Easter will look very different this year, void of family gatherings, camping trips, or church services, all in the effort to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Queensland Health is reminding Douglas Shire residents to minimise the number of people they come into contact with so that together we can flatten the curve.

Only to leave your home if it’s absolutely necessary. You can do so with members of your household or with one other person who is not a member of your household. Permitted reasons to leave your home are listed below.

For a residence or household, the number of people allowed to gather in that house is limited to the usual members of that household, plus two other visitors who are family or close friends.

They are strongly urging people aged over 70, anybody over 65 with a chronic disease, and Indigenous people over 50 to stay at home for their own protection.

Gatherings in non-residences

A person who owns, controls or operates premises, other than a residence, must not organise or allow a gathering to occur on the premises.

You are now only allowed to leave your home if absolutely necessary for the following permitted reasons. Failure to comply with these regulations can result in a fine up to $1,330 for individuals and $6,670 for corporations.

• To obtain essential goods and services
• Receive medical treatment or health care services
• Exercise
• Do work or volunteering that is essential and cannot be done from home (this is any type of work that is not restricted under the latest ‘non-essential business activity and undertaking closure’ direction)
• Visit another person’s home, as long as there are no more than two visitors who do not usually live there
• Visit a terminally ill relative or attend a funeral
• Assist, care for or support immediate family members
• Attend a Court or tribunal or comply with a Court or tribunal order
• Attend a childcare facility, school, university, or other educational institution to receive instruction that is not possible to receive at home
• Assist with an investigation by police or other law enforcement authority
• All shared custody arrangements of children under 18 years of age, whether informal or court-ordered, can continue as normal. You are allowed to leave home to take children from one parent’s home to the other parent’s home
• To avoid illness, injury or the risk of harm
• To comply with directions of a government agency.