Queenslanders could be thrown back into lockdown within the next 24 hours as health workers struggle to trace hundreds of contacts of an infected truck driver.
They fear countless visitors to a Brisbane suburban shopping centre could have been exposed to the highly infectious Delta variant of coronavirus by the driver.
The driver - who brought the virus north from NSW - is believed to have been infectious in the community for five days between August 28 and September 1.
He spent 45 minutes at a nail salon in Beenleigh Marketplace and contact tracers are checking up on hundreds of shoppers who checked in there at the same time.
Chief health officer Jeannette Young admitted there was a 'really high risk' the state could be forced back into its sixth lockdown by the latest outbreak
But they fear there could be hundreds more who did not check in and may now also be infected.
Chief health officer Jeannette Young admitted there was a 'really high risk' the state could be forced back into its sixth lockdown by the latest outbreak.
'If we find cases who went to the Beenleigh Marketplace and have since then been out infectious in the community in an uncontrolled situation, then that would lead me to think we need to consider a lockdown,' she said.
Queensland Health Minister Yvette D'Ath added: 'The next 24 to 48 hours is critical here.
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has begged locals to get vaccinated before Covid hits the state in the 'near future'
'We need to test as many people as we can and we need to ensure that we quarantine those people.
'When we don't have check-in data and we are waiting for people to come forward and tell us they've been to a place, that's where we lose time.
'I cannot reinforce enough the importance of the check-in data and everyone checking in. You're putting yourself at risk by not doing so.'
Dr Young said there were at least 74 people who were at the centre at the same time as the truckie but had not checked in - but the number could be much higher.
The truck driver spent 45 minutes at a nail salon in Beenleigh Marketplace and contact tracers are tracing hundreds of shoppers who checked in there at the same time
About 600 people did check in the same morning but the car park holds 900 cars and it was a busy shopping period.
'I'm very worried that there are a lot more people and we need to get hold of you,' she said.
'We're using the check-in data that we've got, but it's not enough. Unfortunately people didn't use the check-in app.
At least eight other people were also at Stylish Nails salon at the same time as the infected truck driver but didn't check in
'That is an ongoing risk so it's really important that anyone who was there on Monday come forward so we can test them and make sure that there isn't ongoing spread in that Logan-Beenleigh community.'
At least eight other people were also at Stylish Nails salon at the same time as the truckie but didn't check in, forcing contact tracers to trawl CCTV footage to try to find them.
A four year old girl and her mother from Logan are already confirmed as having been infected by the truck driver who was a family friend.
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk repeated her call for Queenslanders to get vaccinated as soon as possible before the state does get hit by a large-scale Covid outbreak. (Pictured, a woman wearing a mask at Brisbane's Soutbank)
The outbreak has put 1000 families into isolation who are connected with the early learning childcare the girl attends and and its associated Windaroo Primary School.
Dr Young said she was less concerned about school situation as families were locked down early.
But Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk begged all the affected families to stay in isolation until they get the all clear.
'We really need you to abide by their home quarantine,' she said on Sunday. 'We saw how well it worked, especially when we dealt with the Indooroopilly cluster,'
But Ms Palaszczuk repeated her call for Queenslanders to get vaccinated as soon as possible before the state does get hit by a large-scale Covid outbreak.
The premier says Queenslanders now have a window of opportunity to get vaccinated while cases are close to zero before the state borders re-open at 70-80 per cent double dose vaccinations. (Pictured, a woman getting a Pfizer vaccine jab in Brisbane)
Queensland will also be forced to open its borders to interstate travellers once the national adult double-dose vaccination rate hits 80 per cent.
She warned: 'It is absolutely imperative that you get vaccinated because this virus is going to pop up sometime in the near future.
'This is basically our window to get this done. We have been hearing extensively about the modelling of 70 and 80 per cent.
'We need to aim for 80 per cent and above. We have this window of opportunity, Queensland, to get vaccinated. Now is a window of opportunity to get vaccinated.'
