One local case, massive lines at super Pfizer hubs

Queensland has recorded one new local case overnight as thousands line up at mass vaccination hubs for super Pfizer weekend. Some hubs have significant delays or are turning walk ins away after supplies ran out.

Queensland has recorded one new local case overnight as thousands line up at mass vaccination hubs for super Pfizer weekend, leading to significant wait times.

Some hubs, including Logan entertainment centre, have been so overwhelmed they are having to turn walk ins away because they are at risk of running out of vaccine.

On the Sunshine Coast, people have been warned to expect to wait more than four hours.

“Wait times are about two and a half hours at our Nambour General Hospital clinic,” a post by Sunshine Coast Hospital and Health Service said.

“Our Sunshine Coast University Hospital clinic is at capacity with wait times of more than four hours.

“If you don’t want to wait, head on up to our clinic at Gympie Civic Centre. It has plenty of availability.”

At Capalaba Place Hall, more than 500 people queuing for more than three hours to get immunised were turned away by police after supplies of the Covid vaccine inexplicably ran out.

Lines at the vaccine hub at Doomben racecourse. Photo: Annette Dew

Alison Kubler, who took her daughters, aged 16 and 14, to be vaccinated, left disgusted, calling the fiasco “a disgrace”.

“It was clear Queensland Health was unprepared - how can they run out of vaccines? It’s preposterous,” Ms Kubler said.

“Worst of all there were frail elderly people on walking frames and families with special needs kids, and at no point did anyone from Queensland Health come out and talk to us.

“It’s a disgrace that not one government staffer bothered to take the most vulnerable people first. I would have happily given up my place.”

Ms Kubler said “word filtered through” that supply had run out at 9.40am, and that police were called in at 9.30am.

“Was the government expecting a riot? Everyone was being patient and in good spirits. People were more shocked than anything.

“The only other ‘officials’ we saw were hired security guards. It was really quite appalling.

“We were all there, trying to do the right thing and get vaccinated but it was impossible,” said Ms Kubler, who has been fully vaccinated herself.

The turn out for ‘Super Pfizer weekend’ has been described as ‘unbelievable’ by chief health officer Dr Jeannette Young.

People have been lining up since 4am at some hubs, with long lines forcing some hubs to turn away walk ins.

Queenslanders had been urged to turn up at any of the 30+ mass vaccination centres this weekend where anyone without a booking could get the jab.

Dr Young said it was fantastic and the large lines proved walk-ins were necessary and pledged to continue the option for future weekends.

She said the community response to the walk-in vaccination hubs was “far more” than she “ever hoped for”.

“We will use up every dose of vaccine that we possibly can,” she said.

Crowd control at the vaccine hub at Doomben racecourse. Photo: Annette Dew

She said anyone with any symptoms needed to come forward and get tested, citing Delta could spread rapidly.

Hundreds of people are queuing at Boondall’s mass vaccination centre both inside and out, with some donning umbrellas to provide themselves shade.

Despite the hub not opening until 8.30am, people were lining up from 4am to be first to get the jab.

Audrey Morrow, 13, was one of the thousands expected to get the vaccine today.

Coming straight from her ballet class, the teenager said she was very excited to get her vaccine.

Yolandi Combrink, who also got her jab, said she only waited five minutes in line.

“(I wanted) to play my part,” she said.

Health Minister Yvette D’Ath said 40.54 per cent of eligible Queenslanders were now fully vaccinated, while 58.75 per cent have received their first dose.

More than 25,000 vaccines were administered in the last 24 hours.

Ms D’Ath said anyone who didn’t make it through queues today could get vaccinated tomorrow.

Health Minister Yvette D'Ath said people would be offered walk in options in future weekends. Picture: John Gass

She thanked Queenslanders for coming out in large numbers and rolling up their sleeves.

She said they had factored in 2000 doses of Pfizer at the vaccination hub at Logan but people in the line could be told today that supply will run out, and if so, will be directed to other vaccination sites such as Mount Warren.

“I don’t want any leftovers,” she said.

“”If the demand is so high that we have to get more stock, we will do that.”

“We need to make sure that we can keep the great lifestyle that we have,” she said.

The Doomben racecourse vaccine hub. Photo: Annette Dew

Today’s new local case is linked to the Sunnybank cluster and was in home quarantine the entire time, so poses no risk to the community.

This brings the cluster to 11.

Ms D’Ath said people did not need to keep reapplying every ten days for border pass exemptions.

“If you haven’t received a response yet, you do not need to keep replying.”

She said that she wanted all applications dealt with as quickly as possible and the only delay she faced when granting exemptions was making sure that Queensland has the hotel quarantine capacity.

“We are letting people in every single day now,” she said.

She said it was for the “safety of Queenslanders” that people were being let back in on the basis of hotel quarantine capacity.

The last figure she saw was “less than 4000 open applications” for border exemptions.

Ms D’Ath said her message to Queenslanders choosing to protest today was simple; “today is not the day to be going out and arguing against the vaccination or our response to Covid.”

“That response has kept us safe,” she said.

She said she hoped protesters understood the state government was trying to keep Queenslanders safe and enjoy our lifestyle at full capacity once again.

“Instead of protesting, how about lining up for a vaccination instead?,” she said.

“Those who champion freedom, there is no better freedom than having everyone vaccinated so that our economy can be fully operational again and our borders can open up.”

Twins Lachlan and Hamish, 12, Campbell Case from New Farm got a vaccine for their birthday. Photo: Annette Dew

On talking about truck drivers negotiating border crossings, Ms D’Ath said that she understood fatigue was a serious issue when it came to freight drivers on the road.

“We want them to be safe, so they need to take food breaks,”she said.

She said that they were working on ways for truckies to safely take breaks while driving through the border.

Mrs D’Ath gave her deepest condolences to the family of Brendan Luxton, who took his life after spiralling downhill during hotel quarantine.

“We made sure that support was provided to the individual,” she said.

“I am aware there were numerous contacts made with him in hotel quarantine.”

Health and school officials at Brisbane Boys Grammar which was closed due to the Covid outbreak in August. Photo: Lyndon Mechielsen

It comes as top Brisbane private school caught in the middle of a Covid-19 outbreak earlier this year has urged parents to get their kids vaccinated over the holiday break.

Brisbane Grammar School is among those urging parents to get their kids vaccinated.

The school was one of four schools to have students and teachers test positive to Covid-19 during the city’s Indooroopilly cluster outbreak in August.

On Friday, headmaster Anthony Micallef wrote to parents and encouraged them to take their sons to be vaccinated as soon as possible, now that eligibility had been extended to children 12 and over.

“We know some of our parents have already arranged for their sons to receive the COVID vaccine over the upcoming holiday break, and other students have already had their first dose,” he said.

“We encourage parents to continue to organise to vaccinate their sons through existing vaccination clinics or their GPs.”

Mr Micallef also said the school was working “closely” with staff to support them also being fully vaccinated.

“While the decision to be vaccinated remains a personal choice for those in our community who are currently eligible to receive a vaccination, Brisbane Grammar School sees the vaccination of staff and students as an important measure in providing a safer environment for all,” he said.

“We strongly encourage our families to vaccinate their sons if they are eligible to receive the vaccine.”

Chief Health Officer Dr Jeannette Young has urged parents to get their children vaccinated. Picture: NCA NewsWire / John Gass

At least 14 members of the BGS community contracted Covid-19 during the outbreak, including students and teachers.

Hundreds of families linked to the school were also forced into 14-day home isolation in a bid to contain the virus from further spread.

Other schools have also urged parents to use the school holiday period to get their children vaccinated, with a number of Queensland public school principals passing on public health messages from the education department.

A form letter seen by The Courier-Mail sent to parents from a number of schools shares the recommendation from Chief Health Officer Jeannette Young to get children 12 and over vaccinated.