‘Life or death situation’: Cherbourg council pleads with community to get vaxxed or brace for lockdown

Community leaders say a mass grave in the community should serve as a dire warning of the risk Covid presents to Cherbourg, as shockingly low vaccination rates open up vulnerable residents to an unprecedented risk.

Community leaders in Cherbourg say they fear half of the town’s residents could die if Covid ripped through the community, with vaccination levels at concerningly low levels.

A mass grave under an ironbark tree serves as a sinister warning for the community about the real risks being faced in Cherbourg.

Cr Leighton Costello said when he thought about what could happen to his beloved community if the Delta variant spread before they could reach 80 per cent vaccination levels, he’s reminded of the nameless people buried in that trench after the Spanish flu tore through Cherbourg - then Barambah - in 1919.

“We’ve got a mass grave, because we couldn’t have individual ceremonies. I’m worried the same thing will happen,” Mr Costello said.

Within three weeks, 590 of the 600 residents became infected with the deadly virus.

With only 10 people in the community who weren’t sick and large numbers dead, they had no choice but to bury bodies in two large trenches, which were found at the end of last year.

Cherbourg Aboriginal Shire Mayor Elvie Sandow said the devastation could be even worse this time around, estimating half the community could be wiped out in an outbreak.

“The number could be even higher than that if our mob don’t get the jab. We could lose up to 50 per cent,” Cr Sandow said.

“It’s a life and death situation, and by the time they make their mind up, it could be too late.”

Speaking with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Partnerships Minister Craig Crawford, Cr Sandow said she was told Covid could enter the Cherbourg community within a week of the Queensland borders opening.

The latest local government area vaccination data revealed Cherbourg remains the least protected community in the state, with just 32 per cent of residents having had at least one dose of a Covid vaccine and a mere 24.9 per cent fully vaccinated.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk warned she would not hesitate to trigger “regionalised lockdowns and restrictions” if they don’t reach 80 per cent by December 17.

Cr Costello said the last lockdown was devastating for the community and particularly elders, who were reminded of life under the Aborigines Protection Act where residents were barred from leaving Cherbourg without permission.

He said previous restrictions also had a heavy impact on the communities mental health, with a new lockdown threatening to bear down even harder on residents amid an ongoing suicide crisis, isolating the community and cutting them off from critical services.

Cr Sandow said she fears the community would see more suicides if there was another lockdown.

Cr Bronwyn Murray said the community was at a critical point and must act now to keep the community safe.

“We want you to come forward and get the vaccination to protect yourself, protect your families, and get your children down as well,” Cr Murray said.

“We don’t want those restrictions to come upon us. We also don’t want death for our community.

“Could you imagine if Covid got into our community? All hell and chaos would break loose.”

Council are planning to start door-to-door vaccinations from next week to give the community its best chance of reaching 80 per cent before it’s too late.

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