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Queensland's daily COVID-19 numbers continue to jump substantially with 369 new infections recorded, up from 186 the previous day.

The increase in cases came as Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk flagged changes to the state's regime for travellers arriving from interstate hotspots, but not in time for Christmas.

Currently, those wanting to come to Queensland must get a negative PCR test result in the 72 hours before arriving, but waiting times at testing clinics around the country have blown out.

"We had a great national cabinet meeting yesterday, we're talking about those rapid tests ... we're looking at bringing those in on the first of January," Ms Palaszczuk said on the Gold Coast on Thursday.

"When I went to Tokyo, you actually got your testing done there and then. You waited 15 minutes and you were free to go.

"Perhaps the airports could help us as well."

Arrivals from NSW, Victoria and the ACT were increasing by "about 30,000 a day", she said.

As cases continue to climb in Queensland, Chief Medical Officer John Gerrard said one person was in hospital sick with the virus.

Another 93 people are in hospital beds for isolation and quarantine reasons, while 163 cases are being managed at home.

"Not only is the spread of this virus inevitable, it is necessary," he said on Thursday.

"In order for us to go from the pandemic phase to an endemic phase, the virus has to be widespread."

The only two options to develop immunity were to get vaccinated, or get the virus, Dr Gerrard said.

The high case numbers are causing havoc for small businesses forced to close in the run-up to Christmas after restaurants are listed as exposure sites.

Townsville Yacht Club manager Mark Cruickshank said his venue has shut down while staff waited for test results after becoming a close contact.

"Unfortunately we don't have the back-up staff to open so we were forced to close yesterday," he said.

The announcement came in the middle of lunch on Wednesday, with Christmas functions cancelled that evening.

Opposition Leader David Crisafulli said business owners wanted clarity and consistency.

"They feel as much confusion now as what they did two years ago when COVID first came to Queensland," he added.

The state reached the 90 per cent threshold for first-dose vaccinations on Wednesday, according to federal government data.

At least 85.65 per cent of eligible residents aged over 16 are fully vaccinated as of Thursday, with modelling suggesting Queensland will hit 90 per cent double-dosed in early-to-mid January.

The state has hit 90.25 per cent of people having received one dose of a vaccine, according to federal government data.

Meanwhile, a new mandate is being enforced throughout the state, with masks required in theatres and cinemas as well as for workers in hospitality venues.

Ms Palaszczuk pleaded with Queenslanders to go beyond the mandated rules and wear masks in public indoor areas.

"When you are going indoors, please mask up," she said.

Masks are already mandated in supermarkets and shops as well as public transport and rideshares.

© AAP 2021

Indoor mask wearing will be again compulsory in NSW after Premier Dominic Perrottet backflipped on restrictions, in an attempt to suppress a spike in coronavirus cases.

The state recorded 5715 cases on Thursday, just 10 shy of the nation's total for Wednesday.

"As of midnight tonight, we will be requiring that masks are worn in indoor settings, " Mr Perrottett said.

Hospitality venues will move to a two-square metre rule from December 27, while QR codes will again be compulsory.

"That's just to ensure as we move through this period of time we do have that support for our health officers over this summer and holiday period."

Since lifting most restrictions on December 15, the premier had struck a confident note and urged residents to take "personal responsibility" and help lead the nation out of the pandemic.

But cases have spiked since, with more than 20,000 testing positive since December 16 and testing clinics being overwhelmed.

Only 52 per cent of cases were notified to NSW Health by laboratories within one day of sample collection in the week ending December 19, down from 85 per cent the previous week.

While 94 per cent of cases were fully interviewed by NSW Health within one day of notification the previous week, now only 54 per cent are.

The surge in cases has also seen the number of healthcare workers in isolation nearly triple - from 459 to 1364 - in a single week.

The dramatic spike in cases just two days before Christmas had already pushed the government to change its mind on mandatory check-ins to venues across the state.

Check-ins will be mandatory again at supermarkets, shops and hospitality venues.

Despite the rise in cases, health advice indicated disease caused by the Omicron variant appeared about five times less severe than Delta, Mr Perrottet said.

Sydney remains the state's epicentre of the virus, but transmission is also raging in the Hunter New England area, which has 976 new cases.

The South Eastern Sydney Local Health District has the most cases, with 1186 recorded in the last 24-hour period.

The district has just under one million residents, taking in suburbs like Darlinghurst, Watsons Bay, Maroubra, Woollahra, Waverley, Randwick, Bayside, Kogarah, Hurstville and the Sutherland Shire.

One death, an unvaccinated man in his 40s with underlying health conditions, was recorded on Thursday.

The number of people in hospital has climbed to 347, up 45, with 45 in ICU, 13 of whom are on ventilators.

Most of the intensive care patients are unvaccinated.

© AAP 2021

Indoor mask wearing will again be compulsory in NSW after Premier Dominic Perrottet backflipped on several restrictions, in an attempt to suppress a spike in coronavirus cases.

The state recorded 5715 cases on Thursday, just 10 shy of the nation's total for Wednesday.

Hours later, Mr Perrottet said mask rules for indoor settings would return from 12.01am on Christmas Eve.

Pubs, restaurants and other hospitality venues will move to a two-square metre rule from December 27, when QR check-ins will also again become compulsory in hospitality and retail.

"We believe the changes ... will ensure that our health system is well manned over the holiday season as we go through this next stage," the premier said.

"Our number one priority is to keep people safe.

"We continue to open up the economy safely and are incredibly confident that NSW and our great people have made enormous efforts and sacrifices over this period of time."

Restrictions will remain in place until at least January 27.

Despite the rapid rise in cases, current health advice suggested the Omicron variant was about five times less severe than Delta, Mr Perrottet said.

Addressing the strain on PCR testing clinics, he said the government would investigate how to provide rapid antigen tests to the general population.

But free kits won't be available until an unknown date in 2022 - providing little comfort for those currently unable to find or afford the coveted tests that retail for about $15 each.

Since lifting most restrictions on December 15, the premier had struck a confident note and urged residents to take "personal responsibility" and help lead the nation out of the pandemic.

Instead, NSW led the nation in cases - more than 23,700 have tested positive in the past week, including 16,800 people aged between 10 and 39.

Testing clinics and labs have also been overwhelmed.

The time between a sample being taken and labs telling NSW Health it is positive was under 24 hours in only half of cases last week.

Meanwhile, the number of healthcare workers in isolation has tripled - from 459 to 1500 - in nine days.

Casting the reintroduced restrictions as sensible, modest and precautionary, Health Minister Brad Hazzard asked people to reduce the risk by hosting any visitors outside.

"If you can't do that, open all the windows," he said.

Dr Kerry Chant apologised for discouraging fun activities such as singing and dancing, known to increase the risk of transmission.

"Please take those activities outdoors, with lots of social distancing," the NSW chief health officer said.

She said the new QR code regime would be less stringent than before December 15.

Retail was a lower risk setting when people wore masks and socially distanced, she said, meaning contact alerts would act as a prompt, rather than a direction to isolate.

"NSW Health will only be contacting and focusing our efforts on people that have entered or worked in high-risk settings," Dr Chant said.

Royal Australasian College of Physicians president-elect Jacqueline Small expressed relief NSW had moved in line with medical experts.

Meanwhile, Opposition Leader Chris Minns said NSW should pull "whatever levers we can ... to get this pandemic under control, short of a lockdown".

In the past three days, one in 275 people living in Newcastle and its surrounds and one in 500 people in Sydney's inner west, east and southern suburbs have tested positive.

In that time, the number of people in hospital has climbed 86 to 347.

Most of the 45 currently in intensive care are unvaccinated.

"It's really sad to see some very young people in ICU who are not vaccinated," Dr Chant said.

© AAP 2021