Live Breaking News: Premier reveals 'cruel twists' in Qld outbreak in elite schools

Queensland's chief health officer appears to have changed her tune on the AstraZeneca jab, just weeks after warning against it.

Queensland chief health officer Dr Jeanette Young made headlines after urging young people against the AstraZeneca jab just a few weeks ago.

 

But today, she appeared to change her tune.

On Tuesday morning, Dr young changed her advice, instead urging young people to speak with their GPs about accessing the vaccine as the state's outbreak threatens to explode, which would change the risk profile.

“The ATAGI advice says when you reach a large outbreak, which I think we’re on the verge of – I hope it doesn’t become any larger, but I suspect it will – then that is the time to go and have that discussion with your GP,” she said.

“ … Yes, this is the time that people who are under age 60 should be talking to their GP about what is best for them as an individual.

“GPs know their patients and know what advice to give them.”

Read on for the latest Queensland Covid news and updates. You can find the NSW live Covid blog here. 

Updates

4:57 am July 31, 2022 Highlight

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Tyson Otto

Queensland chief health officer Dr Jeanette Young made headlines after urging young people against the AstraZeneca jab just a few weeks ago.

But today, she appeared to change her tune.

On Tuesday morning, Dr young changed her advice, instead urging young people to speak with their GPs about accessing the vaccine as the state's outbreak threatens to explode, which would change the risk profile.

“The ATAGI advice says when you reach a large outbreak, which I think we’re on the verge of – I hope it doesn’t become any larger, but I suspect it will – then that is the time to go and have that discussion with your GP,” she said.

“ … Yes, this is the time that people who are under age 60 should be talking to their GP about what is best for them as an individual.

“GPs know their patients and know what advice to give them.”

7:11 am July 30, 2022

James Matthey

The ABC is reporting a new Covid case has been confirmed in Cairns.

At the moment, not much else is know, but we'll keep you updated as more information comes to light.

A COVID-19 case has been confirmed in far north Queensland.

Queensland Health says the infected person lives in the Cairns region.

It’s not yet known what strain of the virus the person has, or if this person has been in the community. #covid19qld #COVID19Aus

— Senator Nita Green (@nitagreenqld) August 3, 2021

6:25 am July 30, 2022 Highlight

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James Matthey

Australia will move into Phase B once 70 per cent of the population is vaccinated.

That's according to the Doherty Institute modelling based on the population aged 16 and over.

That magic number will be enough to reduce lockdowns, but not eliminate them altogether.

4:59 am July 30, 2022

James Matthey

PM Scott Morrison has stepped up to deliver a press conference on the Covid crisis and Doherty Institute modelling.

He announced short, sharp lockdowns would now be Australia's official "first response" to outbreaks in response to the highly-transmissible Delta strain.

6:29 pm July 13, 2022

Queensland's new cases are all linked to the Indooroopilly cluster.

Mr Miles confirmed one new case was linked to Indooroopilly State High School, four cases linked to Brisbane Grammar School, two new cases linked to Brisbane Girls Grammar School and three new cases to Ironside State High School.

Five new cases are household or family contacts of already confirmed cases, and one is a neighbour of a known case.

8:41 pm July 13, 2022

There are growing concerns about how the current outbreak was disproportionately affecting the health industry, with "well over" 400 Queensland health workers now in quarantine.

"Unfortunately we have well over 400 of our health workers now in quarantine," Dr young said.

"No Queenslander will be denied any care because the health workers they need are in quarantine. We will work through that.

"But we do have a large proportion of our critical health workers now in quarantine, so unfortunately we have had to delay some surgery and some outpatient work to manage that."

It comes as the Sunnybank Private Hospital and the Princess Alexandra Hospital were added as contact tracing locations on Tuesday morning.

7:23 pm July 13, 2022

Dr Young has hinted that Queensland's lockdown could be extended, and revealed what would need to happen for it to lift as planned on 4pm Sunday.

"If you don't need to leave home, please don't leave home. That way I hope that if we have other chains of transmission out there, it will burn out and we can lift restrictions, lockdown requirements, at pm Sunday," she said.

"If we continue to see cases that will stop us being able to do that.

"I'm really hopeful, given that we've had so much testing done, and I do challenge everyone in Queensland, I'd like to reach that 40,000 mark."

She said authorities would be looking closely at how long positive cases were active in the community during their infectious period when it came to lifting the lockdown.

"On Sunday, we will want to have seen that any new cases that have been coming up have been in quarantine for their full infectious period," she said.

"Someone who’s been in quarantine for their full infectious period doesn’t concern me. It’s people who have been out and about, so there are more exposure sites."

7:48 pm July 13, 2022

Queensland Police Deputy Police Commissioner Steve Gollschewski revealed cops faced "the highest level of enforcement we've had to undertake since the pandemic began" yesterday.

Cops issued 70 penalty infringements, with four related to the Brisbane protest.

Other offences included refusing to wear a mask, being out and about in breach of lockdown orders, and refusing to comply with police orders.

He also hinted at a possible crackdown to come.

"Our community can expect to start seeing things like an RBT-type interception of the roads where we will check to see if people have the right reasons to be out and whether they're going about their business," he said.

7:47 pm July 13, 2022

The Queensland Government has welcomed the Commonwealth Health Minister's announcement that 150,000 extra AstraZeneca doses would be allocated to the state.

The news was confirmed by Health Minister Yvette D'Ath this morning, with Dr Young also welcoming the news.

"So, we’ve been working with the Commonwealth and we will have more AstraZeneca supplies," Dr Young said.

"So anyone who is 60 years of age or older, please come and get your first dose, if you haven’t had it, and if it’s more than eight weeks since your first dose of AstraZeneca, go and get your second dose."

6:16 pm July 13, 2022

The Queensland government has confirmed the state's outbreak has worsened overnight, with 16 new local cases recorded today.

It comes amid speculation the snap lockdown will extend yet again as cases – driven largely by school outbreaks – continue to climb.

The grim news was announced by Deputy Premier Steven Miles during his morning press conference.

It brings the total number of cases in the cluster to 47.

Tuesday 3 August – coronavirus cases in Queensland:

16 new locally acquired cases.

0 new overseas acquired cases.#covid19 pic.twitter.com/LsajFIvAcl

— Annastacia Palaszczuk (@AnnastaciaMP) August 3, 2021