December 16, 2021
There were 22 new cases of COVID-19 announced in Queensland on Thursday, including 18 people who have been infectious in the community.
As well, two cases were detected in hotel quarantine and two in home quarantine.
Seven of the new cases were acquired locally, 12 from interstate and three from overseas.
Health Minister Yvette D’Ath said the community cases were in the health regions of the Darling Downs, Wide Bay, Brisbane North, Brisbane South, West Moreton, Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast and Townsville.
“Most of these people have been infectious in the community between one and seven days,” Minister D’Ath said.
One of the latest cases visited an aged care facility in Holland Park. Staff and residents were now being tested.
The results of genomic testing on recent cases has also been confirmed.
Three are the new, highly contagious Omicron variant: a Townsville soldier, with very limited exposure to the community; a woman from Rochedale South who had been in Newcastle; and an international air crew member who has not been out in the community.
However, Chief Health Officer Dr John Gerrard said he was expecting a surge of Omicron cases in Queensland “within weeks”.
He said reimposing a mask mandate was being “actively” considered as this would slow the spread of the virus and give people a chance to get their booster shots.
At the moment, people are eligible to receive a third dose five months after their second vaccination.
Minister D’Ath said there were currently 67 active cases of COVID-19 in the State.
A drive-through COVID-19 testing site has been opened at Taroom Hospital for local residents.
External links:
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Where To Get Vaccinated
Free COVID-19 vaccinations are available at multiple locations across the South Burnett:
Pfizer (Comirnaty)
- Blackbutt Medical Centre
- Bunya Pines Family Practice, Kingaroy
- Cherbourg Hospital Outpatients
- CRAICCHS, Cherbourg
- Good Price Pharmacy Warehouse, Kingaroy
- Haly Health & Skin Medical Centre, Kingaroy
- Kingaroy Discount Drug Store
- Kingaroy Medical Centre
- Nanango Discount Drug Store
- Nanango Medical Centre
- Taabinga Family Practice
- Wondai Medical Centre
Moderna (Spikevax)
- Blooms The Chemist, Kingaroy
- Good Price Pharmacy Warehouse, Kingaroy
- Kilkivan Pharmacy
- Kingaroy Pharmacy
- Kingaroy Discount Drug Store
- Nanango Discount Drug Store
AstraZeneca (Vaxzevria)
- Blackbutt Medical Centre
- Blooms The Chemist, Kingaroy
- Blooms The Chemist, Kingaroy Town Centre (Avoca St)
- Bunya Pines Family Practice
- CRAICCHS, Cherbourg
- Good Price Pharmacy Warehouse, Kingaroy
- Haly Health & Skin Medical Centre
- Kingaroy Discount Drug Store
- Kingaroy Medical Centre
- Murgon Family Medical Practice
- Nanango Discount Drug Store
- Nanango Medical Centre
- Taabinga Family Practice
- Wondai Medical Centre
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Vaccination Rates
Queensland vaccination rates, for people aged 16 and above, are at 88.82 per cent (first dose) and 82.56 per cent (second dose).
Local vaccination rates by Council area (as at December 13):
- Cherbourg – 62.0 per cent (first dose) / 49.8 per cent (second dose)
- Gympie – 85.5 / 76.0
- North Burnett – 82.4 / 74.2
- Somerset – 87.4 / 79.1
- South Burnett – 88.7 / 78.8
- Toowoomba – 93.1 / 85.3
- Western Downs – 87.5 / 77.9
In comparison, Brisbane LGA is 89.6 / 84.8.
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Since the beginning of the vaccine rollout, about 40.2 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines have been given across Australia (to December 12).
The Therapeutic Goods Administration has identified 11 deaths linked to vaccination, far fewer than the hundreds being claimed by anti-vaxxers on social media.
These deaths occurred after the first dose of Vaxzevria (AstraZeneca): eight were thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome (TTS) cases, two were linked to Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS) and one was a case of immune thrombocytopenia (ITP).
No deaths have been linked to Comirnaty (Pfizer) or Spikevax (Moderna).
- External link: The latest COVID-19 Vaccine Safety Report
