Queensland declares ALL of New South Wales and ACT a coronavirus hot spot

Queensland to shut its borders to ALL of New South Wales and the ACT – declaring them coronavirus hot spots and locking millions out of the Sunshine State

Queensland premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has shut the border with all of New South Wales and the ACT, declaring them all coronavirus hot spots.

The decision will take effect from 1am on Saturday, Ms Palaszczuk told reporters on Wednesday morning.

All visitors from NSW and ACT will be denied entry except for rare exemptions, and returning Queenslanders will have to pay for 14 days mandatory hotel quarantine. 

Only residents of border communities and essential workers will be allowed to go across the border between Queensland and NSW. 

Pictured: A pedestrian wearing a face mask walks past a tram in Sydney’s CBD on Tuesday. Queensland has moved to shut the border with all of New South Wales and the ACT

‘This is the right thing to do. I know it’s going to be tough on Queenslanders,’ she said. 

‘But your health comes first. We’ve seen what’s happened in Victoria – we don’t want to see that happening here. Businesses have said to me loudly and clearly that they do not want to go backwards.’ 

Ms Palaszczuk said exemptions would be limited and include compassionate reasons.

Those granted permission to cross the border will be given a pass which shows their proof of address and photo ID. 

She said the border closure would be reviewed at the end of August.

More to come 

Read more at DailyMail.co.uk