Covid Qld: CHO warns of coming Covid wave as new traffic light warning system revealed

Queensland’s Chief Health Officer has warned a new Covid wave is possible in coming weeks, as he reveals a new traffic light system will be used as he loses his pandemic powers.

Queensland’s Chief Health Officer has confirmed the state will respond to Covid-19 with a new traffic light system as he loses his pandemic powers.

Dr John Gerrard’s pandemic powers will expire at 6pm this evening meaning he will no longer be able to close the state’s borders or order lockdowns.

It comes days after a new rapidly spreading variant entered Australia.

The XBB strain, which is resistant to vaccines and antibodies from previous infections, emerged in Singapore a few weeks ago.

Within a week, it went from making up one fifth of the country’s Covid-19 cases to more than a half.

Based on early evidence, experts aren’t yet too worried about the impact of the new XBB strain, however.

📣 New COVID-19 traffic light system 🚥
Living with COVID-19 means recognising and responding when the risk increases and decreases.
Here's the latest on the new system. 👇 pic.twitter.com/6zuiRDU5lR

— Queensland Health (@qldhealth) October 31, 2022

Dr Gerrard said it was “quite possible” Queensland would experience another wave in coming weeks.

When asked if an upcoming wave would be a result of the new variant XBB, Dr Gerrard said no and that the World Health Organisation had not classed it as a concerning variant at this stage.

“None (variant) is dominant at present (in Queensland),” Dr Gerrard said.

He reassured Queenslanders that vaccines continued to work against the virus.

“Even older people, if they’re up to date with their vaccines … the vast majority do surprisingly well,” he said.

“It’s not been as nearly severe as we might have predicted in these sub (vulnerable) groups.”

Dr Gerrard said Queensland could not continue to live in a hyper state of vigilance and that, “the virus will probably remain with us forever”.

Dr John Gerrard’s pandemic powers will expire at 6pm this evening. Picture: Jerad Williams

He said the traffic light system would be put in place following the ending of his pandemic powers, based on an agreed national framework, that would show residents when to wear a mask and when to “relax a little”.

“At the current level, the green level, universal mask wearing will not be required in most public hospital for staff and visitors,” he said.

Dr Gerrard said vulnerable people in their homes and “some other venues,” may still require mask wearing, which he said residents should “honour.”

Dr Gerrard said the state’s energy should now be directed to the “higher risk” groups, including those not up to date with vaccinations.

But he did not rule out a return of deadly pandemic conditions similar to 2021.

“At this stage, it is difficult for our epidemiologists to predict what the pandemic is going to do going forward,” he said.

Dr Gerrard said the intensity of future Covid infections would depend on two factors: wavering immunity and hybrid immunity.

He expects between two thirds and three quarters of Queenslanders have now been exposed to Covid.

Dr Gerrard said new variants would likely continue to emerge, particularly from Australia’s heavily populated neighbour China.

Official data relating to long Covid studies were currently pending peer reviews and would be released soon.

Dr Gerrard said early evidence was looking positive and showed Queenslanders -and Australians- were possibly not as vulnerable to long Covid than Europeans, thanks to extensive lockdowns.

The CHO said he was “very happy” to lose his “onerous” Covid powers.

“The end of the pandemic declaration is a great relief for all of us,” he said.

In Australia, there were 31,636 new cases of Covid-19 reported in the week to October 25 — an increase of 2.2 per cent.

In Queensland, there were 4447 cases of Covid-19 reported in the week to October 25, with 105 people in hospital and 18 people dying.