Road map to freedom

Burdekin expected to hit 80 per cent fully vaccinated by December

PREMIER Annastacia Palaszczuk released Queensland’s Covid vaccination plan this week, detailing the greater freedoms Queenslanders can expect.

The Premier said freedoms would be granted to people travelling into Covid hotspots once 70 and 80 per cent of the state was fully vaccinated.

“The more of us who are vaccinated, the sooner we are safely reunited with friends and family interstate and overseas,” Ms Palaszczuk said.

“The more Queenslanders vaccinated, the safer we’ll be.

“People want to be reunited with their family and friends.”

So far, only 52 per cent of people in the Burdekin are fully vaccinated, but the region is expected to hit the 80 per cent double vaccination point by December 19. Burdekin Shire Council Mayor Lyn Mclaughlin said each person in the region needed to promote the importance of getting vaccinated.

Member for Burdekin Dale Last responded to comments from the Premier, who has said regions such as Ayr were lagging in vaccine rates.

“It’s bitterly disappointing that the Premier has decided to simply blame individuals for low vaccination rates when so many people who want to get vaccinated have simply not been made aware of what opportunities are in their area,” Mr Last said. “You only need to look at the Queensland Health website to see how people are getting confused as to where they can even go to get a vaccine, with no mention of vaccination opportunities in Ayr or Home Hill in the ‘Vaccine Locations’ tab.

“Meanwhile my office has also been contacted by residents of Bowen and Collinsville, who have been told by the website they need to drive 2.5 hours to a vaccination appointment in either Townsville or Mackay,” he said.