Northern exposure: Final fortnight begins in blitz to lift NQ vaccination levels
North Queensland will become a key area of focus as the health authorities start a two-week blitz to lift the state’s flagging vaccination levels.
Health Minister Yvette DāAth said a mass vaccination hub will open at the Cairns Convention Centre for a week from Thursday.
āItās really important that you get vaccinated before our wet season arrives, and to help lift our statewide vaccination rate before the borders open,ā she said in a statement on Wednesday.
There will also be a pop-up clinic at the Cairns Central Shopping Centre from Saturday, whileĀ Townsville residents will soon be able to get their COVID jab at new locations across the city including the Strand night markets.
Seven new pop-up clinics will soon open in Townsville as part of the governmentās push to get North Queenslanders vaccinated before Christmas.
The Premier will visit Townsville Wednesday as part of her governmentās vax-a-thon week across the state, encouraging Queenslanders to get protected against COVID-19.
āWe need North Queenslanders to get vaccinated,ā the Premier said.
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āThis week we released our roadmap to reopening and we donāt want North Queenslanders to get left behind.
āThis is a critical time, we canāt keep delta out forever and with the borders reopening in December, we need everyone to get vaccinated now to make sure they are fully protected when they do open.ā
Chief Health Officer Jeannette Young says itās unavoidable the virus will be everywhere once travel rules normalise.
She has implored Queenslanders to get their first jab in the next 12 days. That will give them enough time to have their second shot and develop full protection before they are surrounded by the virus.
āEvery single Queenslander is going to get exposed to the COVID-19 virus, and weāll get infected, but if youāre vaccinated, thatās not a problem,ā she has warned.
āYouāre very unlikely to get unwell, very unlikely youāre going to end up in hospital.ā
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The government will open up the state in two stages, something that has cash-starved tourism operators thrilled.
From November 19, fully vaccinated travellers will be allowed in by air, but must home quarantine for two weeks and test negative before arriving.
That changes significantly from December 17, when fully vaccinated travellers can come by air and road without having to quarantine, although they must still test negative before arrival.
Once Queenslandās vaccination rate reaches 90 per cent there will be no entry restrictions or quarantine requirements for travellers, domestic or international.
Virgin Australia says website traffic surged on Monday after the premier detailed the reopening plan.
The airline recorded a 134 per cent increase in overall bookings. Among the most popular flights booked were those between Brisbane and Melbourne, the Gold Coast and Melbourne, and the Sunshine Coast and Melbourne.
But the Brisbane Airport Corporation is worried about Queenslandās rules for international arrivals and fears it will deter airlines from ramping up inbound flights.
Until the state hits its 90 per cent vaccination target, people coming from overseas will still have to spend two weeks in either hotel or home quarantine.
Thatās more than what NSW and Victoria require and beyond whatās in the national plan, which allows for uncapped inbound arrivals for vaccinated travellers, without quarantine, once Australia hits 80 per cent of double doses.
āBAC is deeply concerned that this will see international airlines exit the Queensland market for interstate destinations where they can operate without the profit-killing impost of passenger caps,ā it said.
āIt would be an absolute tragedy, as it would take several years and significant investment to try and recover these airlines and services.ā
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