Queensland's deputy premier says the federal government's handling of COVID-19 outbreaks in the aged care sector is a "national disgrace".
Steven Miles has slammed the prime minister for not ensuring the sector had received boosters after announcing another 13 Queenslanders had died of COVID-19, including nine in aged care.
There have been 127 COVID-19 deaths in Queensland aged care facilities, representing more than half of the total 240 people who have died of COVID-19 in the state since December 13.
"It shouldn't have come to this," Mr Miles said.
"They (aged care residents) should have all been boosted.
"If they were boosted we wouldn't be experiencing nearly the level of deaths that we are.
"There is no explanation for why so many people in aged care are double vaccinated but not boosted when the Prime Minister said they would be."
Mr Miles welcomed Defence Minister Peter Dutton on Friday flagging use of the military to help the aged care sector.
But he believed the decision should have been made much earlier, saying it "breaks my heart" seeing reports of how some aged care residents were being treated.
"What is happening in aged care in Australia right now is nothing short of a national disgrace," he told reporters.
"We have elderly residents locked away, isolated in their rooms, not being bathed, not getting food, not getting the medical care that they need.
"There is more than 1000 nursing homes experiencing a live outbreak right now.
"The national government should be doing absolutely everything they can to change that including getting them boosted."
Chief Health Officer John Gerrard urged the elderly to receive a booster after Queensland recorded 6857 new cases.
Only three of Queensland's latest deaths had received a third shot while another two were unvaccinated.
Dr Gerrard said about 70 per cent of Queenslanders aged 70 or older had received a booster.
However, he was concerned by a "disproportionate" number of deaths in older people who had not received a third jab.
Overall 56.75 per cent of eligible Queenslanders have received a booster.
There are 732 COVID-19 patients in hospital and 50 in intensive care.
In private hospitals there are 67 being treated, with two in ICU.
Meanwhile, the state government has ordered 32.5 million rapid antigen tests, with 1.2 million set to arrive in coming days.
Schools will receive 250,000 by Monday when the new term starts.
The latest figures show that 92.11 per cent of eligible Queenslanders have had one dose of a vaccine, while 89.78 per cent have had two.
