CHO gets death threats after blocking nurse from father's funeral

Queensland’s top doctor has received death threats over her handling of border exemptions and says steering the state through the pandemic has taken an "enormous toll" on her.

Chief Health Officer Dr Jeannette Young faced an onslaught of attacks after she denied 26-year-old Canberra nurse Sarah Caisip's plea to leave hotel quarantine to attend her father's funeral with her grieving mother and sister.

It has now been revealed Dr Young received death threats from the public following coverage of the case.

Dr Young said she was grateful for police protection, not because of the physical protection they provided but because it showed the government was supporting her in her decisions.

"It has taken an enormous toll on me, but then this has taken an enormous toll on nearly every single person in our community. Every single person in our community in Queensland has had to give up an awful lot. And we can't see a clear end to this," she said.

“This is a tough time for everyone, and I hope everyone has got a way of managing their mental health, of being able to talk to someone that they love, that they can work through issues with.”

The LNP opposition raised the case last week at the last sitting of State Parliament before the October election, and Prime Minister Scott Morrison raised its profile by calling in to talk radio host Ray Hadley’s program to criticise the Queensland government’s handling of the case.

"[The fact] that our government here in Queensland is prepared to support me to that extent ... has made me feel much safer doing what I need to do and knowing that I'm supported in doing it,” Dr Young said.

"I went for a long walk on Saturday. That helped enormously, being out in the fresh air and being able to see our beautiful, beautiful scenery and community here in Queensland."

Australian Medical Association Queensland president Dr Chris Perry revealed on Monday morning the Chief Health Officer was under police guard following the death threats.

“Jeannette now has a couple of police who are outside her house and who go with her everywhere," he told Nine's Today.

"She’s had to have extra help sorting through the applications for quarantine exemptions, she was getting over 100 per day and she was trying to deal with it all herself … she now has eight or 10 people who can help her to that, so it’s been quite stressful and it has not been helped by cowardly people threatening to take the life of a woman."

Dr Perry said he expected the Queensland-NSW border to reopen "soon".

"We’ve got to make our choice, do we want more people at funerals or do we want more COVID funerals?" he said.

A stepsister of Ms Caisip criticised the Prime Minister at the weekend for inserting himself in a difficult situation for the family.

Alexandra Prendergast wrote a letter to Mr Morrison saying she was "extremely disappointed that you have used my family to try and advance your political agenda".