Gold Coast Covid vaccine: Pop-up vax hubs rolled out at theme parks, surf clubs
FULL LIST: Here are the Gold Coast tourism hot spots where you will soon be able to get a jab. LOCATIONS >>>
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GOLD Coast theme parks and Surf Life Saving Clubs will transform into pop-up vaccination clinics from next weekend as the state’s battle to reach 80 per cent fully jabbed intensifies.
Speaking from Redcliffe Surf Life Saving Club on Sunday, Deputy Premier Steven Miles announced even more pop-up clinics would be set up for the People’s Long Weekend at key tourism hot spots.
These include Movie World, Sea World, Dreamworld and the Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary.
Some Gold Coast Surf Life Saving Clubs will also turn into pop-up clinics, including Southport, Northcliffe, Broadbeach, Burleigh Heads, Coolangatta and Pacific.
More clubs may be added at a later date.
Queensland recorded no new Covid-19 cases in the community or in quarantine on Sunday, but new contact locations were added after two people tested positive after being kicked out of the state.
Parts of the far west of Queensland have been put on notice, as both people visited multiple places in the region.
A couple of car loads of people who crossed the border illegally were positive while visiting outback towns of Cunnamulla, Quilpie, Thargomindah and Charleville.
Mr Miles said he was concerned about the Covid cases that had been active in the community but the key to overcoming it was vaccination.
He said vaccination efforts had been going “gangbusters”, with close to a record number of vaccinations on Saturday, with more than 28,000 people getting the jab – more than 13,500 of whom did so at one of the pop-up clinics at schools.
List of walk in vaccination clinics on the Coast:
– Adjacent to the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre on the Gold Coast Highway, Broadbeach 4218
– Adjacent to Westfield Coomera Shopping Centre
129 Foxwell Road, Coomera 4209
– Adjacent to John Flynn Private Hospital
42 Inland Drive, Tugun 4224
– Palm Beach Currumbin State High School, Thrower Dr, Palm Beach
– Miami State High School
– Merrimac State High School
– Nerang State High School
– Southport State High School
– Coombabah State High School
– Upper Coomera State College
– Pimpama State Secondary College
– Oxenford Bunnings
– Pimpama Bunnings
– Nerang Bunnings
– Robina Bunnings
– Arundel Bunnings
– Burleigh Waters Bunnings
No community cases as contact tracing locations revealed – October 22
NO NEW cases of Covid-19 have been recorded despite a Covid-positive rideshare driver was in the community for 10 days with the highly contagious Delta-variant.
Five new cases have been acquired from overseas, all detected in hotel quarantine.
SEE THE FULL LIST OF CONTACT TRACING SITES BELOW
Chief health officer Dr Jeannette Young said Duran Raman is “extremely sick” and said that it was unlikely he left his home, and there are no new contact tracing sites.
She said an infected truck driver, who is now in Victoria, was traced in Queensland. The man had only one dose of vaccine.
“No new community cases in Queensland overnight but we do have another truck driver. He’s now currently in Victoria but he tested positive on October 20, and was here infectious in our community on the October 18 and 19.
“We have already put up some venues that he has been at.”
“Please, anyone who lives anywhere in the state, if you haven’t had that first dose, your time is really running out.
“You need to come forward and get vaccinated, so this weekend there are 100 schools across the state at least 100 schools across the state that will be open on Saturday.”
Have you been a close contact? See where to get tested and vaccinated.
New contact tracing locations
Schools to become vaccination hubs this weekend
TEN Gold Coast schools will become vaccination hubs this weekend.
Pimpama State Secondary College, Upper Coomera State College, Southport State High, Palm Beach Currumbin State High, Coombabah State High, Nerang State High, Varsity College, Miami State High, Elanora State High and Helensvale State High will join 90 other schools across the state in opening up on Saturday.
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said the school pop-up clinics would focus on areas with low vaccination uptake.
“Vaccinations are the key to saving lives and reuniting Queenslanders with their friends and family,” she said.
“We’re working hard to make it as quick and easy as possible for all Queenslanders to get vaccinated.”
Gaven MP Meghan Scanlon said with the border opening soon she encouraged all Gold Coast residents to get vaccinated.
“There’s 10 schools on the Gold Coast where people can get vaccinated this weekend and no excuse not to get the jab,” she said.
“It will protect our people, protect our lifestyle and protect our economy.”
Premier Palaszczuk announced on Wednesday that Queensland did not have a local Covid-19 case for a 15th straight day.
No new local Covid cases in Qld amid reopening argy-bargy
October 21: Queenland has recorded no local Covid-19 cases for a 15th straight day as Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate butts heads with Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk over reopening dates.
Ms Palaszczuk announced the absence of locally acquired cases, and one new overseas case detected in hotel quarantine, at a media conference at Maryborough on the Fraser Coast just after 10am on Wednesday.
WHERE TO GET TESTS AND VACCINATIONS ON GOLD COAST
Meanwhile, Ms Palaszczuk and Cr Tate have been loggerheads after the mayor criticised the government’s reopening plan released earlier this week, warning city businesses would go bust in the meantime.
Cr Tate pointed to his own modelling on vaccination rates which suggested the state could enjoy an earlier reopening than flagged by the government.
But Ms Palaszczuk hit back, claiming southern Coast businesses were doing fine and customers would be “hard-pressed to find a cafe to get a seat at”.
Referring to the mayor, Ms Palaszczuk said she “doesn’t know what planet he’s living on”.
However, the Bulletin has reported extensively on embattled border businesses – including cafes – struggling to make ends meet due to the state government’s tough border stance.
On Wednesday, New South Wales announced 283 Covid-19 cases and seven deaths, while Victoria has recorded 1841 new local cases and a dozen deaths.
No new local Covid cases after reopening road map revealed
QUEENSLAND has marked its 14th day straight of no new locally acquired Covid-19 cases after Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk detailed a road map to reopening.
Additionally, no new overseas cases have emerged.
There’s 22 coronavirus cases active in the state.
It was announced on Monday the state border will open entirely to vaccinated Australians from December 17 as part of a “measured and cautious plan” released publicly.
Vaccination targets guiding the reopening have been set at 70, 80 and 90 per cent.
But Queensland could reopen earlier if eligible residents get the jab earlier than expected.
Earlier, Ms Palaszczuk suggested regional areas could be locked down for Christmas if they do not get vaccinated.
“We need Queenslanders to get vaccinated, otherwise I am not ruling out lockdowns in regional communities,” she told the Sunrise breakfast show.
Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate has been butting heads with Ms Palaszczuk over the reopening plans, prompting the Premier to declare she “doesn’t know what planet he’s living on”.
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