Gympie events cancelled during QLD Covid lockdown

The Gympie region is feeling the sting of lockdown, with events cancelled across the region and a second day of lengthy wait times for testing as the state records its highest number of cases since lockdown began.

Traffic controllers at the Gympie Hospital fever clinic said they saw a decrease in the number of cars lining up to get tested on Tuesday, despite QLD recording the highest number of cases since lockdown began.

Life in the Gympie region continues to be impacted by the escalating South East QLD Covid outbreak and lockdown.

Traffic controllers at the Gympie Hospital drive-through fever clinic said on Tuesday there had been a drop in the number of people queueing to be Covid tested, but they were still lined up down King St and around the corner into Jane St in the morning.

The increase in testing comes after QLD Chief Health Officer Jeannette Young urged anyone with symptoms to get tested.

Gympie Hospital Covid testing lineup on Monday, August 2. Photo: Scott Kovacevic.

Queensland recorded 16 new local cases on Tuesday, increasing the number of active cases to 82, the highest number of new daily cases since lockdown began on Saturday.

As a result of the lockdown, a number of events were cancelled across the region.

The Mary Valley Show and Rodeo was scheduled to kick off on August 21 at the Imbil Showgrounds, but was cancelled by the Mary Valley Show Society on Monday.

The Mary Valley Show Society said the Mary Valley Show and Rodeo was cancelled due to “risks escalating daily”.

The Rainbow Beach Trail Festival also fell victim to the extended lockdown, with the event’s Facebook page saying the decision to cancel this weekend’s event made with “a heavy heart”.

“These are uncertain times … but every rainbow has a pot of gold and we will all have a chance to run in paradise again in better times,” they wrote on Monday.

The Gympie Touch Association announced all games were to be cancelled for Wednesday, to ensure no team was disadvantaged by the lockdowns.

According to new data from the Queensland Government, the Gympie Civic Centre vaccine hub delivered 213 vaccines on Monday, increasing the total number of vaccines delivered at the hub to 1032 since it opened on July 27.

It is unknown how many doses of the vaccine were delivered by GP clinics and pharmacies across the region.