Tassie baulks at 80%

TASMANIAN Premier Peter Gutwein has hinted the state may not open its borders to all of the country until Australia reaches a 90% fully vaccinated rate.

The Premier made the statement at a press conference in Hobart yesterday, citing modelling it commissioned specifically for Tasmania about the impact of lifting all restrictions at the 80% vaccination mark.

“Over the first six months that modelling tells us that we would see 14,900 cases, up to 590 hospital admissions, 97 ICU admissions and nearly 100 deaths,” Gutwein warned.

Meanwhile The Doherty Institute modelling which is currently driving policy set by National Cabinet at the federal level has recommended the country be deemed safe to reopen again when all of Australia reaches a vaccination target of between 70 and 80%.