Queensland upgrades its COVID-19 traffic light system from 'green' to 'amber': What you need to know

Queensland is facing a new wave of COVID-19, and the state's traffic light system will reflect that from tomorrow, switching from "green" to "amber".

Premier Annastacia Palasczuk said the decision was made on the advice of the Chief Health Officer.

Here's what you need to know.

READ MORE: Medibank hacker demands $15 million ransom, publishes more intimate data

Are restrictions coming back?

Not yet - at least, not officially. The state government's traffic light system is about advice and recommendations, not mandates.

However, should things become more serious, the government can - as it did in earlier stages of the pandemic - choose to bring back rules for masks, isolation, and vaccines.

That isn't currently the case though.

The short answer is - you should do what's recommended, but you don't risk breaking the law either way.

READ MORE: Russia says it's withdrawing from key city in Ukraine

So what are the Amber recommendations?

The Amber setting means there are "moderate rates of community transmission" and Queensland is "coming off a wave or may be entering a new wave" according to the government's website.

The health advice is to wear a mask in the following situations:

• in healthcare settings
• indoors, if you can't socially distance
• on public transport
• if you are older or medically at risk
• if you're around people who are vulnerable to COVID-19, such as in hospitals or at the GP

People are also advised to take a rapid antigen test every two days if somebody in their household has COVID-19.

Additionally, people should follow the Green tier advice - the setting Queensland is currently in.

Green level advice is more about general health advice - staying home if you're sick, testing for COVID-19 if you have symptoms, and follow mask advice for individual settings.

READ MORE: Nurse thought she had asthma, the reality was far worse

Can I still go into the office?

At this stage, there are no recommendations about working from home, and they wouldn't be enforceable if there were.

But individual workplaces may make their own decisions about how to proceed.

Is there a new variant?

The nation's Chief Medical Officer, Professor Paul Kelly, recently described the strains of COVID-19 fuelling the new cases as the "grandchildren of Omicron".

Kelly has said the variants are more transmissible than previous strains of the virus, but not more severe.

"But we will see more transmission," he said. "We will see infection."

READ MORE: Biden defies history as Democrats dramatically outperform expectations

Will there be another round of vaccines?

A potential fifth jab has been mooted in some quarters, but it's not yet been advised here.

Kelly did urge people eligible for their fourth booster to make sure they were up to date.

What comes after Amber?

Red is the final tier of Queensland's warning system.

It means there are high rates of community transmission and Queensland is entering or already in a COVID-19 wave.

When the state is Red, people should follow all of the advice for the Amber and Green traffic lights and wear a mask indoors, even if they can socially distance.

It's also more likely some enforced rules will be considered at this stage.

You can see more details about the traffic light system on the Queensland government's website.