Lockdown for laggard LGA areas
POORLY vaccinated Queensland regions could face Covid-19 lockdowns as the rest of Queensland opens up in time for Christmas, the Premier has warned.
And analysis of vaccination data suggests laggard regions – including the Lockyer Valley, Rockhampton and the Whitsundays – may not taste fullfledged Covid-19 freedom until January.
POORLY vaccinated Queensland regions could face Covid-19 lockdowns as the rest of Queensland opens up in time for Christmas, the Premier has warned.
And analysis of vaccination data suggests laggard regions – including the Lockyer Valley, Rockhampton and the Whitsundays – may not taste full-fledged Covid-19 freedom until January.
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk released the state’s long-awaited roadmap out of Covid-19, declaring December 17 would be the date Queensland’s borders reopen to fully vaccinated travellers.
But in a direct warning to a number of Queensland’s regions, the Premier said she would not hesitate to trigger “regionalised lockdowns and restrictions” if they didn’t get their jab rate up and ensure 80 per cent of the community was fully protected by then.
“There will be other freedoms that are only available to people who have been fully vaccinated,” she said.
The national road map out of Covid-19 allows for highly targeted lockdowns and restrictions on the unvaccinated when Queensland hits 80 per cent fully vaccinated.
The latest local government area vaccination data revealed Cherbourg, Yarrabah, Isaac, the Central Highlands and Charters Towers remain the least protected councils.
While Queensland’s vaccination rate rose to 72.5 per cent with at least one dose, the Lockyer Valley, Rockhampton, the Whitsundays, Gladstone and Mackay were yet to surpass 66 per cent of the adult population who have had just one dose.
Analysis by The Courier-Mail, based on current vaccination rates in specific regions, shows the Lockyer Valley, with 64.70% of its eligible population having received a first dose and 47.50% two doses, is unlikely to hit 80 per cent full vaccinated until January 7, 2022.
With 75.20% having received a first dose and 58.40% both doses, Toowoomba is on track for 80 per cent by December 5.