Local businesses can look forward to an ‘epic summer’ following the easing of Qld border restrictions, the Byron Business Chamber says.
The Chamber’s incoming President, Jason Bentley, welcomed the move by the Qld Government, saying it would boost both visitation and the supply of desperately needed hospitality staff.
‘Eighty per cent of visitation [to the Shire] comes from Sydney, Melbourne and Queensland, so this announcement is great from that perspective,’ Mr Bentley said.
‘But it’s also big in terms of access to skilled and migrant workers.
‘Many of our local businesses have only been operating at 50 per cent capacity because of the difficulty of finding vaccinated workers.
‘For example, you’ve got restaurants that would normally be open seven days a week, just opening from Wednesday to Sunday. We’re hoping that will now be able to change’.
Need to be vaccinated
Under the changes, announced by Qld Labor Premier, Annastacia Palaszczuk, the state will open its borders to fully vaccinated travellers from interstate hotspots from 1am on Monday, December 13, without a quarantine requirement.
Of particular benefit to those living in the Byron Shire and surrounds is the reopening of the border bubble. From 1am next Monday, any border zone resident can travel to Queensland for any reason, assuming they are fully vaccinated. Border passes will still be required; however, COVID-19 tests will not be required for vaccinated border zone residents.
Those living outside the border zone will need a negative COVID-19 test within the 72 hours of arrival.
Anyone who is not fully vaccinated will need to arrive by air and undergo 14 days of hotel quarantine.
The state will also drop a requirement for people to have waited two weeks after their second dose of a COVID-19 vaccine to be considered fully vaccinated.
Travellers from domestic hotspots will need to get a COVID-19 test five days after they arrive in Queensland.
Recent stories, information and updates regarding COVID-19
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