Queenslanders and Australians are feeling excited, relieved and bitter as the state prepares to reopen its borders on Monday.
Thousands of fully vaccinated interstate travellers have begun the journey to enter Queensland as the state reopens its borders.Melburnian Matthew Ryland can't wait to paddle his board into the warm waters of Currumbin Alley for a few waves next week.
"Kids change so quickly, the difference between a nine and 11-year-old's a lot or 14 and a 16-year-old.The partition of loving relationships by Queensland's hard border has been the flaw of long-standing policy that has effectively shielded the state from deadly COVID outbreaks seen elsewhere in Australia.
While the border has caused much emotional trauma, it has protected Queenslanders from the ravages of COVID-19 with just six people dying with the virus since the pandemic began. For the first time in 229 days people won't need to quarantine on arrival, as long as they're fully vaccinated and test negative.Palaszczuk says with more than 80 per cent of residents having had two jabs, it's safe to move on and reunite families and friends."We will live with COVID but on our terms."
"After two years of drama and trauma for so many people, I think everybody is ready to get out there, forget about COVID for a moment and just enjoy themselves in this beautiful Australian landscape."Queensland advances plans to reopen borderThe 28-year-old PhD student had been visiting her dying grandmother in Sydney when the border was shut.
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