Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has announced another steep rise in the state’s Covid numbers, with 369 new cases, as she warned Gold Coast residents to lift the vaccination rate on the tourist strip.
The doubling in numbers follows the 186 cases announced yesterday.
Ms Palaszczuk urged people on the Gold Coast to get vaccinated as the tourist strip lagged behind state averages.
‘I’m still worried that vaccine coverage is not high enough here on the Gold Coast, which is one of the reasons we’re doing this press conference here today,’ the premier said.
‘Across the south-east of our state, essentially every area is above 90 per cent except the Gold Coast region.
The number of Queenslanders with a first dose of a vaccine on the Gold Coast is currently at 88.8 per cent.
‘It is absolutely imperative that we drive up the vaccination rates on the Gold Coast.’
Ms Palaszczuk said there will be no change to current border arrangements and that ‘the roadmap stands’.
‘Our response is we have always kept Queenslanders safe and the measures in place were the measures outlined in the road map and the road map stands.
‘Also, I’m concerned on the Gold Coast that we do not have the high rates of vaccination needed in a tourist destination.
‘There are thousands of people coming here from New South Wales and from Victoria where the virus is rampant and they’re coming to the Gold Coast and the Gold Coast is exposed because people are not vaccinated.’
Ms Palaszczuk said more than 30,000 people a day were trying to enter Queensland during the holiday period.
She took issue with suggestions the state should drop the PCR test requirement for entry to the state before January 1.
Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk urged people on the Gold Coast to get vaccinated as the tourist strip lagged behind state averages, with 88.8 per cent of its residents having had a first dose of a Covid vaccine
Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk announced another steep rise in the state’s Covid numbers to 369 new cases
Ms Palaszczuk said more than 30,000 people a day were trying to enter Queensland during the holiday period
‘It’s not just Queensland, people are travelling all around the nation,’ she said. ‘People travelling everywhere else need a PCR test.
‘It’s a bit Sydney-sided at the moment.’
Chief Health Officer Dr John Gerrard said more than 163 people were being managed at home in Queensland with Covid, but were ‘not sick’ with the virus, while 93 people were in hospital.
Only one patient is in ICU but also has other medical problems.
Dr Gerrard said the spread of the Omicron variant was ‘inevitable’ and admitted it was necessary Australians catch it.
‘This Omicron variant is extremely contagious, not only is the spread of this virus inevitable, it is necessary.’ Dr Gerrard said.
‘In order for us to go from a pandemic phase, to an endemic phase, the virus has to be widespread.
‘You all have to develop immunity and there’s two ways you can do that, by being vaccinated or getting infected.
‘Once we’ve done that, once we all have a degree of immunity, the virus becomes endemic, and that is what is going to happen.’
Dr Gerrard said there was no plan for the Queensland border to close again.
‘Nothing has changed. Our roadmap is clear, we’re moving forward not backward.’
A further easing of border restrictions, including dropping the requirement for the controversial PCR test within 72 hours of arrival into the state and on day five, is planned for when 90 per cent of Queenslanders are fully vaccinated under the current definition of two doses.
Ms Palaszczuk is under pressure to drop the lab test requirement for travellers after she was accused of causing long queues for testing in NSW and Victoria.
Long testing queues in NSW and Victoria had been blamed on Queensland’s requirement of a PCR test for people entering the Sunshine State
A further easing of border restrictions, including dropping the requirement for the controversial PCR test within 72 hours of arrival into the state and on day five, is planned for when 90 per cent of Queenslanders are fully vaccinated
At yesterday’s press conference she argued with reporters about the test requirement, claiming only 10 per cent of those queueing for tests in NSW planned to travel to Queensland.
The new cases were detected across the state, including Brisbane, Central Queensland, Gympie, Noosa, Redlands, Southern Downs, Sunshine Coast, Toowoomba, Townsville and the Whitsundays.
Dr Gerrard said yesterday that Covid was now ‘everywhere’.
‘And we know we’re not picking up every case so that number of 186 is an underestimate of the number of people who are already carrying this virus,’ he said.
‘It’s happening around the world, we’re certainly not unique.
‘Omicron is clearly becoming dominant it will completely overtake Delta and we’ll expect fewer and fewer Delta cases as time goes by.
The state passed the 90 per cent mark of eligible residents with one dose of a Covid vaccine yesterday.
Ms Palaszczuk said the PCR test requirement would remain for now but that she would consider the use of rapid antigen tests as proof of negative Covid status after January 1. Pictured: Cars entering Queensland from NSW at Coolangatta
Ms Palaszczuk said the PCR test requirement would remain for now but that she would consider the use of rapid antigen tests as proof of negative Covid status after January 1.
‘We are happy to get some further advice from AHPPC [Australian Health Protection Principal Committee] about rapid antigen tests.
‘We’re getting some further advice about how they can be administered and how you’d be able to get confirmation [of a negative result].
‘If this is approved, we may be able to utilise them in the New Year from 1 January, but between now and the New Year we will require those PCR tests for people coming into our state.
‘It’s frustrating for people in NSW because there are so many people getting tested, because the variant, Omicron, is rampant in NSW,’ she said.
‘And guess what, I don’t want it rampant in Queensland. I want Queenslanders to have a good, safe New Year.
Queensland Chief Health Office Dr John Gerrard said yesterday that Covid was now ‘everywhere’. ‘It’s happening around the world, we’re certainly not unique’
Prime Minister Scott Morrison said yesterday that only one-in-1000 would-be travellers was returning a positive PCR test but that they accounted for about 25 per cent of those lining up at Covid clinics.
The fear is that those testing for travel are causing those who genuinely have Covid symptoms to give up on being tested because of the delays.
The continuing rise in cases since Queensland reopened its border to visitors from interstate hotspots on December 13 prompted an extension of the state’s mask mandate yesterday.
From 5am today, workers and patrons at theatres and cinemas will be required to wear masks, while staff in hospitality venues such as pubs and restaurants will also have to mask up.
Masks are already mandated in supermarkets and other retail, as well as public transport and rideshares.
‘We want to keep our restaurants and our cafes and everything operating over Christmas and New Year,’ she said.
Vaccination rates had reached 90.1 percent of eligible Queenslanders with one dose and 85.26 percent fully vaccinated.
Queensland relaxed quarantine requirements for double vaccinated close contacts of Covid-19 cases on Tuesday, halving the isolation period from 14 days to a week.