‘Leave her alone’: Doctors urge border closure critics to ‘back off’

Queensland's top doctors have called for critics of the state's chief health officer to "back off" over coronavirus border closures.

Chief Health Officer Jeanette Young has been repeatedly targeted for advising that the state should remain isolated from Victoria, NSW and the ACT.

Australian Medical Association President Chris Perry says the group supports Dr Young's scientific decisions during the COVID crisis.

"We're an evidence-based organisation and we follow what the chief health officer says," he told reporters on Sunday.

"What the chief health officer in Queensland says goes, it's the law."

Dr Perry said there had been many "stressful" personal attacks on Dr Young over her health advice to the government.

He said the criticism had mostly been by online trolls but he acknowledged the federal government also had a "different point of view".

"Back off. Leave her alone. We think this chief health officer is doing a great job," he said.

"We're doing a very, very good job in this state. Probably because Queensland politicians are listening very carefully to a very well qualified physician."

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Last week, John-Paul Langbroek, the member for Surfers Paradise, was criticised for sharing a cartoon of Dr Young and Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk.

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian also offered criticism of the borders on Sunday.

"I don't understand when case numbers are so low why you would even have borders up especially when you hear those heartbreaking stories of people separated from their relatives," Ms Berejiklian said.

"Having a border between Queensland and NSW is unnecessarily hurting citizens on both sides of the border."

Dr Perry said Dr Young's decisions over exemptions to cross the state's border or quarantining rules had been fair.

"It hasn't just been footballers and wealthy people," he said.

He said the AMAQ remains concerned about another coronavirus wave.

"Victoria is a very stark demonstration about what can happen if we lower our sights too quickly," he said.

There were no new cases in the state overnight, with 30 remaining active.

Meanwhile, Deputy Premier Steven Miles responded to reports that top businesses, including Qantas, were uniting to launch a campaign against the state's tough border stance.

"Chief executives obviously have a right to further the economic interests of the companies," he said.

"(But) if the boss of Qantas wanted to do more and show compassion for Australians, then he wouldn't be gouging them tens of thousands of dollars just to come home."

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