Brisbane enters lockdown after U.K. COVID-19 strain found locally

• Brisbane residents have been placed into a strict three-day lockdown after a highly contagious strain of COVID-19 was detected in the community
• A hotel quarantine worker in Brisbane has tested positive for the U.K. strain of the virus, prompting concern among authorities
• Queensland Premier Annastasia Palaszczuk has vowed to go “hard and early” to stop the infectious COVID-19 strain from spreading further
• The lockdown announced by the premier means residents must stay at home between 6:00 pm Friday night and 6:00 pm Monday night
• Locals will only be able to leave their homes for essential work, local exercise, essential shopping and providing care
• Several states have imposed border restrictions on Brisbane residents, including NSW and Tasmania

Concerns over an outbreak of a highly infectious strain of COVID-19 has prompted Queensland authorities to enact a three-day lockdown for all of Brisbane.

A hotel quarantine worker in the city tested positive for the U.K. strain of the virus on Wednesday, but is believed to have had symptoms from January 2.

Queensland Premier Annastasia Palaszczuk has vowed to go “hard and early” to stop the infectious strain from spreading further into the community.

BREAKING: Following a confirmed case of the highly infections UK coronavirus strain, Greater Brisbane will be entering a three day lockdown.

These measures are tough, but they are important to keep our community safe.#covid19 pic.twitter.com/o8CfnRraYl

— Annastacia Palaszczuk (@AnnastaciaMP) January 7, 2021

“We know that this U.K. strain is highly infectious. It is 70 per cent more infectious and we are going to go hard and we are going to go early to do everything we can to stop the spread of this virus,” Premier Palaszcuk said.

“Greater Brisbane will be entering a three-day lockdown. That will be Metro North, Metro South, West Moreton. The areas that will be declared Greater Brisbane will be the council areas of Brisbane, Logan, Ipswich, Moreton, and Redlands,” she explained.

“From 6:00 pm tonight, Friday, to 6:00 pm Monday all residents living in those areas will be required to stay at home,” the Premier added.

Under the lockdown restrictions, locals will only be able to leave their homes for essential work, local exercise, essential shopping and providing care to those who are vulnerable.

Meanwhile, both NSW and Tasmania have announced that they will ask any Brisbane residents who are travelling to their state to go into isolation and get tested.

It’s expected other states will follow suit and require and Brisbane locals to enter quarantine or take a COVID-19 test.