Musicians from the greater Sydney area will now have to enter a two week mandatory hotel quarantine if they plan to tour Queensland.
Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has today declared 31 new government areas as COVID-19 hotspots.
From 1am this Saturday, anyone arriving into the state from these 31 areas, plus three previously announced areas, will now undergo the two week quarantine.
The move comes after Sydney has reported 19 new COVID-19 cases across the state today.
"Queensland will close its borders to all of Greater Sydney," said Palaszczuk in a post to social media today. "From 1am Saturday, more hotspots will be declared and no one from Sydney will be allowed into Queensland."
This will also include Queensland residents returning to the state.
Additionally, two new cases have appeared in Queensland today after two women returned from an interstate trip and tested positive after being in the community.
ABC has reported that the women travelled from Melbourne to Brisbane via Sydney on 21 July.
"I'm absolutely furious that this has happened. That these two people have gone to Victoria, have come back and have given misleading information to authorities," said Palaszczuk today.
"I also want to say now that it is going to cause a lot of inconvenience to families but it is too important and we must protect Queenslanders."
A total of 79 Victorian Local Government Areas remain as a COVID-19 hotspot according to the announcement by Queensland Chief Health Officer Dr Jeannette Young in early July.
Victoria's current COVID-19 lockdowns have already significantly affected touring for Australian artists in the second half 2020, read the story here.
It remains unclear exactly which tours will be affected by this ruling but acts including DMA'S, Josh Pyke, Phil Jamieson and more are all scheduled for shows in both the Sydney area and Queensland in the coming months.
Stay tuned for more information as it becomes available and for the full list of Queensland listed hotspots from NSW and Victoria, head here.
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