpose, and without the requirement to have proof of a negative test result prior to arrival  ̶  provided they have not travelled outside the border zone to a COVID-19 hotspot in the past 14 days.

• These residents will still need to have a valid border pass (X/XR pass), which will be valid for 14 days.

Unvaccinated border zone residents

• Unvaccinated border zone residents will be permitted to enter Queensland for essential purposes, without the requirement to have proof of a negative test result prior to arrival.
• These residents will still need to have a valid border pass (X/XR pass), which will be valid for 14 days.

RESTRICTED BORDER ZONE

Border zone residents

• Restricted border zone residents or Queensland residents who are fully vaccinated will be able to enter or re-enter Queensland for essential purposes, without the requirement to have proof of a negative test result prior to arrival and without the need to observe stay at home requirements upon return to Queensland.
• Restricted border zone residents who are unvaccinated will be able to enter Queensland for essential food, goods and services, without the requirement to have proof of a negative test result prior to arrival, but will need to observe stay at home requirements upon return to Queensland.
• These residents will still need to have a valid border pass (X/XR pass), which will be valid for 14 days.

DOMESTIC HOT SPOTS

• Fully vaccinated people will be able to enter Queensland from a declared COVID-19 hotspot (known as “a hotspot traveller”) if they have undertaken a COVID-19 PCR test or RAT within three days prior to the persons arrival in Queensland and receive a negative test result. If they meet these criteria they will not have to quarantine.
• The term hotspot traveller will also be used in the Border Declaration Pass.

You can read the restrictions update and the full border restrictions directive that will come into effect from 1am on 13 December 2021.

As more is known about the practical implications of crossing the newly opened border from 13 December, we’ll update this page as required.