10 March 2022 COVID Update

All church related activities are being conducted in accordance with current COVID Safe guidelines. See local church listing for live-streaming details.

The recent Public Health and Social Measures linked to vaccination status Direction (No. 4) issued on 4 March 2022 has superseded the COVID Checklist requirements for Churches, amongst many other non-restricted businesses. This means that there are no longer mandated physical distancing or cleaning requirements for Church venues and activities.

The latest Direction sets out a table of Restricted Businesses in Schedule 1.

Churches/Places of Worship are not mentioned in that schedule except in the context of Private Hire of a venue, and that reference effectively allows Churches to operate as a non-restricted business on hired premises in that case. As such, Church venues and activities are now treated as non-restricted under this latest Direction.

The Direction states, at PART 1A – OTHER PUBLIC HEALTH CONTROLS, Non-Restricted Businesses, Activities and Undertakings, that “non-restricted business, activity or undertaking, may otherwise operate as normal, with physical distancing and public health controls observed to the extent possible and subject to any other applicable Public Health Directions.”

The phrase “may otherwise operate as normal, with physical distancing and public health controls observed to the extent possible” indicates a legitimate latitude in the application of physical distancing and health controls (cleaning, etc) and that they are no longer mandated but rather are now public health guidelines.

NB: This does not mean that cleaning can now be avoided altogether but rather that the high-level cleaning required under the Checklist is no longer mandatory. As COVID-19 infection is still widespread in the community we have a duty of care to adhere to good cleaning practices, particularly so in congregations which vulnerable people attend. Now that Churches are, effectively, back in a normal operating environment with no direct COVID-19 restrictions imposed, cleaning regimes can be determined by the local Committee of Management taking into account the use of venues, the health risk, and the composition of the congregation/attendees.

This understanding of the latest Direction has been confirmed with a representative of Queensland Health.

Stuart Hoadley Clerk of Assembly

4 March 2022 COVID Update

Dear PCQ Community
In line with the Premier’s announcement on 22 February 2022, masks will no longer be required in most settings from 6:00pm on Friday, 4 March 2022.

As such, from that time it will no longer be mandatory to wear masks during Sunday services or other church activities. Members of the congregation can of course continue to wear masks if they feel it is best for their safety and particularly if they cannot socially distance, but it is no longer a requirement.

Further, the new directions remove density limits. This means that congregation size is now only limited by the Council approved safe building capacity. Physical distancing is recommended but is not mandated.

Key points:

• Masks will no longer be required indoors, except in healthcare settings, residential aged care, disability accommodation, prisons, public transport, airports and on planes.
• Masks will no longer be required in schools, including for staff, students and visitors.
• Masks will still be recommended whenever you can’t social distance.
• There will be no limit on the number of visitors you can have in your home at one time.
• Venues and events will no longer have density limits.

Source: current measures ›

More Information
See the following links for COVID Safe restriction details

• Roadmap to Queensland’s COVID Safe Future ›
• Qld Easing Restrictions Table ›
• COVID Safe Checklist for Places of Worship ›
• COVID Safe Industry Plan for Places of Worship ›

COVID-19 details updated 13 April 2022.