Dr Jeannette Young urges people to get vaccinated despite no new local cases in Queensland

Queensland has recorded zero new locally acquired cases of Covid-19 in the past 24 hours, but authorities remain on high alert over the Delta outbreak in NSW.

Health authorities remain on high alert over the NSW Delta outbreak despite no new local cases in Queensland in the past 24 hours.

Queensland recorded two new overseas acquired cases – detected in hotel quarantine – with 51 active cases across the state.

Chief health officer Dr Jeannette Young said the NSW outbreak was “moving closer and closer” to Queensland.

Dr Young said Queenslanders needed to be “very careful” over the next week as authorities tighten up the border with NSW.

However, she warned it was unlikely those restrictions would prevent Covid spreading across the border, making getting vaccinated critical.

“This is a very, very clear message that now is the time to get vaccinated,” Dr Young said.

“We are not going to be able to hold back the virus from our border – it is going to come across.

“But if we’re vaccinated, it is going to be fine.”

Dr Young said it was concerning that some people aged over 60 – “the most vulnerable group in our community” – were still not vaccinated.

“We all have a responsibility (to get vaccinated),” Dr Young said.

“If you’re 16 years of age or older, it is absolutely critical you get vaccinated.

“We will not be able to hold back community spread of Covid in our state if we aren’t vaccinated.”

Chief health officer Dr Jeannette Young. Picture: Dan Peled

Current restrictions including carrying a mask indoors and staying seated indoors will be in place until 4pm next Friday if low cases continue.

Dr Young said that she will still have to assess the situation on Friday before she can make a decision.

“I think going forward, even if it isn’t mandatory, that people continue to wear masks indoors and in crowded spaces,” she said.

“We’ll have to wait and see if it will be mandatory or just strongly recommended.”

Masks will remain mandatory in airports regardless of the state’s decision next Friday as it has been made a national decision.

Health Minister Yvette D’Ath said 42.5 per cent of Queenslanders have no had their first Covid jab, while 26.8 per cent have had both doses.

The state delivered 19,273 vaccines yesterday.

Ms D’Ath said that if the low case numbers continued, Queensland would be able return to the lowest levels of restrictions on Friday next week.

The Health Minister said some communities in the Torres Strait had hit 100 per cent fully immunised which was a tremendous effort.

In respect to planned protests in Brisbane on Saturday, Ms D’Ath said the government respected the right for anyone to protest peacefully but condemned those protesting against vaccines.

“Now is not the time for these type of protests,” she said.

“If they are protests about the vaccine, well if you don’t want to get vaccinated, stay home … don’t go out.

“Because if you want to go out, if you want to go on holiday, travel around this country and internationally, if you want to hug a loved one, if you won’t to shake hands again, you need to get vaccinated.

“(It’s) your choice, but it’s not a smart choice not to get vaccinated.”

Ms D’Ath said the state was now doing vaccine “blitzes” to communities such as Cherbourg and Murgon but the population of First Nations people in southeast Queensland shouldn’t be underestimated.

“They’re just as vulnerable as anyone else across the state and we want all First Nations people to come out and get vaccinated,” she said.