Queensland borders to reopen by Christmas as Premier releases long-awaited Covid road map

The Premier has set a date for Queensland’s borders to reopen and for families to be reunited, but there has been both a positive and negative response. VOTE IN OUR POLL

Queensland’s borders are set to be fully reopened in time for Christmas after Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk today released her long-awaited Covid-19 road map.

Ms Palaszczuk has set a target of December 17 for the borders to be fully reopened, but it could happen sooner if vaccination rates increase.

She said the date was “locked in” for borders to reopen, regardless of whether the state hit the 80 per cent target.

“We have to reunite families,” she said.

Ms Palaszczuk said Queensland was expected to hit the 70 per cent fully vaccinated target by November 19.

From that date, anyone who has been in a declared domestic hotspot can travel into Queensland if they are fully vaccinated. However, they must arrive by air, have a negative Covid-19 test within 72 hours and home quarantine for 14 days.

But Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate said December 17 was “a bridge too far” for many businesses who would go broke before then.

“Setting that date so close to Christmas will also see thousands of Australians divert their planned Queensland holiday to another Aussie destination or even overseas,” he said.

Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate

“That will potentially cost us billions more in lost revenue.

“People need hope and I’m not convinced they will feel that level of hope from today’s announcements.”

But Queensland Airports Limited CEO Chris Mills welcomed the reopening plans, saying they would give the industry and travellers time to prepare.

“People can book with certainty for Christmas and the industry can prepare for what we hope will be an extremely busy period,” he said.

“This is good news after what has been an particularly tough time for the aviation and tourism industries, and separated family and friends.”

Mr Mills said Queenslanders were more likely to go out and get vaccinated now they knew the key dates for reopening.

Ms Palaszczuk said Queensland was on track to hit the 80 per cent vaccination rate on December 17.

From that date, travellers from an interstate hotspot can arrive by road or air.

They must be fully vaccinated, have a negative Covid test result and won’t be required to quarantine.

Those reopening dates will be brought forward if vaccination targets are reached earlier.

Ms Palaszczuk said with the reopening dates set, it was now imperative Queenslanders got vaccinated.

“There is going to be a risk of Delta outbreaks happening in Queensland and we need to be prepared,” she said.

“If we’re going to weather this storm, we’re going to be so prepared for this storm if we get vaccinated now.

“This is your last opportunity to get vaccinated.”

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk announces the road map on Monday. Picture: John Gass/NCA NewsWire

The Premier said that a big outbreak in a regional community that did not have high vaccination rates could force them into a lockdown still.

She said she would be speaking to mayors, and business leaders today to encourage everyone to get vaccinated.

The Premier said it would be up to businesses whether they imposed restrictions on unvaccinated people entering their businesses come December 17.

She said the high vaccination rates in NSW and Victoria were encouraging.

Queensland ministers will be sent the length and breadth of the state to increase the vaccine messaging.

“We need the vaccination rates to increase across the state,” the Premier said.

“If we’re going to weather this storm … we can be so prepared for this storm if we get vaccinated now.

“So I’m urging Queenslanders, this is your last opportunity.

“This is your last chance.”

Deputy Premier Steven Miles said this approach was formed by the best health advice.

“It is not a series of reckless decisions as we’ve seen from NSW,” he said.

“This is a plan to finish vaccinating Queenslanders.

“It’s also a plan that begins to set a deadline, a deadline for Queenslanders to get vaccinated.”

Mr Miles the plan gave Queenslanders even more reasons to get vaccinated.

“If you want your family to visit for Christmas, get vaccinated now,” he said.

“If you want it to be sooner than the 17th of December get vaccinated now.”

He said there would be venues you can go to now that you won’t be able to go from December 17, unless you are fully vaccinated.

Chief health officer Jeannette Young said there were now no active clusters in Queensland but warned the virus was coming.

“Once we start seeing cases this virus will find people who aren’t vaccinated,” she said.

“Now I make a plea to younger people – if younger people were to get vaccinated we would reach that target even earlier.”

She called on those aged 20-39 to get vaccinated now to help reach the target.

“You probably think you’re invincible, but you’re not,” she said.

Dr Young said QIMR Berghofer had done some extensive modelling that showed in the worst case scenario Queensland Health would be able to manage the case numbers and the ICU numbers.

She said the modelling revealed that Queensland could see up to 1200 cases per day “but I very much doubt that we would see those numbers”.

Dr Young said every single Queenslander was likely to get Covid but that if people were vaccinated “you may not even know you’ve got it”, she said.

She said that businesses who decided to only allow fully vaccinated people into their venues could be exempt from density limits that hospitality businesses were currently subjected to.

Chief health officer Dr Jeannette Young. Picture: Richard Walker

Health Minister Yvette D’Ath said Queensland was in a far better position than other jurisdictions around the country.

Over 584,000 of people aged between 20 and 39 weren’t vaccinated right now.

“You can decide whether people get to visit loved ones,” Ms D’Ath said.

The Minister assured Queenslanders that the state’s already struggling hospitals will cope when increased cases are recorded.

Treasurer Cameron Dick said the days of keeping Covid-19 out of the state will soon come to an end.

“If we can get this job done with as little death and little illness as possible … then this will be of generational benefit to Queensland,” he said.

He said this could set up a golden decade for the Sunshine State ahead of the 2032 Olympics.

Here is the Queensland COVID-19 Vaccine Plan to Unite Families⬇️

A Plan for Queensland’s Borders - Domestic Travel pic.twitter.com/LY4BoWWXL1

— Annastacia Palaszczuk (@AnnastaciaMP) October 18, 2021

Mr Dick warned businesses that once 80 per cent of Queenslanders were fully vaccinated, the Commonwealth’s financial support would finish, regardless of whether lockdowns are required.

He said the vaccination rate in Logan was far too low.

More than 7900 vaccines were administered at Bunnings at the weekend.

This means more than 56.58 per cent of eligible Queenslanders are now vaccinated.

The Premier said the government had always had a “measured and cautious approach”.

“In Brisbane the vaccination rates are higher than in regional Queensland,” she said.

“We need the vaccination rates to increase across the state.”

The announcement comes just 24 hours after Dr Young said Queensland must “normalise” the virus.

Here is the Queensland COVID-19 Vaccine Plan to Unite Families⬇️

A Plan for Queensland’s Borders - International Travel pic.twitter.com/Qv537QeoLn

— Annastacia Palaszczuk (@AnnastaciaMP) October 18, 2021

Originally published as Queensland borders to reopen by Christmas as Premier releases long-awaited Covid road map