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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 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
(31 minutes later)
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Kelly is up. Update from Tasmania - 19 of those 27 new Covid cases are still being assessed by public health.
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: Meanwhile, testing delays are still causing heartache for travellers crossing borders for Christmas.
It is unclear how this will work - regarding jurisdictions having capacity to bring forward the booster dates before 4 January. There’s a huge queue for PCR tests at Melbourne airport this morning. The facility has been closed to domestic travellers due to demand.
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? What are you meant to do if you diligently get tested within 72 hours and don’t receive your result?
Either way, it once again comes down to an issue of supply. And off he goes.
Hunt concludes by wishing Australians a “strong” Christmas: To recap, Atagi has updated its medical advice, reducing the interval between vaccination doses from five months to four on 4 January, and down to three months on 31 January.
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. Jurisdictions can bring forward these dates if they believe they have the capacity to do so. It is not yet clear exactly how this will work, or if this means we will now be getting vaccinated every three months in the future.
This is likely to occur in South Australia based on capacity at state clinics: Some 7.5 million Australians will become eligible to receive their booster shot on 4 January.
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: And Greg Hunt wants you to have a “strong” Christmas.
Greg Hunt says 192,000 doses were delivered yesterday and the 2m booster mark will be reached this morning: Greg Hunt is asked why it has taken days for Atagi to update its health advice after increased calls for the booster interval to be reduced to four months:
Health minister Greg Hunt and chief health officer Paul Kelly are up. Tasmania has recorded 27 new Covid cases today, bringing active cases to 79. It hasn’t been confirmed yet whether any cases are of community transmission.
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. My Tveeder live transcription just skipped over from the press conference to Gardening Australia and gave me quite a fright:
Queensland health minister Yvette D’Ath and chief health officer Dr John Gerrard will hold a press conference at 10am AEST. The expansion of the booster program will not impact the vaccination rollout for children aged between five and 11, Greg Hunt says, which is also due to kick off in the new year.
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. He says bringing forward the booster program before 4 January would “displace the older or more immunocompromised” who have been less presently vaccinated:
🟨⬜⬜⬜🟩⬜🟩⬜🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 Paul Kelly is asked whether the 4 January and 31 January dates are based upon health advice or just the “sheer logistical challenge” of a rapidly expanded rollout.
Wordle 187 3/6 He says its based on the “science and the medical advice” and Australia has been “leading the world” (after a significant game of catch-up):
What is Wordle, you ask? Read all about the new viral word game delighting the internet: Reporter:
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. Paul Kelly:
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: Paul Kelly says it won’t be possible for everyone to rush out and get boosters. Vaccination clinics will need time to prepare: