Queenslander Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has announced a drop in Covid cases to 16,031 new infections in the state but with 13 deaths, as changes to eligibility for booster shots were confirmed.
Ms Palaszczuk said from next Monday, Queenslanders will be able to come forward for booster jabs three months after a second shot of a Covid vaccine, rather than four months.
She said 91.76 per cent of Queenslanders had now received a first dose of vaccine and 89 per cent were now double dosed.
Ms Palaszczuk said Queenslander's QR code check-in system would not be dropped, despite calls from local mayors for it to be retired.
Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said from next Monday, Queenslanders will be able to come forward for booster jabs three months after a second shot of a Covid vaccine, rather than four months
Chief Health Officer Dr John Gerrard said of the 13 deaths, two people were in their 60s, five were in the 70s, five in their 80s, and one in their 90s,
One person was unvaccinated, one had received a single dose of vaccine, eight had received two doses and one had received three jabs.
'Were it not for widescale vaccination in Queensland today, we would not be talking about 855 people in hospital, we would be talking about thousands of people in hospital and almost certainly, our hospital system would be overwhelmed by now,' Dr Gerrard said.
He said 855 people were currently in hospital with Covid, up from 805 yesterday, with 54 people in ICU. and 22 on ventilation.
Ms Palaszczuk said the state had increased its order of rapid antigen tests from 18 million units to 23 million units.
She said one million RATs had just arrived in the state and two million more would be available in the next couple of weeks.
Ms Palaszczuk urged parents to ensure their 5 to 11-year-old children get vaccinated in the next two weeks before Queensland schools resume on February 7. Pictured: A child is vaccinated at a Brisbane clinic
The Premier urged parents to ensure
