Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has released Queensland’s COVID Vaccination Plan to unite families, protect Queenslanders and chart a course through the next stages of the pandemic.
Key features include greater freedoms for those who are fully vaccinated including being able to cross the border from interstate hotspots in time for Christmas.
This will be achieved in cautious and measured stages once 70 and 80 per cent of eligible Queenslanders are double-dosed.
The Premier said how quickly these milestones are achieved depends on how quickly Queenslanders come forward to be vaccinated.
“It’s simple,” the Premier said.
“The more of us who are vaccinated, the sooner we are safely reunited with friends and family interstate and overseas.”
As of Monday, 72.26 per cent of Queenslanders have had one dose of the vaccination and 56.58 per cent are fully vaccinated.
People who are fully vaccinated are 86 per cent less likely to catch COVID and pass it on.
If you are fully vaccinated your chance of dying from COVID-19 falls by 90 per cent.
As has been the case during the pandemic the steps are measured and cautious.
Key milestones are:
At 70 per cent of Queensland’s eligible population fully vaccinated (Expected on 19 November):
Anyone who has been in a declared domestic hotspot in the previous 14 days can travel into Queensland provided:
– They are fully vaccinated
– Arrive by air
– Have a negative COVID test in the previous 72 hours
– Undertake home quarantine for 14 days
– Direct international arrivals into Queensland will have to complete 14 days quarantine in Government-nominated facility.
International arrivals who arrive via another state or territory will have to quarantine in a Government-nominated facility until 14 days have passed since they arrived into Australia.
At 80 per cent of Queensland’s eligible population fully vaccinated (Expected on 17 December):
– Travellers from an interstate hotspot can arrive by road or air
– They must be fully vaccinated
– They must have a negative COVID test in the previous 72 hours
– No quarantine required
– Direct international arrivals can undertake 14 days (subject to review by AHPPC) home quarantine and subject to conditions set by Queensland Health provided they are:
– Fully vaccinated
– Have a negative COVID test in previous 72 hours
– Those who don’t meet these criteria will need to enter within Queensland’s international arrivals cap and quarantine in a Government-nominated facility, just like now.
Those arriving via other states and territories won’t need to quarantine if they are:
– Fully vaccinated
– Have undertaken at least 14 days (subject to AHPPC review) of quarantine under the direction of another state or territory at home or in a government-nominated facility.
– Those who don’t meet the criteria to arrive via another state or territory will need to apply for a border pass and undertake up to 14 days (subject to review by AHPPC) quarantine in a government-nominated facility.
It is important for businesses to know, at 80 per cent vaccination coverage, there will not be government financial assistance available in the event of increased restrictions or lockdowns.
At 90 per cent of Queenslanders fully vaccinated:
– No entry restrictions or quarantine for vaccinated arrivals from interstate or overseas
– Unvaccinated travellers will need to apply for a border pass, or enter within the international arrivals cap, and undertake up to 14 days (subject to review by AHPPC) quarantine
