Queensland Abolishes Vaccine Mandate: What It Means for Residents

In a significant shift, Queensland has lifted its Covid vaccine mandate, allowing thousands of unvaccinated Australians to once again enjoy access to local pubs, restaurants, and theatres. This change took effect overnight and marks a new chapter in the state’s pandemic management.

The announcement of this transformative policy came from Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk last month. She expressed her gratitude to the people of Queensland for their efforts in maintaining collective safety amid the challenging times of the pandemic.

Since December 17, access to many venues had been limited to those who were vaccinated. However, these restrictions have been lifted, and these places will now welcome anyone, irrespective of their vaccination status.

A wide array of venues is now open to all, including popular spots such as pubs, clubs, cafes, and restaurants. Other places like theme parks, casinos, and cinemas, as well as venues hosting weddings, showgrounds, galleries, libraries, museums, and sports stadiums, have also opened their doors to everyone.

Despite these relaxed rules, vaccine mandates remain intact for certain sectors. Places that serve the most vulnerable, including hospitals, aged care and disability facilities, prisons, schools, and early childhood centers, will continue to enforce vaccination requirements to safeguard public health.

No changes are being made to mask-wearing rules, which are needed in taxis, rideshares, public transport and in vulnerable settings.  

t if you’re an adult you need to be vaccinated with at least two doses.’

Acting Premier Steven Miles assured Queenslanders their ‘world leading’ health system was doing its best to cope with a second Omicron wave of COVID-19 after this week recording the fourth-highest volume of triple zero calls.

There were 597 patients with coronavirus in Queensland hospitals on Wednesday – the highest number during the current wave – with 16 in intensive care.

There were also another 10 deaths and 9176 new cases.

However the 54,535 cases active in the state on Wednesday was the lowest number in three weeks.

Mr Miles backed Queensland’s health system but welcomed Opposition leader Anthony Albanese’s urgent care clinic plan, saying it would take pressure off hospital emergency departments.

Mr Albanese on Wednesday outlined a trial of 50 urgent care clinics across the country in order to treat injuries and illnesses that were not life-threatening.

‘We need to consider all those solutions to what is not just a problem with our emergency departments or ambulance service but a problem with our entire health system including primary care, GPs, aged care and disability support,’ Mr Miles said.

Mr Miles urged Queenslanders to avoid emergency departments if they could, steering people toward the 13HEALTH advice phone line serviced by nurses.

He said the new Omicron wave and the unavailability of bulk billing GPs, along with more than 3000 health workers in quarantine had over-burdened the hospitals.

However, Mr Miles said the response time for code one calls was still just under nine minutes and “99 to 100 per cent” of emergency department patients were seen within two minutes.

‘That’s world leading,’ he said.

‘We have one of the best health systems in the world but it is under pressure.’

However, the state opposition claimed Queensland’s ambulance service was the ‘worst in the country’.

Liberal National Party state leader David Crisafulli said a parliamentary Question on Notice revealed Queensland ambulances lost more than 13,000 hours ramped outside hospitals in March and May last year and ‘routinely’ exceeded 10,000 hours in 2021.

He said on average 38 per cent of Queensland ambulances were ramped across the state, making it the highest in the country compared to Western Australia (37.3 per cent), Victoria (33.9 per cent) and NSW (16.8 per cent).

‘If the state government doesn’t start listening, it’s only going to get worse,’ Mr Crisafulli said.