Queensland's COVID-19 vaccination rates in school-aged children are languishing behind all other states and territories, as new figures reveal hundreds of children have ended up in hospital with the virus during the Omicron wave.
Federal government statistics showed 42.99 per cent of five- to 11-year-olds in Queensland have received their first COVID-19 shot.
That is way below NSW, the second worst state, on 48.49 per cent. The ACT leads the nation with 78.98 per cent.
Queensland also lags behind the rest of the country in adolescent vaccinations with 71.16 per cent of the state's 12- to 15-year-olds double dosed, compared with the top-performing ACT on 97.28 per cent.
The figures coincide with new Queensland Health data showing that 1,136 children aged up to 17 years were hospitalised with COVID-19, from when the interstate borders reopened on December 13, and March 10, including 23 who required intensive care.
Griffith University virologist Lara Herrero, who also works as an emergency doctor, said she was seeing child patients with COVID-19 struggling to breathe on every hospital shift.
"We're seeing children present with severe disease that requires hospital treatment and care," she said.
"I would strongly encourage all parents to consider getting their children vaccinated. There is a large population of children that are not protected. It's a concern."
Vaccinated children less likely to transmit virus
Dr Herrero said vaccinations not only significantly reduced the risk of a child developing severe disease from COVID-19, it also lessened the likelihood of them transmitting it to others.
"Those children who are unvaccinated have a greater propensity to transmit that virus to vulnerable populations, regardless of who they may be," she said.
"I would encourage people not to become complacent, especially in the lead in to winter."
Infectious disease specialist Paul Griffin said while the recent catastrophic floods in South-east Queensland had taken focus off COVID-19, people needed to remain vigilant.
"A lot of people really have the perception now that this is behind us, that this is done and no longer an issue. It's clearly not the case," Dr Griffin said.
"We certainly need to look at any groups that are falling behind. Some of our rural and remote Indigenous communities have low vaccination rates as well. We need to have a look at what the challenges are and try and specifically address them.
"I don't think enough has been done to provide the tools to educate people as to why the vaccine is so important and why we're so confident that it's safe."
Possible spike in COVID cases after floods
Dr Griffin warned about the possibility of a spike in COVID-19 cases after the floods with displaced families having to share homes with relatives and friends, urging them to be mindful of basic mitigation strategies — social distancing, hand hygiene, vaccination and getting tested when unwell.
"It's reasonable to highlight the fact that this virus is going to continue to pose a threat to us in some ways," he said.
"If we don't keep those vaccine rates up, get that third dose rate up, and get that vaccine rate up in kids, it does leave us a little bit vulnerable, particularly as we've removed some of those other strategies, like mask-wearing."
Queensland's booster rates stand at 61.5 per cent of the eligible population.
The state recorded 6,136 new COVID-19 cases yesterday and 255 hospitalisations, including 21 requiring intensive care.
Three Queenslanders infected with the virus died in the last reporting period, bringing the total COVID-related deaths in the state to 647.
