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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
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| Version 6 | Version 7 |
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| Australia Covid news live update: airport chaos as Christmas flights cancelled; millions more eligible with booster shot interval reduced | Australia Covid news live update: airport chaos as Christmas flights cancelled; millions more eligible with booster shot interval reduced |
| (31 minutes later) | |
| Follow all the day’s news | Follow all the day’s news |
| Albanese says the “only explanation” for reducing the booster interval on 4 January and again on 31 January is because of capacity constraints. | |
| Opposition leader Anthony Albanese is up. He is less than amused at Hunt’s booster announcement today. | |
| South Australia’s premier Steven Marshall will give a Covid update soon alongside the chief public health officer and SA police commissioner. | |
| Back to the boosters, you can read the full statement from Atagi here. | Back to the boosters, you can read the full statement from Atagi here. |
| An excerpt: | An excerpt: |
| I like this but I would also add “Omicron” “Domicron” “Diamond Dom” and “Dictator Dan” (the three D’s). | I like this but I would also add “Omicron” “Domicron” “Diamond Dom” and “Dictator Dan” (the three D’s). |
| The ACT’s numbers are in, and there have been 102 new local cases. | The ACT’s numbers are in, and there have been 102 new local cases. |
| There are just two people in hospital, and no lives lost. Active cases are now up to 334. | There are just two people in hospital, and no lives lost. Active cases are now up to 334. |
| “Get Covid ready” | “Get Covid ready” |
| The chief health officer, Dr John Gerrard, is up, and thankfully there is nobody in Queensland severely infected with the virus. | The chief health officer, Dr John Gerrard, is up, and thankfully there is nobody in Queensland severely infected with the virus. |
| There are 268 patients being cared for in their homes, and 110 in hospital, with just three being treated for Covid symptoms – none severe. | There are 268 patients being cared for in their homes, and 110 in hospital, with just three being treated for Covid symptoms – none severe. |
| But Gerrard says there will be strains on the hospital system in January. Not because the vaccination doesn’t work, but because thousands of cases will inevitably lead to a number of hospitalisations: | But Gerrard says there will be strains on the hospital system in January. Not because the vaccination doesn’t work, but because thousands of cases will inevitably lead to a number of hospitalisations: |
| D’Ath is now discussing the next phase in the strategy to manage Covid in Queensland – basically planning for getting Covid and how to manage it when/if you acquire the virus. | D’Ath is now discussing the next phase in the strategy to manage Covid in Queensland – basically planning for getting Covid and how to manage it when/if you acquire the virus. |
| She calls it the “Covid pathway”, and it’s available on the Queensland government’s website: | She calls it the “Covid pathway”, and it’s available on the Queensland government’s website: |
| Only two-thirds of Queenslanders are following mask mandates, D’Ath says. | Only two-thirds of Queenslanders are following mask mandates, D’Ath says. |
| It comes as 32 of the 77 local government areas in Queensland have detected Covid cases since the border reopened. “Get ready for Covid”: | It comes as 32 of the 77 local government areas in Queensland have detected Covid cases since the border reopened. “Get ready for Covid”: |
| D’Ath welcomes bringing forward the booster shots, labelling it “great news”. | D’Ath welcomes bringing forward the booster shots, labelling it “great news”. |
| There have been 589 new local cases reported in Queensland. | There have been 589 new local cases reported in Queensland. |
| The new cases come from over 30,000 tests. | The new cases come from over 30,000 tests. |