Child under 10 among Queensland's latest Covid deaths
A child is among 16 people who have died with Covid in Queensland, as the state recorded 9630 new cases on Wednesday.
Chief Health Officer John Gerrard said the child was aged under 10 and had a "very serious underlying, rare, inherited medical condition".
"But even so, this is very sad," he said.
Dr Gerrard said only two of the 16 people who died had booster shots, while six were not vaccinated.
Two patients were aged in their 50s, five in their 70s, three in their 80s and five in their 90s. Seven of the deaths were in residential aged care.
The 16 deaths were among at least 70 Covid-related fatalities recorded across Australia on Wednesday.
The numbers are an increase from yesterday, when the state recorded 7588 new Covid cases and 10 deaths.
Push to vaccinate kids as school returns
As school holidays come to an end next week and in-class learning returns, Health Minister Yvette D’Ath urged parents to vaccinate their children.
"School is going back next week, we really do encourage parents to come forward with their young ones and get them vaccinated," she said.
"There is no reason whatsoever considering our adult population is 92 per cent first dose... that our child vaccinations shouldn't be at the same rate.”
Dr Gerrard said he didn’t want parents to feel scared when it comes to the vaccine.
"There has been a substantial decline (in child vaccinations). There was a great rush early on and it has slowed down ... I hope parents have not become complacent," Dr Gerrard said.
"I don't want parents to be frightened but if I had a child going back to school I would want them to be vaccinated.”
The 5-11 group is at 35 per cent first dose while 75.5 per cent of 12-15 year olds have one jab and 67.54 per cent are double dosed.
with AAP
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