Vaccination rates rising as temperatures start to fall – CHO has an each-way bet
Queensland has hit 90 per cent double-dosed milestone as winter approaches and the State’s chief health officer says it is unknown whether another Covid-19 wave will hit as temperatures drop.
It comes as the State recorded another 12 virus-related deaths on Tuesday and it was revealed that of the 160 deaths in aged care so far, only nine per cent had received a booster shot.
And the number of children infected with the virus has also dropped in the past four weeks, after a substantial wave of infections during the holidays, and the impact of the return to school remains unknown.
Health Minister Yvette D’Ath announced the 12 deaths, of people aged in their 30s to 90s, along with 5178 new cases on Tuesday. This is down from 19 deaths on Monday but the number of positive cases has risen from 4701.
More than 90 per cent of people have had two doses of a vaccine and 58.51 per cent have had a booster.
But aged care remains a worry. Nine of the 12 deaths were in aged care. D’Ath said that of the 160 aged care deaths so far, only 9 per cent had received a booster, 21 per cent were not vaccinated at all, 55 per cent had received two doses, six per cent had had one dose and nine per cent were unknown due to vaccination records being sealed.
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D’Ath also released data of First Nations deaths. Since borders opened in December, 11 First Nations people had died and 16,256 had tested positive.
“I am pleased to see that we are not seeing a disproportionate number of First Nations people passing away at this time,” D’Ath said.
Chief Health Officer Dr John Gerrard said that the person who died and was in their 30s, was “a somewhat unusual case”.
“It is not clear to what extent Covid played a part in this person’s death but it could have played a part so we are including it,” Dr Gerrard said.
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Of the others who died in the past 24 hours, two each were in their 60s and 70s, three in their 80s and four in their 90s.
Dr Gerrard said that in the past four weeks there had been a substantial decline in the number of children infected with the virus.
“What level of immunity that will have created in children as they go back to school remains to be seen,” Dr Gerrard said.
He said that there were currently 11 children in hospital with Covid-19 but most, if not all, were were hospitalised for reasons other than the virus.
In the past 24 hours, 158 five to 11 year-olds and 155 12-17 year-olds had recorded positive PCR tests.
He said these figures would serve as a good baseline for the effects of the return to school, which have yet to be measured.
Dr Gerrard said it was unknown what effect the approach of winter would have and it was speculation as to whether there would be a new strain of the virus emerging.
He said the community’s immunity levels had been increased by the recent Omicron wave coupled with good vaccination rates.
“I am sure that will have created a significant protection coming into winter.”
Dr Gerrard said he was heartened by the level of immunity in the community.
There are no plans yet to scrap the mandatory vaccination rules for pubs, clubs and restaurants. But the Covid check-in app is no longer required for retail and a host of other outlets were mandatory vaccination was not required.
