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Palaszczuk government rejects reports Queensland will stay closed until 90 per cent vaccine coverage

James HallNCA NewsWire
Queenslanders are hoepful borders will reopen once vaccine coverage reaches 80 per cent. NCA Newswire / Scott Powick
Camera IconQueenslanders are hoepful borders will reopen once vaccine coverage reaches 80 per cent. NCA Newswire / Scott Powick Credit: News Corp Australia

Annastacia Palaszczuk has hosed down reports the Queensland government had agreed to keep the state closed longer than planned.

Ms Palaszczuk wants as many Queenslanders vaccinated as possible before borders are reopened.

But she rejected suggestions that could be delayed until vaccine coverage had reached 90 per cent.

A spokesperson for the Premier emphatically denied the enhanced threshold had been endorsed at the meeting of ministers in Hervey Bay on Monday.

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The suggestion came after Ms Palaszczuk told reporters that chief health officer Jeannette Young has said “up to 90 per cent (is what) we’d like to see”.

The Premier said national cabinet had agreed in principle to removing restrictions once 80 per cent vaccination coverage was reached, but added the Doherty Institute was reviewing its roadmap.

“Everyone’s comfortable with 80 per cent but the Doherty plan might say higher,” she said on Monday morning.

QUEENSLAND PARLIAMENT
Camera IconMs Palaszczuk said higher vaccine rates were preferred but no threshold had been changed at state cabinet. NCA NewsWire / Dan Peled Credit: News Corp Australia

A vaccination push over the weekend lifted the number of Queenslanders who had received their first jab above 60 per cent.

More than 40 per cent are now fully vaccinated after nearly 60,000 of Queenslanders rolled up their sleeves in response to a concerted push to lift languishing vaccine figures.

“We’re pretty confident we’ve clicked over that 60 per cent,” Ms Palaszczuk said.

“We have got a sense of urgency here.

“We have got to get people vaccinated because we don’t want to see our hospitals overwhelmed and our people sick.”

Ms Palaszczuk also said increased vaccination rates would help to ease border rules faster.

“We all hope that we can see our relatives and friends at Christmas time,” she said.

“That’s going to depend on people getting vaccinated.”

Originally published as Palaszczuk government rejects reports Queensland will stay closed until 90 per cent vaccine coverage

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