Australians are being encouraged to travel over the Easter weekend and feel safer as the COVID-19 vaccine rollout gets back on track, egged on by an end to Queensland’s lockdown.
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk announced the Greater Brisbane lockdown will end on Thursday and called on all leaders across the country to consider lifting hot-spot travel restrictions.
Just one new community case was recorded overnight, linked to one of the existing two clusters, as thousands of Queenslanders came forward for testing.
“That is good news for Queensland and Easter is good to go,” Ms Palaszczuk told reporters.
The lockdown will be lifted from midday local time (1pm AEDT).
But the stoush over the supply of doses continues.
“We give out our figures every day and it would be great to see the Commonwealth do exactly the same,” Ms Palaszczuk said.
“Our total vaccinations now are at 79,534.”
Health Minister Greg Hunt is aiming for a target of 750,000 doses administered by the end of Thursday as batches of Australian-made vials become available.
So far 670,000 vaccinations have been delivered nationally, and Prime Minister Scott Morrison has promised the million dose mark will be hit next week after ditching initial hopes of four million by now.
“They can’t push the blame elsewhere,” Labor’s finance spokeswoman Katy Gallagher told Sky.
“The supply and distribution of the vaccine is completely within the control of the Commonwealth government.”
State premiers have raised concerns vast supplies of vaccines are being dumped on them without warning, catching them out with no staff to administer the jabs.
Mr Hunt is trying to push past the spat.
“Australians are being vaccinated,” Mr Hunt told Seven.
“We’re not frustrated or grumpy with any of the states or territories. We think they’re doing their job.”
NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian is still furious about “misleading” data leaked by her federal colleagues implying her state was to blame for delays to the COVID-19 vaccination program.
“I hope the Commonwealth actually listens to us and agrees to let our support them otherwise we won’t get the deadline and it will take too long in Australia will fall behind the rest of the world,” she said.
Being able to trace and connect cases is key to removing restrictions and ending fears people have about travelling and then being stuck in quarantine when rules change.
Revellers, musicians and local businesses have already taken a hit from the cancellation of Byron Bay’s popular Bluesfest after community transmission linked to the Brisbane clusters.
Despite political squabbles over vaccine supply, federal Tourism Minister Dan Tehan said the rollout should boost confidence for travel and spending.
He encouraged Australians to take up subsidised half-price airfares to 15 regional locations.
“We want people to have the confidence to be able to travel,” he said.
Vaccination and community immunity remains key to movement and confidence.
State governments are seeking more clarity around supply, as they are accused of stockpiling some vaccines to secure the required second dose people will need.
Meanwhile faith groups, medical experts and humanitarian organisations want the Morrison government to commit to sending one million Australian-made doses of the vaccine to Papua New Guinea.
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