Queensland records 4701 new Covid cases, 19 deaths as check-in app scrapped

Queensland has recorded 19 deaths and 4701 new Covid cases, while the Premier has announced the check-in app will be scrapped at businesses not under the vaccine mandate.

Queensland has recorded 19 deaths and 4701 new Covid cases in the past 24 hours, while Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has announced the check-in app will be scrapped.

Ten of the latest deaths were in aged care.

Ms Palaszczuk said numbers in public hospitals were going down and that Queenslanders would no longer need to use the check-in Qld app.

The QR check-in app will be scrapped for all businesses who aren’t covered under the vaccinate mandate.

Other businesses such as bars, clubs and pubs will still use the app for the purpose of checking vaccine status.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk and chief health officer Dr John Gerrard. Picture: Adam Head

The Premier said the drop in hospitalisations was an indication that Queensland was at the other side of its Covid peak.

Chief health officer Dr John Gerrard said of the latest deaths, one was aged in their 60s, five in their 70s, nine in their 80s and four in their 90s.

Nine of the 19 were not vaccinated, one had received one dose, eight had two doses and only one had their booster.

Chief health officer Dr John Gerrard. Picture: Adam Head

Dr Gerrard said the trend of hospitalisations was “dramatically down” and expected to continue through February.

He said that hospitals were feeling more “positive” following the peak.

“We visited a number of hospitals … and I would say the morale is high,” he said.

Health Minister Yvette D’Ath said that data had shown Queensland hit the peak on February 4 with Townsville the last region to peak.

“We are now showing declines or a stabilisation of Covid cases across the state,” she said.

The Covid check-in app has been scrapped for many businesses in Queensland, but will still have to be used for those under the vaccine mandate. Picture: Brendan Radke

Ms D’Ath said businesses that still needed to confirm patrons were vaccinated – restaurants, cafes, pubs etc – still needed to use the check-in app.

However, she said it would be scrapped for all other businesses including rideshares, taxis, supermarkets, retail, hairdressers, beauty therapy, auction houses and indoor sport centres.

Health Minister Yvette D'Ath. Picture: Adam Head

When asked why the check-in app wouldn’t be scrapped entirely, Ms D’Ath said the government still required mandatory vaccination for customers and consumers in ‘high risk settings’ like restaurants and cafes, and the check-in app was the ‘easiest way’ for them to enforce that.

She said removing the check in app would lift the “burden” for people having to check in at individual shops.

“Where I’m seeing the low compliance was those big retail shops and supermarkets,” she said.

Ms D’Ath said the app would continue to be reviewed as the state moved forward.

“Let’s just see and watch what happens,” she said.

She refused to say if the mask mandate would continue but said masks had been a “huge contributor” to reducing the spread of cases.

As school returns, Ms D’Ath said that it’s expected cases will rise as school and work returns.

“Thankfully that is not happening as we were peaking across Queensland, so we will see some pressure off our hospitals,” she said.

Dr Gerrard said there would be statewide reporting done on cases in school-aged children but it won’t be reported by individual schools.

Education Minister Grace Grace said the sector had applied a formula to “hopefully” make sure there were ample face masks to be handed out to students but urged schools to contact the department if more were needed.

Education Minister Grace Grace. Picture: Liam Kidston

She also said tests would be provided were possible.

“If they want more, let us know and they will be provided,” she told The Courier-Mail. “There is no doubt about it.

“We didn’t want to just put out a lot of tests where they weren’t required, they’re very hard to come by (but) we are getting deliveries now.

“There are supplies of masks and we’re re-topping that up every week so they’ll get more supplies this week.”

The Minister said the plan was never to provide one mask per student given the expectation some parents would supply their own while masks would also be needed on public transport before arriving at the school grounds.

“A lot of kids bring their own masks and that’s what we’ve accommodated for but if they need more, they will get more,” Ms Grace said.

With regards to tests, Ms Grace said the intention was to have some available at schools when students get ill “and if they run out, they will get more and they’ll get updated supplies”.

Originally published as Queensland records 4701 new Covid cases, 19 deaths as check-in app scrapped