On this day 12 months ago, I was filled with dread.
As we settled into a new year and new decade, a yet-to-be-named coronavirus was looming as the most disruptive health threat in living memory, an emergency to rival the Spanish flu.
Dr Jeannette Young is Australia’s longest-serving chief health officer.
Credit:Getty
Fast forward to today, more than 2 million deaths and more than 100 million cases later, and the virus has fulfilled its promise.
But hope has replaced dread.
We’ve demonstrated we’re capable of handling this disease and the vaccine will be a life-saver once it’s fully rolled out later this year.
Opposition calls for detail over Queensland quarantine exemptions
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Queensland s opposition has called for the public release of medical advice used to assess hotel quarantine exemptions, as the state government cracks down on international travellers gaining approval to quarantine at home.
It follows revelations from Right to Information documents, released to
Brisbane Times, of apparent miscommunication between police and Queensland Health over who was responsible for compliance checks on celebrity Dannii Minogue during her self-quarantine on the Gold Coast in July.
Dannii Minogue returned to Australia in July ahead of filming of The Masked Singer in Melbourne.
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On July 3, a senior Queensland Health medical adviser recommended Dr Young approve the exemption request for Minogue as a proof of concept private international quarantine arrangement .
The adviser s email to Dr Young noted Queensland Health had been provided draft documents [redacted] in appeal for an exemption for private quarantine .
The proposal would facilitate entry of key individuals travelling internationally for the entertainment, film and sporting industries particularly to the Gold Coast film and entertainment industry , the email said. There is potential to support the re-establishment of a significant industry in Queensland, the email concluded, citing the successful transfer of Melbourne AFL teams to Queensland.