Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk urges vulnerable Queenslanders not to attend the Ekka

The Premier has provided advice to vulnerable Queenslanders, including her own mother, on whether they should attend the Ekka in the midst of a third Covid wave.

Older Queenslanders who haven’t received their boosters shouldn’t attend the Ekka, Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has warned.

More than 6100 new cases of Covid-19 were recorded on Monday with hospitalisations dropping to 1024.

Ms Palaszczuk said every Queenslander should be urging senior members of the community to get their booster.

“If you are a senior member of the community, you should be wearing your mask and going and getting your booster,” she said.

“I think that people should give serious consideration … if they are going to go to a mass gathering like the Ekka – if they are senior, if they haven’t had their booster – I would seriously think about not going.”

Vulnerable Queenslanders are being urged to avoid the Ekka as Covid cases surge. Picture: Claudia Baxter

Ms Palaszczuk said her advice to her own mother was that since she had her booster and would wear a mask, it would be safe to attend the Ekka.

“My mother just said to me over the weekend should she go to the Ekka. She’s gone nearly every year.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk. Picture: Steve Pohlner

“My advice to her is, she’s had her booster and she’ll wear a mask. That’s the same advice to everyone else.”

Twenty-eight people are being treated in ICU across the state.

The Ekka begins on August 6.

It comes as new federal government data reveals Queensland is still lagging behind the rest of the country when it comes to booster shots and vaccinations in children.

As of July 23, just 64.1 per cent of eligible Queenslanders aged 16 and over have received their booster, which is down from Australia’s rate of 71.1 per cent.

It’s also the lowest booster rate in the whole country, behind New South Wales with 68.8 per cent and Victoria with 73.3 per cent, and well behind the ACT where almost 80 per cent of the eligible population has been boosted.

Meanwhile, the state also has the lowest first and second dose rate with children both aged 5-11 and 12-15 years old.

Just 43.03 per cent of eligible five to 11 year olds in Queensland have had their first jab, and 31.95 per cent have had their second dose.

In those aged 12 to 15, 75.83 per cent have had their first dose and 70.76 per cent have had two doses.