A BENDIGO couple is facing a dozen more days in quarantine, after spending nearly their entire holiday in locked-down Brisbane.
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James and Etty Lerk have been in home quarantine in Bendigo since Saturday, with a dozen more days of confinement remaining.
Quarantine will mean Mrs Lerk is forced to take a week of sick leave from her job as a teacher, as she will still be in quarantine when the school term begins.
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It comes as the Victorian government warns those stuck interstate that it has no plans to downgrade any COVID-19 red zones.
Brisbane became an orange zone on June 28 - a move announced late on Sunday June 27. Mr Lerk and his wife flew in on that Sunday.
On June 28 the Queensland government announced a snap lockdown for Brisbane and several other parts of the state, in effect from 1am on June 29.
On June 30, the Victorian government classified Greater Brisbane as a red zone, requiring anyone coming from the state to quarantine for 14 days.
Mr and Mrs Lerk had planned to stay a week in Brisbane, but their initial flight out was cancelled. Instead they flew out from Gold Coast a day earlier than planned.
Mr Lerk said despite the lockdown and quarantine, the pair had a lovely time with their relatives.
He said himself and his wife were both keeping busy while in lockdown.
Both have returned negative results for their first COVID-19 test, with another due about day 11.
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Victoria's COVID-19 commander Jeroen Weimar has warned those interstate there were no plans to downgrade any red zones, including Sydney and Brisbane.
The City of Brisbane, Moreton Bay and the Sunshine Coast remain classified as red zones. Greater Sydney, including the Central Coast, Shellharbour, the Blue Mountains and Wollongong also remain red zones.
Travellers returning from a red zone must obtain a permit and isolate at home for 14 days, while travellers from orange zones need to isolate until they return a negative COVID-19 test.
"Do not presume that we are going to flick a switch anytime in the next couple of days," Mr Weimar said.
With AAP.
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