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Qld Covid restrictions and lockdown: Brisbane and regional Queensland coronavirus rules explained

<span>Photograph: Darren England/AAP</span>
Photograph: Darren England/AAP

The Queensland government has extended its snap lockdown until 4pm Sunday 8 August for 11 local government areas in south-east Queensland.

The local government areas are: Brisbane City; Moreton Bay; Gold Coast; Ipswich; Lockyer Valley; Logan City; Noosa Shire; Redland City; Scenic Rim; Somerset; Sunshine Coast.

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Can you leave your home?

If you are in one of the 11 LGAs, you can only leave home for these reasons:

  • To obtain essential goods such as groceries and medications, but only within 10km of your home. People in rural areas can travel beyond 10km to their nearest shop.

  • For essential work, school or child care. School or childcare is only allowed for essential workers or vulnerable families.

  • To exercise, with a maximum of one other person who is not from your household. You must stay within 10km of your home.

  • To get health care, to care for some who needs assistance, or to get a Covid test or vaccine.

If you are not in one of the 11 LGAs, there are no restrictions on leaving your home unless you are self-isolating as a close contact or awaiting test results.

Do you need to wear a face mask?

People in the 11 local government areas in south-east Queensland, including greater Brisbane, must wear a mask when they are outside of their own home until at least 2 August, unless:

  • You are alone or with members of your household outdoors or in your car

  • You are eating or drinking

  • You are at work (except in the hospitality and transport industries) and can isolate from others

  • It is unsafe to do so

  • You are vigorously exercising

In the 11 LGAs, masks will be required for anyone attending a secondary school, meaning students and staff.

In the rest of Queensland, people are encouraged to wear masks but it is not mandatory. If you have been in the areas that were subject to the three day lockdown in the past 14 days you must carry a face mask with you at all times.

What are the limits on gatherings and events?

From 4pm 31 July until Tuesday 2 August, people within the 11 LGAs under lockdown are banned from holding events, community sport, or gatherings under the stay at home orders. They are allowed not allowed to have any visitors to homes.

In these 11 LGAs, funerals and weddings will also be restricted to 10 people.

In other parts of the state not under lockdown, the limit on indoor gatherings will be 100 people across the state. Funerals and weddings can be indoors will be limited to one person per two square metres, or 200 people, or 100% capacity of the venue with ticketed allocated seating – whichever is greater.There is no limit on numbers for outdoor weddings or funerals.

There are restrictions on stadiums and sporting events. Any stadium with a capacity of more than 20,000 seats is capped at 75% capacity.

Funerals are limited to 20 people, and weddings are limited to 10 people with no dancing or singing.

Are businesses open?

In the 11 LGAs under lockdown, non-essential businesses are not be permitted to open. Hospitality – pubs, clubs, cafes – will be restricted to takeaway only. Cinemas, entertainment venues, hairdressers, gyms, places of worship must all close.

In other parts of the state, shops, restaurants, cafes, cinemas, gyms, beauty services and other businesses can operate subject to density limits and Covid-safe rules, listed here. Dance floors are open again from Friday 16 July and the number of customers is three people per four square metres.

From 9 July, the use of a Covid check-in app is mandatory for many businesses.

Can you travel anywhere?

If you are in one of the 11 LGAs under lockdown, you are not permitted to travel beyond a 10km radius of your home. And you can only leave home for the permitted reasons listed above.

  • Due to the unprecedented and ongoing nature of the coronavirus outbreak, this article is regularly updated to ensure it reflects the current situation at the date of publication. Any significant corrections made to this or previous versions of the article will continue to be footnoted in line with Guardian editorial policy.