M1 Covid-19 vaccine protests: Anti-mandate groups wave flags from bridges

Motorists on the northern Gold Coast have been greeted by groups of people waving flags and banners from bridges. Here’s what’s going on.

SMALL groups of protesters have been seen trying to catch the attention of passing M1 motorists by waving flags and banners.

The protesters, who are opposed to vaccination mandates and the vaccination of children, were seen at a number of overpasses on the northern Gold Coast on Thursday.

Participants said they wished to show support for a so-called “convoy for freedom” said to be making its way from north Queensland to Canberra.

The action came on the same morning that Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk and Chief Health Officer Dr John Gerrard fronted a press conference a short distance away in Coomera where it was revealed that one in six people on the Gold Coast were believed to have contracted Covid-19 at the height of the Omicron wave.

Dr Gerrard said a study conducted in the city showed rates of infection had been “grossly” under-reported in part because many people did not suffer symptoms.

He stressed that it was believed that high rates of vaccination had helped prevent those people from becoming unwell.

“Look in our hospitals and they are full of people with Covid-19, particularly those who are unvaccinated,” Dr Gerrard said.

“The Gold Coast has had nine wards full of just one disease, Covid-19. Historically, that’s unheard of.

“Most of the people in this study were vaccinated. That’s probably one of the reasons why they had such mild symptoms that they didn’t recognise.”

The Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) said studies have shown vaccination to be safe, including for children.

“ATAGI notes the early vaccine safety data from the US paediatric program (5-11 year old cohort) has not identified concerning safety signals in this cohort,” they said last month.

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