QLD cities finally join the fully vaccinated club

Queensland’s borders have opened and some major cities have finally reached the fully-vaccinated milestone just in time while others are still lagging behind, leaving them at risk.

Sneaking over the line just before deadline, the Gold Coast has reached the 80 per cent fully vaccinated just in time for Queensland’s borders to reopen.

It was joined by Cairns, Logan and Ipswich which had similarly been lagging behind the milestone until now.

There’s even been a doubling of people getting the vaccine on the Gold Coast over the past 24 hours.

“A lot of those people have been getting their third dose of the vaccine,” Chief Health Officer Dr John Gerrard said.

Queensland chief health officer Dr John Gerrard. Picture: Dan Peled/Getty Images

The border town of Goondiwindi retains its crown as the highest vaccinate areas in the state, reaching 93.3 per cent double jabbed, according to the latest federal health department data, ahead of the next best councils of Redlands and Noosa, on 89 and 86.7 per cent respectively.

Brisbane is likely to reach 90 per cent fully vaccinated, currently sitting at 84.8 per cent with a double dose and 89.6 with at least one.

As of Monday December 12, when the data was collated, there were 19 Queensland councils which had officially reached the 80 per cent fully vaccinated milestone.

But the majority will have reached it before Christmas, with regions like Somerset, Logan, South Burnett, Scenic Rim and Cassowary Coast just shy of 80 per cent.

Just four council areas, out of the 40 where data is available, have yet to reach the 80 per cent single-dose milestone.

Cherbourg, Yarrabah, Isaac are lagging behind, as 62-69 per cent first-dose vaccinated, while Mareeba is set to tip over shortly having reached 79.1 per cent with at least the first jab.