Queensland has recorded two new local cases overnight.
One is a close contact of the Portuguese restaurant cases idenitified last week and is in quarantine.
The other case is a 37-year-old woman who works at the Qatar check-in counter at the International Airport.
She tested positive on Tuesday.
On Wednesday Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk attacked the federal Government over its Covid vaccine advice during an extraordinary press conference.
‘There has been no national cabinet decision about providing AstraZeneca to the under 40s,’ she said.
‘My message to Queenslanders today is please listen to Dr Young and listen to the health experts when it comes to the vaccine.
‘At the moment, the advice is for people aged 40 to 59 to get Pfizer, and people 60 and over to get AstraZeneca.
‘There has been no national cabinet decision about AstraZeneca being given to under 40s.’
Ms Palaszczuk cited a BBC report from the UK that under 40s would be offered alternatives to the AstraZeneca vaccine because of clotting fears.
Chief Health Officer Dr Jeannette Young also created a national furore when she declared yesterday: ‘I do not want under 40s getting AstraZeneca.’
‘It is rare, but they are at increased risk of getting the rare clotting syndrome. We’ve seen up to 49 deaths in the UK from that syndrome,’ she said.
‘I don’t want an 18-year-old in Queensland dying from a clotting illness who, if they got Covid, probably wouldn’t die.’
Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk provides a Covid update during a press conference in Brisbane on Wednesday
Two women walking in Brisbane during Brisbane’s Covid lockdown on Wednesday
Children ride bikes along Surfers Paradise, Gold Coast on Wednesday during day one of south-east Queensland’s three-day lockdown
People exercising at Southbank in Brisbane – 3.5 million people are affected by the three-day lockdown
‘National cabinet said that there was an indemnity for doctors,’ Ms Palaszczuk said.
‘So, that is very clear that national cabinet did not make that decision. I’d like to ask the prime minister, did his cabinet make that decision?’
In early June Ms Palaszczuk, 51, received the Pfizer vaccine despite advice at the time that over 50s should receive the AstraZeneca vaccine.
She cited her need to attend the Tokyo Olympics as part of Brisbane’s bid for the Games in 2032 as the reason for choosing the Pfizer dose, which requires only a 21-day wait between jabs, whereas the AstraZeneca vaccine requires 12 weeks.
At Wednesday’s press conference, Deputy Premier Steven Miles said the prime minister’s revised AstraZeneca advice for those under 40 put Queenslanders ‘at risk’.
‘There is some discussion that the Commonwealth might even provide their own vaccination hubs so that they can get AstraZeneca vaccines out to younger people despite that vaccine not being recommended,’ he said.
‘That would be very risky.’
‘I do not want under-40s getting AstraZeneca,’ Queensland’s Chief Health Officer Dr Jeannette Young told yesterday’s press conference. Pictured, a mask wearer getting exercise during lockdown.
A man and his son play on Main Beach at the Gold Coast on Wednesday during south-east Queensland’s lockdown
‘I want to talk about vaccinations,’ Ms Palaszczuk said yesterday. ‘We want Queenslanders to get vaccinated. But there is some clear guidelines that have been put in place by the Chief Health Officer, ATAGI (Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation), and the AMA.’
At the same press conference, Mr Miles warned that Queensland was days away from running out of the Pfizer vaccine.
‘And if that were to happen, we would need to slow our successful vaccine rollout,’ he said.
‘We requested more Pfizer vaccines from the Commonwealth, as they provided to Victoria, but that request has been declined.’
Both he and Ms Palaszczuk repeated their calls for the federal Government to reduce the numbers of overseas arrivals.
‘It’s people coming in from overseas or leaving Australia and coming back for a whole range of purposes, I have never said that vulnerable Australians should not be allowed to return home.’
‘Vulnerable Australians, it should be going through the federal government, and a purpose dedicated facility called Howard Springs to deal with [them].
‘But there’s a large number of people travelling overseas for business, for a whole range of reasons, and there’s questions that need to be answered about why they are not vaccinated leaving, and also if people are coming to Australia, why are they not getting their vaccinations?’
A nurse conducts a Covid test at the Gold Coast on Wednesday during the area’s first day of lockdown
A women pushing a pram is seen crossing an empty Elizabeth Street during lockdown in Brisbane on Wednesday
People waiting for Covid testing are seen lined up in their cars at Highgate Hill in Brisbane
Mr Miles said 223 international travellers arrived in Queensland on Tuesday.
‘The borders are not genuinely closed,’ he said.
‘The federal Government’s own data, confirms that thousands of people are being allowed to travel here who are not stranded Aussies.’
‘In fact, last month, 20,000 non-Australians arrived in Australia, permitted by the Morrison government, half of those on short term temporary visas.’
The ill-fated journey of the 19-year-old woman who sparked Queensland’s three-day lockdown
Masked women exercising while on the Gold Coast, Tuesday, as South-East Queensland entered a three-day lockdown
A vaccination clinic at Slacks Creek, Brisbane on June 29, as south-east Queensland entered a three-day lockdown
South-east Queensland, Townsville, Magnetic Island and neighbouring Palm Island remain in lockdown until 6pm Friday.
The lockdown restrictions were introduced after a 19-year-old woman working outside the Covid ward at Prince Charles Hospital became infected with the Indian Delta variant of the virus and remained infectious in the community for 10 days.
She travelled with her family from Brisbane to Townsville on Thursday, June 24, before visiting Magnetic Island until Sunday June 27 and then returning to Brisbane. She has subsequently been linked to 19 exposure sites.
Her brother had also tested positive to the virus, while other family members and two friends reported feeling unwell.
Australia’s new Covid outbreak has left half the population in lockdown (above)
Tourist resort Magnetic Island (pictured) was locked down after the visit by the Covid-positive teen hospital receptionist from Brisbane
Lockdown restrictions include a limit of 20 people at a funeral, 10 people at a wedding, and no dancing or singing.
There will be a limit of two visitors in homes in addition to people already residing there.
Restaurants and cafes will only be allowed to provide take away for home delivery.
Cinemas, entertainment and recreational venues, beauty and personal care services, and gyms will all be closed.
The lockdown means Queenslanders in the affected areas can only leave home for one of four reasons: essential education and work that cannot be done at home or to obtain health care services, including getting a vaccination.
Care or support of a vulnerable family member, essential shopping in your local community, or exercising with no more than one person are also permitted.
The state says hotel quarantine for international travellers is Australia’s greatest single source of Covid-19, and has accused the Commonwealth of letting in too many foreigners