Queensland will open a mass vaccination hub in Brisbane on Wednesday amid more signs the COVID-19 threat in the state’s southeast is easing.
But concerns remain high in Cairns, which is in a three-day lockdown after a marine pilot infected a taxi driver with the highly transmissible Delta variant.
Authorities are scrambling to identify every single contact of those two cases, and get them into quarantine.
Chief Health Officer Jeannette Young believes the marine pilot infected the taxi driver during a trip to the airport. The marine pilot then flew to Brisbane.
It’s not clear why the taxi driver wasn’t identified as a close contact of the marine pilot who tested positive last week.
But the failure means he was active and infectious in Cairns for 10 days, four of them behind the wheel of his taxi.
Dr Young said it was “vital” that everyone in Cairns and the nearby community of Yarrabah stays home during the three-day lockdown.
“We need to work out all the contacts of the taxi driver, and reassess all the contacts of that marine pilot who brings ships in through the reef,” she said.
A rugby ground, a tavern and a supermarket are among the exposure sites listed in Cairns.
As the far north waits to learn how much danger it is in, there’s been more good news for Queensland’s southeast corner.
All four new community acquired cases have been linked to the existing Indooroopilly cluster and all were isolating during their infectious periods.
Three of the four cases are linked to Ironside State School, and one of them is a staff member. The fourth case is linked to Brisbane Boys Grammar.
Dr Young said first-generation cases were still emerging from the Indooroopilly cluster.
That demonstrated how critical it was for the more than 12,000 Queenslanders deemed to be contacts of that cluster to serve out their full 14 days in home quarantine.
There have been no further cases on the Gold Coast, which had recorded one infection. But residents have been urged to remain on alert, and get tested at the first sign of any symptoms.
Queensland is due to get a surge of Pfizer doses from the Commonwealth from this week, allowing a mass vaccination hub to open at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre from Wednesday.
The centre expects to rapidly increase the number of jabs being administered from 1000-1500 doses on its opening day to 3000 on Friday and beyond.
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk urged people aged 16-59 to immediately register for a vaccine through the Queensland Health website, if they haven’t done so already.
People must have a booking to get a jab, which will only be administering Pfizer. Those showing up for shots will get free parking.
Queensland, NSW and Victoria are all about to receive additional vaccine deliveries after the federal government brought forward supplies that had been due to arrive in September.
Masks and strict social distancing rules remain currently on the southeast, where 11 local government areas emerged from an eight-day lockdown on Sunday.
Other restrictions include a limit of ten visitors to a home, and a one person per four square metre rule at businesses.
Up to ten visitors can now gather in public spaces but community sport for children and adults has been cancelled for two weeks.
Schools have reopened, with high school students having to wear masks for the first time.
Queensland recorded one additional case on Monday, in hotel quarantine.
AAP
