With Queensland set to open its borders to fully vaccinated travellers from interstate hotspots next Monday, grey nomads and other travellers are being told to ‘pack their patience’ as they head north.
In announcing the change, Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk acknowledged the large number of people who have been living in caravan parks in northern New South Wales waiting for the green light to cross.
From next week, double-dosed travellers from hotspots – including New South Wales, Victoria, ACT, Greater Adelaide and parts of Northern Territory – will be able to arrive in Queensland via road as well as air.
And demand is expected to be high.
Queensland’s Police Commissioner Katarina Carroll told the ABC that the police service had undertaken extensive planning ahead of the border restrictions easing.
“It’s a massive milestone for people, we’re expecting a lot of people to be travelling into Queensland,” she said. “As a result, we are expecting extensive delays. I need everyone to plan ahead and pack their patience.”
She asked people to ensure they had their border passes and asked motorists to consider travelling outside of traditional peak hours.
Police will use vehicle technology to scan all vehicles coming into the state.
Acting Chief Health Officer Peter Aitken said opening up with an 80% double-vaccinated for those over 16 would put Queensland in a better position than many other jurisdictions.
“We will have cases – that’s inevitable, and we have to be ready for that,” he said. “As cases come into our community, it’s likely that we will need to think about wearing masks again … it’s likely that people will need to be in quarantine.”
South Australia recently relaxed restrictions at its borders, and Tasmania plans to re-open its borders on December 15.
Premier promised it would open at 80% Double Vaccinated and that will be Wednesday, Thursday or Friday not next Monday.
An out and out lie from Her.
The border crossing mite have flowed a little better if the Qld government got there act together, and made the border passed available a few days earlier, instead of the the same minute they open up the border, this no doubt will cause the system to crash, leaving people more frustrated then they already are, so yes, a very big dose of patience is needed, hang in there.