Queensland to scrap most vaccine mandates

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk

Queensland’s Labor government, led by Annastacia Palaszczuk, has decided to drop most vaccine mandates.

“It’s a great day for all Queenslanders!” said the Queensland Minister for Health, Yvette D’Ath.

Starting next week on April 14, bars, clubs, restaurants, cafes, sports stadiums, cinemas, showgrounds, wedding venues, and – crucially – public spaces such as libraries, will no longer be required to use the vaccine passport system that saw unvaccinated people locked out of the Queensland economy.

“The restrictions we had in place did their job,” insisted the Premier, with around 95% of eligible people in the state vaccinated.

It comes as eight people died over night and 9,9946 cases were record in 24 hours. Strict vaccine passport restrictions were put in place when Queensland had close to zero Covid cases last year.

“We have solid evidence now that we have passed the peak of transmission of the secondary Covid wave,” said Dr John Gerrard, Queensland’s Chief Health Office.

Dr Gerrard replace Dr Jeannette Young, who is now serving as the Governor of Queensland.

“Our focus now in terms of vaccination requirements will be in terms of high risk settings,” he said. This will include maintaining vaccine requirements for hospitals, aged care facilities, prisons, and – controversially – schools.

Teachers were among the loudest voices in Freedom Protests in the state, having been sacked or suspended due to school vaccine mandates.

“Vaccination will remain the key going forward,” finished Dr Gerrard.