Gold Coast 'exposed' with lower vaccination rate, Queensland Premier warns

Queensland has recorded 369 new local cases of COVID-19, with one person admitted to hospital.

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk.

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk. Source: AAP

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has urged citizens to stay safe over the festive period, as cases continue to rise in the state.

The state's daily COVID-19 tally reached a new high of 369 new local cases on Thursday, with one person being hospitalised due to the virus.

It comes as a new mandate is enforced in the state, with mask requirements for theatres and cinemas as well as workers in hospitality venues.
"People need to think carefully when they're going into indoor settings to wear a mask unless you are eating or drinking," Ms Palaszczuk said.

"We will see an escalation of cases like we're seeing in other states."

Ms Palaszczuk said cases are now being recorded across the state and has urged Queenslanders to get vaccinated, especially those on the Gold Coast where she said "vaccine coverage is not high enough" at 88.8 per cent first dose coverage.

"This is a tourism hot spot. This is where the tourists are coming from just across the border," she said.

"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."
She said the state is seeing at least 13,000 interstate travellers a day from NSW and the ACT. 

At least 93 cases are being managed in hospitals, and 163 in home quarantine.

"We're not going to stop (the virus), we're going to just try and slow it down a little bit to enable people to get those doses. So we don't expect to stop it," Chief Medical Officer Dr Gerrard said.

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

At least 85.3 per cent of eligible residents aged over 16 are now fully vaccinated with modelling suggesting Queensland will hit 90 per cent double-dosed in early-to-mid January. 

Additional reporting: AAP


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Published 23 December 2021 11:09am
Updated 23 December 2021 11:33am
Source: SBS News



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