“We were planning for the worst-case scenario and it was quite frightening at the time.”

The government had previously refused to release the modelling,despite repeated requests from journalists.

Queensland’s Chief Health Officer John Gerrard said the good behaviour from Queenslanders in getting vaccinated,wearing masks and other measures had kept the numbers lower than predicted.

However,he warned that the virus wave was peaking at the moment,and urged people to not drop their precautions.

“This is definitely not the time to be going out and celebrating. Please do not do that,” Dr Gerrard said.

“This is not over,we are at the peak. Don’t go out and celebrate yet but the news at this stage is good.”

He also sounded a note of caution about the coming months,stressing that COVID-19 was “a winter virus” and there would probably be another wave in the winter months.

“That will be quite a critical time here in Australia,as we head into our winter after the Omicron wave,which the whole world is experiencing simultaneously,” he said.

“The northern hemisphere is experiencing the wave in their winter,we’re experiencing it in our summer – we don’t really know what’s going to happen.”

Queensland’s vaccination rate on Friday was 91.9 per cent of eligible people with one dose,89.33 per cent with two doses,and a little over 1.3 million boosters.

Ms Palaszczuk said they would take the advice of federal health authorities over whether people would eventually need a booster shot to be considered fully vaccinated in terms of being allowed to enter certain venues and avoid other restrictions in Queensland.

The Premier played down concerns she was yet to release the back to school plan,after it was delayed on Monday because Education Minister Grace Grace contracted COVID-19,saying there was “plenty of time” between now and February 7,when students were due to start.

Health Minister Yvette D’Ath said 3963 health workers were currently off work because they positive or a close contract of a case – down from 6048 on January 17.

Police Commissioner Katarina Carroll said there were 580 officers off as cases or close contacts,down from 1052 on January 13.