Restrictions to ease from 4pm as no new cases recorded in Qld

Restrictions have eased across Queensland after no new cases of Covid-19 were recorded overnight. The good news comes ahead of another ‘Super Pfizer weekend’ to boost vaccination rates.

Restrictions have eased across Queensland after no new cases of Covid-19 were recorded overnight.

The relaxation will mean you can now take your mask off when you sit down indoors.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk announced the good news this morning, ahead of another ‘Super Pfizer weekend’ to boost vaccination rates.

Ms Palaszczuk revealed she held a teleconference with Chief Health Officer Jeannette Young on Friday morning, who advised her restrictions could return to stage three.

It means pubs clubs and cafes can have double the number of patrons, gathering numbers will increase and dancing will return from 4pm Friday.

“Because Queenslanders have done a great job Dr Young has advised us this morning that those restrictions can ease,” she said.

She said 68.7 per cent of Queenslanders had now had one dose of a Covid-19 vaccine, while and 50.3 per cent of the population were fully vaxxed.

Chief Health Officer Dr Jeannette Young and Health Minister Yvette D'ath at the Mackay Showgrounds Vaccination Hub on Thursday. Picture: Michaela Harlow

The positive results come as Dr Young and Health Minister Yvette D’Ath tour regional Queensland in an attempt to get more people vaccinated.

Dr Young said due to the “tremendous” work done by Queenslanders the state had averted another outbreak.

“So from 4pm today we can remove those restrictions and go back to the situation we were in before,” she said.

Mask-wearing would be reviewed in another two weeks, she said.

Despite the positive news, Ms D’Ath warned the virus was coming and would spread through the state once the borders opened.

“Time is up...get vaccinated now,” she said.

Queensland borders will reopen once every eligible Queenslander has been given the chance to get vaccinated against Covid-19, the chief health officer said.

Dr Young said it was the “people’s choice” to reopen because there was plentiful supply for vaccinations for everyone over the age of 12.

“The Delta variant will just come into a community and find the people who aren’t vaccinated,” she said.

Queensland Health has embarked on major vaccination push for regions with pop-up vaccination clinics opening at selected high schools in areas with low vaccination rates threatening to hold the entire state from reopening.

Ms Palaszczuk has consistently said there is no guarantee Queensland would open its borders even once it hit the 80 per cent target, as per the national plan.

Ms D’Ath would not say when Queensland’s borders would reopen saying the decision would be discussed at national cabinet “with more modelling being done”.

Asked whether every eligible Queenslander would have had the opportunity to be vaccinated by the end of the month Ms D’Ath said “no”.

“I don’t believe Australia has the full amount of vaccine available to offer it to every single person by October but by November (supply will be at full strength),” she said.

“Dr Young and the Premier have made it very clear to open the borders they need to make sure every Queenslander has had the chance to get the vaccine.”

Central Queensland has more than enough supply to get people vaccinated right now, she said.

“There is no reason for people to be delaying,” she said.

This weekend is Super Pfizer Weekend 2.0 💉

Time to roll up your sleeve and join the Jab Army if you haven’t had your vaccine yet 🙋‍♀️🙋‍♂️

Do it for your family and do it for Queensland 💪#GetVaccinatedpic.twitter.com/twcP8yK54Z

— Annastacia Palaszczuk (@AnnastaciaMP) October 7, 2021

To boost vaccination rates the state government will once again host a ‘super Pfizer weekend’ on Saturday and Sunday.

“Time to roll up your sleeve and join the Jab Army if you haven’t had your vaccine yet,” Ms Palaszczuk said on social media on Friday morning.

“Do it for your family and do it for Queensland.”

The Premier said she remains concerned about low vaccination rates among Sunshine Coast, Logan and Beaudesert and Ipswich regions.

She said it was vital everyone get a jab as soon as possible with the state working to the 70 per cent double-dose rate.

“That is absolutely critical,” she said.

Ms Palaszczuk said it “depends on the supply” when the state would hit its targets.

Meanwhile, Ms Palaszczuk said she would investigate potential problems with the government’s home quarantine trial, with some people invited to participate in the trial by Queensland Health only to be told by Queensland Police the trial was being finalised.

“We’re doing the first thousand and if that works really well then we’re going to extend that trial,” she said.

Ms D’Ath said Queensland Police Service and Queensland Health were working together to select the people for the trial, with more than 300 people already been identified as being eligible.