Gympie truck driver tests positive to Covid in NSW

Queensland Health has responded to questions around a Gympie truck driver who has tested positive in New South Wales, and why no potential exposure sites have been declared in the Gympie region.

The Wide Bay was linked to a Covid-19 exposure alert on Tuesday but Queensland Health has not declared any potential exposure sites in the Gympie region.

A Gympie truck driver is believed to have been in NSW at the time of exposure and has not been included in the Queensland case list. Caboolture and Bundaberg were however declared possible exposure sites after the truck driver is understood to have visited there.

A Queensland Health spokeswoman said on Tuesday the reason no possible exposure sites had been declared for the Gympie region was because health authorities were confident they had been able to trace all people who may have been in contact with the man in any other areas he visited.

“The only time we put exposure sites on our website or social media is when we don’t feel we have been able to contact everybody who may possibly have been exposed,” the spokeswoman said.

“For example, if there was an exposure site where they have been able to contact everybody who was there at the time they don’t have to notify the public.”

Queensland officially recorded two new COVID-19 cases overnight.

One is an unvaccinated 17-year-old who lives on the Gold Coast. Another is a woman from Melbourne aged in her 30s who was in home quarantine. More to come.

The Gold Coast teen, who presented to an emergency department with a headache, is a close contact of someone from NSW.

Queensland's COVID-19 exposure sites by suburb updated every 15 minutes

Ms Palaszczuk said the woman from Melbourne was considered low risk.

Ms Palaszczuk said just one case could cause a “massive outbreak”.

“Because of the time it takes between doses, Queenslanders have just five days to get vaccinated,” she said.

Just over 60 per cent of Queenslanders are now fully vaccinated.

New exposure sites will be published later with everyone urged to monitor Queensland Health’s website.

More than 8700 tests were undertaken on Monday while 12,769 vaccines were administered by Queensland Health.

Meanwhile, the Moderna Covid-19 jab is providing children aged 6 to 11 with strong protection against the virus early data shows.

The pharmaceutical company, releasing interim data on Monday, said the vaccine generated antibodies 1.5 times as high in children as what had been seen in adults.

Moderna chief executive Stephane Bancel said the company was “encouraged” by the immune response and safety profile of the young cohort that had received the jab.

Gympie Covid vaccination hub at the Civic Centre in the city’s CBD.

“We look forward to filing with regulators globally and remain committed to doing our part to help end the COVID-19 pandemic with a vaccine for adults and children of all ages,” she said.

A total of 4753 children aged 6 to 11 were enrolled in the trial, with a majority of side effects reported as mild or moderate — like fatigue, headache, fever, and soreness at the injection site.

Moderna is also testing its vaccine in children aged six months to less than two years, and two years to less than six years.

Moderna is the second company, behind Pfizer, to release safety data of its vaccine for use in children under 12.

Pfizer is due to meet with US authorities this week to discuss administering the jab in kids aged five to 11.

As of last week the pharmaceutical giant had yet to lodge application documents with Australian authorities.