- Queensland recorded 1.158 new circumstances of Covid on Tuesday, 257 of Omicron
- The state will drop the requirement for vacationers to have a PCR take a look at on day 5
- Chief Well being Officer Dr John Gerrard mentioned second take a look at was now 'pointless'
Queensland has posted 1,158 new circumstances of Covid because the requirement for guests to endure a day 5 PCR take a look at was dropped.
Well being Minister Yvette D'Ath mentioned 257 of the brand new circumstances have been the Omicron variant, with six circumstances in hospital. No sufferers are in ICU.
'Thus far we're not seeing giant numbers of sufferers being admitted to hospital regardless of vital transmission in Queensland,' Chief Well being Officer Dr John Gerrard mentioned.
Dr Gerrard mentioned the extraordinarily low variety of optimistic assessments on the second day 5 take a look at for travellers to the state made the second take a look at now 'pointless'.
'It isn't contributing any method to the security of Queenslanders and that useful resource can be utilized higher elsewhere,' Dr Gerrard mentioned.
Ms D'Ath suggested travellers to tick the field on the border go software about day 5 assessments for the following couple of days till the paperwork could be up to date on-line.
She mentioned the day 5 take a look at was solely selecting up one in 10 optimistic outcomes.
Ms D'Ath mentioned the state continues to be working by points forward of a choice to finish the necessity for a PCR take a look at for entry to the state on January 1.
'We've obtained to ensure there's ample provide so that you just don't individuals line up for a PCR take a look at in Sydney or Melbourne however then they will't get a [rapid antigen] take a look at,' she mentioned.
'We'd like to ensure there's provide, so we're working by all that in the intervening time.
'Each store I've walked into they have indicators up that they've offered out [of rapid antigen tests] and are ready for an additional supply,'
The state has come below monumental strain to drop its requirement of a destructive PCR take a look at for interstate travellers from 'hotspots' similar to NSW, Victoria and the ACT inside 72 hours of arrival on the border to be permitted entry to the state.
Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk mentioned the coverage was being reviewed, with speedy antigen assessments anticipated for use to 'display' interstate guests from January 1.
NSW Well being Minister Brad Hazzard claimed as one of many primary causes for the lengthy queues at testing amenities in Sydney, with numerous clinics pressured to shut yesterday because of overwhelming numbers.
'That is passive aggressive stupidity from the Queensland Premier at her worst,' Mr Hazzard informed the Every day Telegraph.
'Eliminating PCRs for tourism testing is totally vital so there is usually a concentrate on the medical wants of sufferers in danger.
'South Australia has seen the sunshine and somebody wants to change on the lights within the Queensland Premier's workplace.'
Mr Hazzard mentioned the presence of individuals within the queues being examined for holidays, relatively than well being causes, was stopping these have been are literally sick with Covid from receiving their outcomes on time.
He mentioned Queensland's continued insistence on the lab take a look at requirement lacked commonsense, as a result of somebody might change into optimistic 4 days after the take a look at whereas within the Sunshine State.
He additionally famous that, 'from what I've heard', Queensland Police are solely randomly checking whether or not individuals have had a PCR take a look at on the border.
Final week Ms Palaszczuk disputed the truth that a lot of individuals in queues at testing clinics have been planning to journey to Queensland.
She claimed solely 10 per cent of these in NSW queues have been coming to Queensland.
Yesterday Ms Palaszczuk revealed greater than 400,000 individuals had now utilized to return to Queensland because the state reopened on December 13.
'Nobody estimated 400,000 individuals would apply to return to Queensland,' Ms Palaszczuk mentioned.
'Queenslanders need it to be a secure surroundings so these are the precautions we put in place on our roadmap.
'All people knew after they booked a ticket to return right here that they must adhere by having that PCR take a look at.
'Now that we have had 400,000 border passes, we have to make it possible for we're defending Queenslanders however because the world is transferring in direction of speedy antigen assessments, it is one thing we're intently taking a look at.'