Qld’s Covid-19 hospitalisations double amid new strain

Covid-19 related hospitalisations have doubled and are expected to rise amid the emergence of a new virus strain, with older Queenslanders warned to get up to speed with their booster shots.

Queensland Chief Health Officer Dr John Gerrard. Picture: Glenn Campbell/NcaNewsWire

Covid-19 related hospitalisations have doubled and are expected to rise amid the emergence of a new virus strain with older Queenslanders warned to get up to speed with their booster shots.

There are 146 people being treated in Queensland’s hospitals amid rising case numbers, twice the number compared to a fortnight ago.

Chief health officer Dr John Gerrard said the rise in cases was largely due to low booster rates in older Queenslanders and potentially the emergence the new Covid-19 variant nicknamed Pirola.

People aged 65 or older are encouraged to get a booster jab as soon as possible.

“This is even more important for people over 75 years if it has been more than six months since your last dose,” Dr Gerrard said.

Queenslanders have been urged to remain up to day with Covid boosters. Picture: Lyndon Mechielsen/The Australian

Dr Gerrard said it was essential Queenslanders did not become complacent about the risk of COVID-19.

“COVID-19 has not established a predictable seasonal pattern as yet and it continues to mutate, which is why we all need to be vigilant,” he said.

“Vaccination remains our best protection against COVID-19 and other infectious diseases.”

The latest federal government data shows Queensland has the largest share of unvaccinated adults in the nation, with 211,600 yet to get a single dose of the Covid-19 jab as of October 18.

A total of 3.4m Queenslanders have not had a Covid-19 booster shot in the last six months, compared to 17.2m nationally.

Mater Hospital infectious disease director Dr Paul Griffin said Queensland’s high share of non-vaccinated people and the slow booster take up was “absolutely” a factor in rising Covid-19 numbers.

But he was also scathing of the failure of authorities to push the need for boosters, and particularly updated vaccine formulations to protect against new and emerging strains.

Infectious disease expert Dr Paul Griffin says the slow booster rate was a factor in rising case numbers.

Health Minister Shannon Fentiman said the low uptake of Covid-19 boosters had coincided with the alarming “broader trend” across the state of vaccine fatigue.

“Immunisation rates have begun to go backwards, while vaccine misinformation and fatigue is on the rise,” she said.

“The number of Queenslanders getting the flu shot has lagged in recent years. Childhood vaccination rates are down across almost every age group, and confidence in childhood vaccines has dropped 7.5 per cent on pre-pandemic levels. These trends cannot continue.

“I am urging the federal government to play a lead role here. We need to work with healthcare providers, like our GPs and our pharmacists, to ensure they have what they need to vaccinate more people and we need to get better at combating rumours and misinformation on social media.”

Originally published as Qld’s Covid-19 hospitalisations double amid new strain