CLANCY OVERELL | Editor | CONTACT
The Brisbane lockdown has been lifted!
As the clock strikes 6:00pm Queensland time tonight, with no new cases reported, the people of the River City are free!
“This is the best news we could have hoped for, absolutely the best news,” Ms Palaszczuk.
No cases were reported since 6:00pm on Friday, when Queensland authorities imposed a snap lockdown to slow the potential spread of a UK coronavirus variant in a quarantine hotel worker.
Though masks will remain mandatory in crowded areas for another 10 days, the city is looking good to go ahead and host the Brisbane test at the Gabba, with a full stadium of yahooing fans, after a brutal 72 hour lock down.
The highly contagious strain was detected in a cleaner who spent five days in the community in early January after contracting the virus at Brisbane quarantine hotel.
However, it seems this outbreak has been isolated to the one citizen, who did the right thing and got tested the moment she began showing symptoms.
Queensland’s Chief Health Officer, Dr Jeannette Young, officially announced the end of the lockdown this evening at 6pm on the dot.
“Ms Palaszczuk, tear down this wall!” shouted Dr Young, as her address was relayed across the city on live radio and TV broadcasts
Currently there are joyous scenes taking place across the city, as families torn apart by these strict measures are finally able to reunite.
Local Annerley-based hairdresser, Jojo Ackerie (55) says she never thought this day would come.
“It’s been very hard. I can now finally empathise with the people of Melbourne and Wuhan” she says.
“But the lockdown is over now. We did it”
Another resident, Lincoln Langer (tiler, 33) says as a single man, the Brisbane lockdown was one of the loneliest times of his life.
“I know it was for the greater good, but it was very hard” he says, holding back tears, while embracing his mother.
“But it’s done. I’ve got tickets to the test. Brisbane is back to normal”
At time of press, former Powderfinger frontman Bernard Fanning was performing a spontaneous live set from the stairs of Treasurer Casino, celebrating the end of the heartbreaking lockdown in a customised jacket covered in flashing fairy lights.
