Qld Premier clears the air after health authority’s advice was immediately contradicted

Premier Palaszczuk has defended her health authority’s mixed messages after advice for AstraZeneca vaccine was contradicted.

The Queensland Government has delivered mixed messages after four vaccine recipients suffered highly infectious reactions to the AstraZeneca vaccine over a two-day period.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk excused the handling of anaphylactic responses to the jab which was almost immediately contradicted by the federal government.

On Wednesday morning, Health Minister Yvette D’Ath said four recipients of AstraZeneca in the Sunshine State had responded poorly to the jab and advised anyone who suffers allergic reactions to delay being administered the vital vaccine.

But shortly after this advice was provided, Federal Health Department boss Brendan Murphy said there was no need for vaccines to be delayed with sufferers of anaphylaxis instead being monitored after the jab is administered.

Ms Palaszczuk stood by her health minister on Thursday morning, saying Ms D’Ath was providing an early morning conference while imploring Queenslanders to follow the advice of the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA).

“I think people need to take the advice of the TGA and need to take the advice of their doctors,” the Queensland Premier told reporters from Port Douglas.

“The advice at the moment … is they should tell their GPs if they have a history of (anaphylaxis) and they will be monitored.

“People should still go ahead and take their vaccines.”

Australia’s chief medical officer Brendan Murphy said reactions to any vaccine are not uncommon and that those giving the vaccine had adrenaline on hand and ready to administer in the case a patient suffers an adverse reaction.

“We know vaccines have an association with anaphylaxis,” he told reporters on Wednesday.

“One in 10 million people can have an anaphylactic reaction. There are components of vaccines that produce reactions.”

Chief Medical Officer Brendon Murphy ensures the vaccine is safe. Picture: Gary Ramage

The Sunshine State recorded no new locally acquired cases on Thursday but the Papua New Guinea virus outbreak continues to weigh heavily on Queensland, with eight new COVID-19 cases detected in hotel quarantine on Thursday.

Six of those cases are among those entering the state from the Pacific nation, which has led to the number of active cases in Queensland hospitals rocketing to 48.

It’s the most that has been recorded in hotel quarantine in Queensland since January 8, when the state recorded nine cases.

“This past fortnight we have recorded 55 new cases in hotel quarantine,” Ms Palaszczuk told reporters.

“That is something that we need to be very much aware of, and once again, I‘ve been a very strong advocate of regional quarantine.”

RELATED: Qld offers vouchers to visit Cairns and Great Barrier Reef

Queenslanders were offered $200 vouchers to visit the north.

The Premier is currently in North Queensland spruiking $200 vouchers to entice tourism activity in Cairns and the Great Barrier Reef.

On Thursday she encouraged Australians to take a gap year in the state’s north to “come and work in paradise”.

“Have a look online, see what vacancies are around,” she said.

“If you are a young person thinking about having a gap year, a number of young people used to go overseas, come to Cairns, come to Port Douglas, come and have your gap year here and you will not regret it.”

Originally published as Qld Premier clears the air after health authority’s advice was immediately contradicted