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/24/australia-covid-news-live-mask-mandate-restrictions-sydney-melbourne-morrison-politics-corona-omicron-queensland-hospital-perth-antigen-booster-christmas
The article has changed 23 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
Version 3 | Version 4 |
---|---|
Australia Covid news live update: millions more eligible for booster shot with interval reduced to four months; NSW records 5,612 cases, Victoria 2,095 | |
(33 minutes later) | |
Follow all the day’s news live | Follow all the day’s news live |
Kelly is up. | |
He starts will a callout to anyone in Australia eligible for their first two primary doses to get vaccinated as “the most important component of protection”. Why bring forward the booster? To protect people from severe disease, and to prevent transmission of the virus: | |
It is unclear how this will work - regarding jurisdictions having capacity to bring forward the booster dates before 4 January. | |
Do state and territory premiers announce if they have capacity to bring forward the dates to roll out boosters? Do individual clinics announce it? If I want to get a booster now, at four months between doses, where do I go? | |
Either way, it once again comes down to an issue of supply. | |
Hunt concludes by wishing Australians a “strong” Christmas: | |
Hunt says jurisdictions can bring forward the reduced booster eligibility, flagged at four months on 4 January and three months on 31 January if they believe they have “the capacity” to do so. | |
This is likely to occur in South Australia based on capacity at state clinics: | |
Atagi has been going through a “constant review process” of international evidence, Greg Hunt says. The cohort will more than double to 7.5 million people eligible for boosters from 4 January when the period is reduced: | |
Greg Hunt says 192,000 doses were delivered yesterday and the 2m booster mark will be reached this morning: | |
Health minister Greg Hunt and chief health officer Paul Kelly are up. | |
The interval between Covid shots will be reduced to four months from 4 January. And it will be reduced to three months on 31 January based upon Atagi advice, Hunt says. | |
Queensland health minister Yvette D’Ath and chief health officer Dr John Gerrard will hold a press conference at 10am AEST. | |
While we wait for Greg Hunt to speak and reportedly announce a reduced interval between Covid shots (he’s due at 9.30am), I got three out of six in the Wordle today. | |
🟨⬜⬜⬜🟩⬜🟩⬜🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 | |
Wordle 187 3/6 | |
What is Wordle, you ask? Read all about the new viral word game delighting the internet: | |
More, if not reassuring, then not horrifically bad news. The Reff is on a downward trend in NSW, seeing a 4.4-day doubling time. | |
Meanwhile, many testing sites in Brisbane are closed over Christmas yet travellers are still required to get day five Covid tests. This site has been open since 8am Queensland time and will close at midday: |