This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/live/2021/dec/12/australia-news-updates-live-covid-booster-vaccines-atagi-coronavirus-omicron-nsw-victoria-qld-scott-morrison-weather
The article has changed 18 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 3 | Version 4 |
|---|---|
| Australia news live updates: Covid booster vaccines cut to five months amid Omicron concern; NSW records 485 new cases and two deaths | Australia news live updates: Covid booster vaccines cut to five months amid Omicron concern; NSW records 485 new cases and two deaths |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Wait time to receive booster shots cut from six months to five. Follow all the latest news | Wait time to receive booster shots cut from six months to five. Follow all the latest news |
| If you want a recap of Saturday’s Covid-19 news, you can check out my article from yesterday. | |
| New South Wales recorded the highest number of daily Covid cases since early October while Victoria reported 13 Covid deaths and 1,193 new cases on Saturday. | |
| Plus, the Aacta awards became Covid exposure site after a hospitality worker at the Sydney Opera House tested positive for the virus on the day the awards were held. | |
| Read the full story here: | |
| Federal health minister Greg Hunt is doing a media event at 11am; he and chief medical officer Brendan Murphy will get their Covid-19 booster shots. | |
| There’ll be a press conference afterwards and I will, of course, be bringing you all the updates! | |
| Reports emerged yesterday afternoon that Victorian authorities were investigating a seven potential Omicron infections. | Reports emerged yesterday afternoon that Victorian authorities were investigating a seven potential Omicron infections. |
| AAP reports: | AAP reports: |
| The statement from Marisa Payne also says improved connectivity and access to digital technologies “can provide significant economic and social benefits and are key enablers of sustainable development”. | The statement from Marisa Payne also says improved connectivity and access to digital technologies “can provide significant economic and social benefits and are key enablers of sustainable development”. |
| There is some coded language in the statement contrasting the project with the approach taken by China: | There is some coded language in the statement contrasting the project with the approach taken by China: |
| The estimated cost of the project is up to $US80m (about $AU104m). | The estimated cost of the project is up to $US80m (about $AU104m). |
| The Australian government will join with Japan and the US to fund a new undersea cable in the Pacific, aiming to improve internet services in Kiribati, Nauru and the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM). | The Australian government will join with Japan and the US to fund a new undersea cable in the Pacific, aiming to improve internet services in Kiribati, Nauru and the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM). |
| The foreign minister, Marise Payne, issued a joint statement with her counterparts in the five countries to say the project “highlights our commitment to work together on critical telecommunications infrastructure and contribute to reliable and secure internet for the region”. | The foreign minister, Marise Payne, issued a joint statement with her counterparts in the five countries to say the project “highlights our commitment to work together on critical telecommunications infrastructure and contribute to reliable and secure internet for the region”. |
| In case you want to read it in full, here’s health minister Greg Hunt’s statement regarding Australia’s Covid-19 vaccine booster program changes here: | In case you want to read it in full, here’s health minister Greg Hunt’s statement regarding Australia’s Covid-19 vaccine booster program changes here: |
| With the federal election set to take place next year, one question that comes up is: who will replace Christian Porter in the Perth electorate? | With the federal election set to take place next year, one question that comes up is: who will replace Christian Porter in the Perth electorate? |
| The urban fringe division that hugs the coast north of Perth has belonged to the Liberals for 33 years, with Porter holding Pearce for nearly a decade before his dramatic fall from grace. | The urban fringe division that hugs the coast north of Perth has belonged to the Liberals for 33 years, with Porter holding Pearce for nearly a decade before his dramatic fall from grace. |
| But Labor has hopes of overturning the 7.5% margin from the 2019 election, with the help of favourable boundary changes, and poll watchers say it can only be a woman to step into Porter’s shoes after this year’s revelations about the toxic culture in federal parliament. | But Labor has hopes of overturning the 7.5% margin from the 2019 election, with the help of favourable boundary changes, and poll watchers say it can only be a woman to step into Porter’s shoes after this year’s revelations about the toxic culture in federal parliament. |
| Read the full story from Narelle Towie here: | Read the full story from Narelle Towie here: |
| A few small caveats at the end of Greg Hunt’s release about availability of the boosters: | A few small caveats at the end of Greg Hunt’s release about availability of the boosters: |
| The defence minister, Peter Dutton, says Scott Morrison is “looking forward very much” to welcoming South Korean president Moon Jae-in to Australia. | The defence minister, Peter Dutton, says Scott Morrison is “looking forward very much” to welcoming South Korean president Moon Jae-in to Australia. |
| Moon is due to meet with the prime minister in Canberra tomorrow. While in Australia, Moon is also scheduled to meet with the opposition leader, Anthony Albanese - an engagement that Dutton described as “a sign of respect”. | Moon is due to meet with the prime minister in Canberra tomorrow. While in Australia, Moon is also scheduled to meet with the opposition leader, Anthony Albanese - an engagement that Dutton described as “a sign of respect”. |
| In an interview on Sky News, Dutton said South Korea was an important trading partner with shared values. Dutton said South Korea lived “under the constant threat of North Korea” and noted Australia’s contribution to the Korean War in the 1950s. | In an interview on Sky News, Dutton said South Korea was an important trading partner with shared values. Dutton said South Korea lived “under the constant threat of North Korea” and noted Australia’s contribution to the Korean War in the 1950s. |
| Moon is due to finish his term in early May. Dutton gave a hint of some of the announcements likely to come out of the visit in the coming days: | Moon is due to finish his term in early May. Dutton gave a hint of some of the announcements likely to come out of the visit in the coming days: |
| It’s official. The routine interval for booster shots is being cut from six to five months. The Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (Atagi) has issued the following new advice: | It’s official. The routine interval for booster shots is being cut from six to five months. The Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (Atagi) has issued the following new advice: |
| Given the likelihood of ongoing transmission of both Omicron and Delta variants, ATAGI recommends COVID-19 booster vaccination for anyone aged 18 and older who completed their primary course of COVID-19 vaccination 5 or more months ago. | Given the likelihood of ongoing transmission of both Omicron and Delta variants, ATAGI recommends COVID-19 booster vaccination for anyone aged 18 and older who completed their primary course of COVID-19 vaccination 5 or more months ago. |
| Timely receipt of a booster dose is particularly important for people with increased exposure risk (e.g. occupational risk or outbreak areas) or who have risk factors for severe disease. | Timely receipt of a booster dose is particularly important for people with increased exposure risk (e.g. occupational risk or outbreak areas) or who have risk factors for severe disease. |
| Either Comirnaty (Pfizer) or Spikevax (Moderna) are recommended for use as a booster vaccine, and are considered equally acceptable. | Either Comirnaty (Pfizer) or Spikevax (Moderna) are recommended for use as a booster vaccine, and are considered equally acceptable. |
| ATAGI reiterates that a third (primary) dose of COVID-19 vaccine is also recommended for anyone with immunocompromising conditions, a minimum of two months after their second dose. | ATAGI reiterates that a third (primary) dose of COVID-19 vaccine is also recommended for anyone with immunocompromising conditions, a minimum of two months after their second dose. |
| The full advice can be found here. Atagi has also issued recommendations on the use of Spikevax (Moderna) as a Covid-19 booster vaccine, which can be read here. | The full advice can be found here. Atagi has also issued recommendations on the use of Spikevax (Moderna) as a Covid-19 booster vaccine, which can be read here. |
| The health minister, Greg Hunt, welcomed the updated advice. In a statement, he said: | The health minister, Greg Hunt, welcomed the updated advice. In a statement, he said: |
| Hunt described Australia as “a vaccination nation” with more than 40m Covid-19 vaccines having been administered to date. | Hunt described Australia as “a vaccination nation” with more than 40m Covid-19 vaccines having been administered to date. |
| The government says people eligible for a booster vaccine can make an appointment by visiting www.australia.gov.au or through the Vaccine Clinic Finder at www.health.gov.au. | The government says people eligible for a booster vaccine can make an appointment by visiting www.australia.gov.au or through the Vaccine Clinic Finder at www.health.gov.au. |
| You may be wondering why Australia would consider shortening the wait time for Covid-19 booster shots. | You may be wondering why Australia would consider shortening the wait time for Covid-19 booster shots. |
| It’s early days, but the data around the Omicron variant so far shows that two doses of a Covid-19 vaccine offers less defence against symptomatic infections from the Omicron variant, compared with Delta. | It’s early days, but the data around the Omicron variant so far shows that two doses of a Covid-19 vaccine offers less defence against symptomatic infections from the Omicron variant, compared with Delta. |
| But the great news is that experts say a booster jab raises the protection against the Omicron variant considerably. | But the great news is that experts say a booster jab raises the protection against the Omicron variant considerably. |
| Read the Guardian’s latest story on the findings here: | Read the Guardian’s latest story on the findings here: |
| Peter Dutton, speaking to Sky News this morning, also encouraged everyone to get their Covid-19 booster shot. | Peter Dutton, speaking to Sky News this morning, also encouraged everyone to get their Covid-19 booster shot. |
| The defence minister, Peter Dutton, is encouraging people to get the booster shots as soon as they are eligible. | The defence minister, Peter Dutton, is encouraging people to get the booster shots as soon as they are eligible. |
| Dutton also says he hopes people can “reunite with their families over Christmas without the fear of being locked down or having to do two weeks before they arrive or two weeks after they get back to their home state”. | Dutton also says he hopes people can “reunite with their families over Christmas without the fear of being locked down or having to do two weeks before they arrive or two weeks after they get back to their home state”. |
| In an interview on Sky News this morning, Dutton was asked about the plan to bring forward booster shots by a month and the federal government’s desire to avoid a return to lockdowns. | In an interview on Sky News this morning, Dutton was asked about the plan to bring forward booster shots by a month and the federal government’s desire to avoid a return to lockdowns. |
| Dutton replied that it was important to recognise the mental health and domestic violence implications of lockdowns. He said: | Dutton replied that it was important to recognise the mental health and domestic violence implications of lockdowns. He said: |
| Western Australia is increasing border restrictions for travellers from Queensland due to a rise in Covid-19 cases over there. | Western Australia is increasing border restrictions for travellers from Queensland due to a rise in Covid-19 cases over there. |
| The news comes just days before WA was set to reopen its borders. | The news comes just days before WA was set to reopen its borders. |
| Our friends at AAP have the story: | Our friends at AAP have the story: |
| Victorian health minister Brett Sutton tweeted his support for bringing the Covid-19 booster shot wait time forward to five months. | Victorian health minister Brett Sutton tweeted his support for bringing the Covid-19 booster shot wait time forward to five months. |
| Good morning! It’s Justine Landis-Hanley here to bring you the headlines today, Sunday 12 December 2021.The Australian government is expected to announce that it will cut the wait time for Covid-19 booster shots from six months to five, in an effort to combat the fast-spreading Omicron variant.Health minister Greg Hunt told Nine newspapers: | Good morning! It’s Justine Landis-Hanley here to bring you the headlines today, Sunday 12 December 2021.The Australian government is expected to announce that it will cut the wait time for Covid-19 booster shots from six months to five, in an effort to combat the fast-spreading Omicron variant.Health minister Greg Hunt told Nine newspapers: |
| The Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (Atagi) has also approved the Moderna Covid-19 booster to be offered alongside Pfizer, the ABC has reported. | The Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (Atagi) has also approved the Moderna Covid-19 booster to be offered alongside Pfizer, the ABC has reported. |