Annastacia Palaszczuk tight-lipped on Covid strategy once Queensland reaches vaccination target

Annastacia Palaszczuk has refused to say whether Queensland would reopen once most of the community is fully vaccinated, saying it’s too soon to reveal her strategy.

Annastacia Palaszczuk has refused to detail whether she’ll open up the state and let the virus run once most of the community is fully vaccinated.

It comes as Queensland Health declares Greater Darwin and the Katherine region as Covid hotspots.

The Premier was repeatedly asked whether she would continue to pursue a no-Covid policy once 80 per cent of the population is vaccinated, or whether she’d let the virus run.

But while she said she agreed that hitting that threshold would allow an easing of restrictions, she repeatedly said that was a long way away and would not answer what her strategy would be at that point.

“These are decisions that are being talked about at National Cabinet,” Ms Palaszczuk said.

“We are provided constantly with advice from the Doherty Institute and what the Doherty Institute is saying is that 80 per cent national threshold is what we are aiming towards.

“So we haven’t reached that yet.”

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk. Picture: Tertius Pickard

The Doherty Institute modelling expected 80 per cent of the population to be vaccinated by the end of November.

The modelling revealed that even if we hit an 80 per vaccination rate, about 1300 people would die over six months in an out-of-control outbreak with minimal restrictions.

It follows comments from the WA Premier Mark McGowan suggested he planned to pursue a zero Covid approach even after the state reaches an 80 per cent vaccination rate and would continue to use lockdowns and border closures until the National Cabinet’s last phase of its four-step plan out of the pandemic.

Queensland’s border after tough restrictions were placed on NSW residents. Picture: Richard Gosling

Responding, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said that was not the agreement he had through National Cabinet.

“First of all, when you move from Phase B, you move from managing cases to ensure you’re managing hospitalisations, serious illness and things of that nature,” he told Sky News.

“And that was done in our first discussion on the national plan and it was then agreed in principle with the targets that were set by the Doherty Institute, which made it very clear that once you get to 70 per cent and 80 per cent at that level, particularly at 80 per cent, you’re managing the virus just like you would the flu.

“That’s what the national plan was about, it gives people that hope and the path forward. It is the path out. That was the plan that was agreed to.”

It comes as it’s announced Greater Darwin and the Katherine region will be declared Covid-19 hotspots from 1am Wednesday, August 18, says Queensland Health.

The declaration comes after a man in his 30s tested positive to Covid-19 and spent time in the community whilst infectious.

From 1am Wednesday, anyone arriving into Queensland who has been to Darwin or Katherine in the Northern Territory since August 12 must hotel quarantine, unless they are a returning resident or have been granted an exemption.

Anyone who has already arrived, or arrives in Queensland from the Greater Darwin and Katherine regions before 1am, Wednesday 18 August, should monitor their symptoms and get tested immediately if they experience symptoms.

Queensland’s Chief Health Officer Dr Jeannette Young said the positive case meant there was a need to take action and that restrictions will also apply to the state’s prisons, aged care facilities, disability accommodation services and hospitals.

“From 1am, Wednesday 18 August, anyone who has been in these NT hotspots on or after 12 August cannot enter these facilities, except for end of life visits unless 14 days have passed since they were there,” Dr Young said.