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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: Moderna confirmed as Covid vaccine booster as wait time cut to five months; NSW records 485 new cases and two deaths
(32 minutes later)
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I’m going to hand the blog over to my brilliant colleague, Ben Doherty to bring you the news over lunch!
Now that Hunt’s press conference is finished, let’s turn back to the case numbers that have come out of New South Wales today.
NSW Health announced that the Argyle House nightclub in Newcastle was visited by a confirmed case of Covid-19 likely to have the Omicron variant.
Anyone who attended the venue from 9pm on Wednesday 8 December until 3am the next morning must immediately get tested, isolate and await further advice from NSW Health.
NSW Health said that confirmed cases of Covid-19, linked to a previously reported outbreak on a party boat cruise on Sydney Harbour on 3 December, attended The Argyle House.
Hunt was asked whether the Coalition would be willing to deal with the crossbench should there be a hung parliament at the next election.
Hunt says that the much of the crossbench are “to the left of not just the Labor Party, but to the left of the Greens.”
So I’ll take that as a no.
Finally, Hunt was asked about the next federal election, and whether he thinks that Labor could win.
South Korean president Moon Jae-in arrived in Canberra today. Hunt is asked what he and Morrison will discuss.
Hunt says they will be discussing three things:
Murphy says that there isn’t any good evidence to suggest that it is better to have a Pfizer booster if you had Pfizer for your first two shots.
Adding to that, Hunt says that Pfizer and Moderna are both considered “universal boosters”.
Reporter: “Last week Atagi advised that there was no evidence to bring forward boosters. I’m wondering what’s changed since last week? Have you had access to data that you didn’t have last week? And on a related point - is this also about lapsing demand for boosters once we get to that heightened increase next year around March?”
Hunt:
The health department secretary Brendan Murphy says that over the last week, Atagi has had access to “what we call the laboratory in-vitro neutralisation data, which is a complicated way of saying tests in the lab to see how the immunity from the primary vaccination declines over time, particularly in relation to Omicron”.
Hunt is asked how many doses of Pfizer and Moderna we have in Australia at the moment.Hunt is asked how many doses of Pfizer and Moderna we have in Australia at the moment.
Hunt says Australia has so far received 7.2million Moderna doses and approximately 40 million Pfizer doses. In addition, we have over 28 million AstraZeneca doses. He says Australia has so far received 7.2m Moderna doses and approximately 40m Pfizer doses. In addition, we have more than 28m AstraZeneca doses.
Hunt adds that:Hunt adds that:
Hunt is asked whether Australia is still planning on sending expiring mRNA doses to our neighbours in the Pacific and South-East Asia, and whether shortening the dosage interval will mean fewer doses can be sent? Hunt is asked whether Australia is still planning on sending expiring mRNA doses to our neighbours in the Pacific and south-east Asia, and whether shortening the dosage interval will mean fewer doses can be sent?
Hunt suggests the announcement today makes no difference to that plan.Hunt suggests the announcement today makes no difference to that plan.
As to the side effects from booster shots, chief health office Brendan Murphy says: As to the side-effects from booster shots, Brendan Murphy, the secretary of the health department, says:
Hunt is asked what measure are being taken to ensure people know they are eligible for the booster shots, and what the side effects are around the boosters?Hunt is asked what measure are being taken to ensure people know they are eligible for the booster shots, and what the side effects are around the boosters?
Hunt says that the government will soon launch a booster campaign which will launch in the lead up to Christmas and following Christmas.Hunt says that the government will soon launch a booster campaign which will launch in the lead up to Christmas and following Christmas.
He adds that:He adds that:
Hunt:
Hunt says that 683,000 people have had their boosters in Australia, “well ahead of expectations, well ahead of schedule”.
He says that the decision to bring forward the booster eligibility will mean “an extra 1.5 million people are now eligible to immediately access the boosters”.
Hunt confirms that from today:
Moderna boosters have been approved by ATAGI and will be made available to everybody aged 18 and older in Australia; and
ATAGI has recommended that the wait time for Covid-19 boosters be brought forward from six months to give months, in light of international evidence around the efficacy and impact of the Omicron variant.
Federal health minister Greg Hunt is speaking at a press conference in Melbourne.
From 1am Monday morning, travellers from interstate hot spots can travel to Queensland by road and air, provided they are fully vaccinated, provide evidence of a negative test in the previous 72 hours, complete a border pass and obviously as you know, get a test on day five.
Queensland police commissioner, Katrina Carol, asked people to “be patient and plan ahead, to travel outside of those peak hours if we can, and to ensure that you do have your correct pass.”
Queensland now has 47 active Covid-19 cases.
Authorities say that, over the past 24 hours, the state has seen 11,918 new cases, and a doubling in test numbers in Queensland health facilities on the Gold Coast.
They urge Queenslanders to remain vigilant, get tested if they have symptoms, and check-in at venues, noting that “anecdotally we have heard that people are perhaps slacking off a little big with regard to checking in and using their check-in apps”.
A man who’s in his 30s who has recently arrived in Australia from Nigeria has tested positive for Covid-19 in Queensland.
Authorities say that, given the fact he travelled from Africa, they’re “very closely following his genomic sequencing results which should be available in the next day or two days”.
Queensland authorities are speaking ahead of the state’s plan to reopen the border tomorrow.
Tragically, two more people have died from Covid-19 in NSW.
NSW Health reported that an unvaccinated man in his 70s from Sydney’s inner west died at Concord Hospital. An unvaccinated man in his 80s from south-eastern Sydney sadly died at Sutherland Hospital.
NSW Health have also provided more information about the 485 new cases of Covid-19 reported today.
There are currently 156 cases admitted to hospital, with 23 people intensive care. Of these, seven require ventilation, NSW Health confirmed in a statement.
To date, one Omicron case has been admitted to hospital in NSW for treatment of Covid-19.