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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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| Australia Covid news live update: airport chaos with Christmas flights cancelled; SA brings boosters forward as 688 new cases confirmed | Australia Covid news live update: airport chaos with Christmas flights cancelled; SA brings boosters forward as 688 new cases confirmed |
| (31 minutes later) | |
| Follow all the day’s news | Follow all the day’s news |
| From AAP: | From AAP: |
| Record sales are expected on Boxing Day as bargain-conscious shoppers shrug off coronavirus concerns to indulge in shopping, both in store and through their browsers. | |
| Shoppers have been tipped to spend $4 billion - more than last year - in stores and online, based on Commonwealth Bank data. | |
| Australian Retailers Association chief executive Paul Zahra predicted an online record. | |
| “The big difference this year will be an even heightened level in online shopping because some people want to avoid crowds,” he said. | |
| “We still expect crowds but people will be more organised. There will be less browsing.” | |
| Mr Zahra said he expected total sales to exceed last year because people could or would not spend their money on overseas travel during the COVID-19 pandemic. | |
| More than 80 domestic flights around the country have been cancelled after airline staff have had to isolate. | |
| Absolutely devastating for those trying to see family – and the staff having to isolate. I’ll bring you more on this as I have it. | |
| “We have to find a way to live and love, otherwise, we’ll all go insane.” | |
| Brigid Delaney says goodbye to 2021 and helps us process this cooker of a year. A must-read today, I reckon. | |
| From AAP: | |
| An 83-year-old man has died after a light plane crashed on Christmas Eve on a beach in central Queensland. | An 83-year-old man has died after a light plane crashed on Christmas Eve on a beach in central Queensland. |
| Paramedics and a rescue helicopter were dispatched following the crash just after 8am on Friday at Ball Bay, about 50km north of Mackay. | Paramedics and a rescue helicopter were dispatched following the crash just after 8am on Friday at Ball Bay, about 50km north of Mackay. |
| Police confirmed the man, a passenger on the plane, died at the scene. | Police confirmed the man, a passenger on the plane, died at the scene. |
| The pilot was airlifted to hospital with minor injuries. | The pilot was airlifted to hospital with minor injuries. |
| Queensland police’s forensic crash unit is working together with the Australian Transport Safety bureau to investigate the cause of the crash. | Queensland police’s forensic crash unit is working together with the Australian Transport Safety bureau to investigate the cause of the crash. |
| The incident follows the death of four people in a light plane crash north of Brisbane less than a week ago. | The incident follows the death of four people in a light plane crash north of Brisbane less than a week ago. |
| Professor Angela Webster, an epidemiologist from the University of Sydney’s School of Public Health was just on the ABC. | Professor Angela Webster, an epidemiologist from the University of Sydney’s School of Public Health was just on the ABC. |
| She was asked if we are all going to have to get boosters for the rest of our lives. | She was asked if we are all going to have to get boosters for the rest of our lives. |
| I think it’s an interesting question – to which she gave an insightful answer. Here it is: | I think it’s an interesting question – to which she gave an insightful answer. Here it is: |
| “I don’t think that’s the case. What we need to try and do globally is make sure that everybody has had access to vaccination so we can dampen the amount of infection that is circulating. | “I don’t think that’s the case. What we need to try and do globally is make sure that everybody has had access to vaccination so we can dampen the amount of infection that is circulating. |
| “We know that coronavirus will mutate into new strains when it has a lot of opportunity, when it has a lot of infection around – that’s how the changes take place and that’s how we got Delta and Omicron. | |
| “There will be other variants that may become threats, or may not. And it’s likely that over time we will need to tweak the vaccinations, which is quite easy to do, and roll out slightly different versions like we see with seasonal flu vaccines. | |
| “I imagine we may reach a situation when coronavirus is less pandemic and more endemic, in the background rather than sweeping around the world as it is at the moment, when we will see we need boosters perhaps yearly to adjust to any different strains that are emerging.” | “I imagine we may reach a situation when coronavirus is less pandemic and more endemic, in the background rather than sweeping around the world as it is at the moment, when we will see we need boosters perhaps yearly to adjust to any different strains that are emerging.” |
| Good afternoon everyone! This is Cait Kelly and I will be with you until the evening. | |
| I want to first up just bring you some Christmas joy with this gem: | I want to first up just bring you some Christmas joy with this gem: |
| With that, I will pass the blog on to the highly capable Cait Kelly who will keep you entertained and informed this afternoon. A very Merry Christmas Eve for those who celebrate – I’m off to play Paul Kelly’s album on repeat. | With that, I will pass the blog on to the highly capable Cait Kelly who will keep you entertained and informed this afternoon. A very Merry Christmas Eve for those who celebrate – I’m off to play Paul Kelly’s album on repeat. |
| So case numbers are in for NSW, Victoria, Tasmania, Queensland, The ACT and South Australia. We are still waiting on the Northern Territory and Western Australia (WA detected a case in a Queensland backpacker yesterday). | So case numbers are in for NSW, Victoria, Tasmania, Queensland, The ACT and South Australia. We are still waiting on the Northern Territory and Western Australia (WA detected a case in a Queensland backpacker yesterday). |
| Marshall welcomes the reduction of the interval between second vaccination and the booster shot. | Marshall welcomes the reduction of the interval between second vaccination and the booster shot. |
| From 26 December, mass vaccination clinics in South Australia will be available to ensure all those who are eligible can receive a booster shot until the rollout expands on 4 January. | From 26 December, mass vaccination clinics in South Australia will be available to ensure all those who are eligible can receive a booster shot until the rollout expands on 4 January. |
| In addition, people who have had two shots of AstraZeneca and are working in “high risk” settings on the frontline who would normally be eligible on 4 January can receive a booster shot. | In addition, people who have had two shots of AstraZeneca and are working in “high risk” settings on the frontline who would normally be eligible on 4 January can receive a booster shot. |
| Marshall: | Marshall: |
| There are eight people being treated in hospital in SA including one person – a man in his 30s – in intensive care. | There are eight people being treated in hospital in SA including one person – a man in his 30s – in intensive care. |
| Marshall says of 484 new cases reported on Wednesday, 50% of new infections weren’t fully vaccinated. Some 70% of cases in the state are the Omicron variant, of the sample that have been tested. | Marshall says of 484 new cases reported on Wednesday, 50% of new infections weren’t fully vaccinated. Some 70% of cases in the state are the Omicron variant, of the sample that have been tested. |
| SA has reported 688 new Covid cases overnight from just over 20,000 tests. | SA has reported 688 new Covid cases overnight from just over 20,000 tests. |
| Marshall: | Marshall: |
| SA premier Steven Marshall is up. The state is looking at the situation with Omicron “very, very carefully” and is concerned at the “very significant increase” in transmissability. | SA premier Steven Marshall is up. The state is looking at the situation with Omicron “very, very carefully” and is concerned at the “very significant increase” in transmissability. |
| “We do have to take action.” | “We do have to take action.” |
| Albanese says the “only explanation” for reducing the booster interval on 4 January and again on 31 January is because of capacity constraints. | 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. | 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. | South Australia’s premier Steven Marshall will give a Covid update soon alongside the chief public health officer and SA police commissioner. |