Queensland's hospitals are "bearing up" to the COVID-19 outbreak which hasn't peaked as steeply as authorities expected, leaving authorities cautiously optimistic.
Another 13 virus deaths and 10,212 new cases were recorded from 19,926 tests, including 3615 rapid antigen tests, in the 24 hours to 6.30am on Monday.
Four of those who died were aged in their 70s, seven were in their 80s and two were in their 90s, while none had had a booster vaccine.
Chief Health Officer John Gerrard says there are 879 people being treated in hospital for COVID-19 and another 50 patients in intensive care with 12 of those on a ventilator.
He says Queensland isn't experiencing a "very tall peak" like NSW or Victoria with hospitalisations remaining far lower than the thousands initially expected.
"Queensland hospitals are bearing up, but we'll see in the next seven days, particularly as metropolitan Brisbane peaks, just exactly what happens there," Dr Gerrard told reporters on Monday.
"So far the impact of the impact of the epidemic is less than we expected, so far in this wave, but ... I'm trying to be cautious here because we still haven't reached a peak here in Brisbane."
The flatter peak in hospitalisations and deaths is likely due to people following precautions, Dr Gerrard said, with a high double-dose vaccination rate when the virus started spreading in the state.
"This we believe has to do with people's changing behaviour in avoiding getting infected," he said.
"So I certainly thank the people of Queensland in heeding the warnings."
The most recent figures show 91.81 per cent of eligible Queenslanders have had one vaccine dose and 89.16 have had two.
More than 40 per cent of the 879 virus patients in hospital were unvaccinated with the government urging those eligible to get a booster.
The state government is also set to release its plan for a COVID-safe return to school later this week, after it goes through cabinet on Monday.
Authorities delayed the return of school from January 24 to February 7 in a bid to create a "longer, flatter" peak, which Dr Gerrard said would be ideal for the health system.
He expects the virus to spread rapidly when children return to classes, but 25.72 per cent of five to 11-year-olds and 66.61 per cent of children aged 11 to 15 have now had two doses of a vaccine.
The vast majority of children will experience a mild virus, the CHO said, but some will experience some rare complications.
"There will be a small number that will get a significant complication from this virus just because of the sheer numbers involved, that's almost inevitable," he said.
Dr Gerrard admitted it was hard "to get the tone right" with his advice to parents to be vigilant rather than paranoid about the risks COVID-19 poses to children and young people, many of whom he believes are not afraid of the virus.
"My impression is that most young people are not afraid of this virus, which is probably legitimate, although we want them to get vaccinated because there are rare complications," he said.
