Qld on track to be last to get 80 per cent jabbed

The Prime Minister may have copped flak over the nation’s glacial vaccine rollout, but Queensland is looking likely to be the last state to get 80 per cent of its population fully vaccinated.

Queensland is on track to be the last state to get 80 per cent of its population fully vaccinated, with one estimate putting V-day just days before Christmas.

Just a quarter of Queenslanders are fully vaccinated, while only 43.5 per cent have received one jab – putting the Sunshine State behind every other state and territory except Western Australia.

But Health Minister Y’vette D’Ath defended the state’s position in the rollout race, saying the pandemic had proven predictions could go awry and that the state was dependent on the Commonwealth for supply.

Queensland is one of only four states not currently experiencing covid-19 lockdowns – and even New Zealand was forced to implement stay-at-home restrictions yesterday – but fears are mounting that the vaccination rate is falling behind.

Queensland Health Minister Yvette D'Ath has defended the speed of the state’s vaccine rollout.

Analysis of state and federal health department data by website Covidlive.com.au, run by data analyst Anthony Macali, indicates Queensland remains 79 days away from getting 80 per cent cent of its population protected with at least one dose of a Covid-19 vaccine and 119 days until it reaches the benchmark for both jabs.

It is based on projections from the seven-day average of vaccines delivered and does not take into account the expected increase of Pfizer and Moderna supplies from September or the opening of Brisbane’s new mass vaccination clinic at the Brisbane Convention and Entertainment Centre.

Queensland is currently projected to reach 80 per cent of its population fully immunised by December 14, behind the next-closest jurisdiction the Northern Territory on December 9, NSW on November 11 and Tasmania expected to reach the benchmark first on October 30.

National cabinet has set 80 per cent vaccination as the benchmark for when lockdowns will be less likely and the disease can be managed with fewer restrictions.

Analysis by The Courier-Mail of the state’s seven-day vaccination rate, based on Federal Health Department data, shows its share of vaccines delivered has fallen below its proportion of the national population.

Queensland delivered 264,000 vaccines in the seven days leading up to August 15, 17 per cent of the national total of 1.56 million doses, which is below its 20 per cent share of the national population.

The three states expected to reached 80 per cent fully immunised first, Tasmania, ACT and NSW, all delivered above their population proportion of vaccines over this time.

Australian Medical Association Queensland president Chris Perry said the medical community wanted to see the fastest vaccine rollout possible, particularly in border areas.

“The fact that 50,000 people registered with the BCEC vaccination centre within 24 hours of registrations opening shows that people are willing and keen to get vaccinated, and the rate will increase when supply increases,” he said.

“Queensland is a big decentralised state and people have to travel further to get to a vaccination centre, unlike somewhere like Tasmania where most people live within two hours of a vaccine.

He said increased and consistent supply would improve the vaccination rate.

Ms D’Ath said making predictions months ahead during the pandemic was not always reliable.

“Queensland’s overall vaccination rate continues to increase the length and breadth of our vast, decentralised state,” she said.

“We’ve shown what it’s possible to achieve with an intensive whole of community based approach in places such as Goondiwindi, where 70 per cent of the population has been vaccinated.
“Other jurisdictions that are in full lockdown, such as New South Wales, are currently receiving an above-per-capita vaccine supply which clearly impacts comparative vaccination rates.”

Queensland also received additional supplies of vaccines from the Commonwealth in recent weeks, including an additional 112,000 Pfizer doses from August 9 and

150,000 doses AstraZeneca about the same time.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison said 279,465 Australians were vaccinated on Monday, which was a new record and amounted to 200 doses a minute.

“In the past seven days here in Australia, as a share of our population, it beats any seven day period in the United Kingdom over their entire vaccination program,” he said.

Analysis of state and federal health department data by website Covidlive.com.au, run by data analyst Anthony Macali, indicates Queensland remains 82 days away from getting 80 per cent cent of its population protected with at least one dose of a Covid-19 vaccine and 124 days until it reaches the benchmark for both jabs.

Meanwhile, the border with NSW was calmer on Tuesday after a manic first day of harsh restrictions, while lockdowns continue across the country in NSW, Victoria, the ACT and Northern Territory.

Dozens of extra police were deployed to the border to enforce the NSW lockdown and stop potential Covid carriers from slipping into Queensland.

After bedlam at the border on Monday, it was much quieter on Tuesday with a dramatic reduction in the number of vehicles and pedestrians trying to cross the state line.

Fifty more officers have been assigned to border duty after police and other checkpoint officials intercepted 10,000 vehicles on Monday, turning back more than 1000.
Ms Palaszczuk said 25 police reinforcements would arrive at the Gold Coast border checkpoints on Wednesday, with the other 25 being deployed ‘out west’.
“That’s a big police presence along our border to make sure we do everything we can to keep Queenslanders safe,” she said.
The Premier said she was also write to NSW counterpart Gladys Berejiklian seeking to have the border moved temporarily south to reduce chaos in the ‘twin towns’ of Coolangatta and Tweed Heads.
But Ms Palaszczuk, who had a similar plea rejected by Ms Berejiklian last year, admitted NSW was preoccupied with ‘big issues’.
NSW recorded 452 cases on Tuesday, Victoria 24, and the ACT 17 and parts of all of those states and territories remained in lockdown.

The NT is into its second day of a three-day lockdown after one case was detected on Monday.