There have been over 60 public health directives issued by the Queensland Health Department since the start of COVID – almost 20 different public health directions remain in force. The details can be found here.

It can be difficult to identify directions that specifically apply to bodies corporate.

This article is intended to summarise some of the more relevant directions that committees should be aware of, and apply, even as restrictions are relaxed.

Social distancing requirement

Outdoor gatherings of up to 20 people, and up to 20 visitors at a single residence, can now take place subject to the overarching social distancing requirements, which are:

• remaining at least 1.5 metres away from other persons where possible;
• regular washing of hands; and
• avoiding handshaking.
• This is particularly relevant for regularly used areas that are confined – such as the lifts, gyms, pools, high use common areas.

Gyms

The 4 square metre rule (which means there can only be one person for each 4 square metres) applies to a restricted business, activity or undertaking. This applies to gyms which also requires:

• A maximum of 20 people at a time;
• participants must bring their own equipment where possible (for example, gym or yoga mat);
• frequent environmental cleaning and disinfecting should be maintained for equipment by facility staff;
• only open if supervised and staff are available to conduct regular cleaning and enforce social distancing;
• no contact sports or contact skills training (for example, boxing with a partner, tackling or wrestling) unless with a member of your household;
• no spectators, except for up to one parent/carer per child if necessary;
• minimise use of communal facilities.

Short term accommodation

As of 6:00am on 16 June 2020, for short term rentals and accommodation the requirement is now that:

• Social distancing needs to be following at all times (which is the 20 person and 1.5m distance limits);
• Communal areas must only have 1 person for each 4 square meters;
• Contact information about all guests and staff must be kept for contact tracing purposes for a period of 56 days; and
• if there are shared bathrooms or kitchens, a health management plan must also be in operation. Queensland Health has prepared templates that can be used if required.
• The public health directives are changing all the time. It is important that bodies corporates stay across the changes and what this might mean for them and their specific schemes.
• Feel free to contact us if you have any questions about if, or how, the directives apply to your scheme.

Written by Todd Garsden

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