Shot in arm for tourism
GOLD Coasters have been urged to literally roll up their sleeves to save the city’s tourism industry – by getting the COVID-19 vaccine.
The first 100 doses of the Pfizer vaccine will arrive in the city on Monday, with frontline workers in hospitals and hotel quarantine staff first in line to receive the shot.
While it will be up to three months before the wider community begins to receive vaccinations, Mayor Tom Tate urged locals to get the jab as soon as possible. Cr Tate, who committed to getting vaccinated, said a speedy and efficient rollout of the vaccine would pave the way for the return of international visitors and reviving the tourism industry.
“A vaccinated city is a safe city and you’re not just doing it for yourself, you’re doing it for your family,” he said.
“Our mainstay is tourism and that means we will be among the first to open our international borders, whether it is in a bubble with New Zealand or the like.
“For us to access the tourism market, the vaccination will need to be completed in our city.
“To achieve whole of city vaccination, the Gold Coast will be a good example of it.” He urged anti-vaxxers to “look closely at the scientific evidence”.
The Coast is one of six vaccination hubs, including two in Brisbane, Cairns, Townsville and the Sunshine Coast.
Meanwhile, Victoria recorded no new cases, prompting Premier Daniel Andrews to confirm Victoria’s snap lockdown would end on time at 11.59pm on Wednesday.
The total number of COVID-19 cases linked to the Melbourne Airport Holiday Inn – the cluster that sent Victoria
into a third lockdown – remains at 19.
“That is exactly what we said would work,” he said. “We are very pleased to be able to report not just a zero day, but also the fact that we’ve been able to contain this outbreak.”
Even though the lockdown will lift, there are some restrictions that will remain in place.
Queensland health authorities say they will not open the state’s border to Melbourne before 10 days have passed.
Chief health officer Jeannette Young said authorities were waiting to see 14 days of no community transmission before easing its border restrictions, which could happen by February 27. But it is subject to Greater Melbourne recording no more unlinked, locally acquired cases.
“It’s very, very encouraging, particularly yesterday’s two cases. Both of them had been in quarantine for the entirety of their infectious period,” Dr Young said.
She added the state was not looking for a 28-day restriction period, which was normally used, because the cases had all been linked to the cluster.