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The nation’s high physician has warned extra COVID waves are on the best way, as the federal government ramps up efforts to extend booster charges earlier than winter.
The most recent figures have proven a million folks have acquired 2023 booster doses, with seven in 10 of these being over the age of 60.
A brand new advert marketing campaign might be rolled out from this weekend in an try to get the booster charge larger.
Chief Medical Officer Paul Kelly mentioned rising booster ranges had been important earlier than predicted new waves of the virus in coming months.
“(The latest wave) was the primary wave that we have had a couple of circulating virus and that so-called soup of viruses was new and makes it tougher to foretell what will occur within the subsequent wave and even the timing of the subsequent wave,” he mentioned in Canberra on Thursday.
“We’ll see extra waves. We have got a ripple in the intervening time, whether or not that may flip right into a wave… it is troublesome to foretell at this stage, however actually there was a rise in numbers over the previous few weeks.”
In a brand new report on the fourth Omicron wave, which was the most recent COVID wave, Professor Kelly mentioned whereas it was much less extreme than earlier peaks, it lasted for longer.
The final wave lasted 19 weeks and peaked after seven, in comparison with the final winter wave that went for 12 weeks.
Prof Kelly mentioned vigilance was nonetheless wanted from the group.
“Persons are over COVID, I am actually over COVID, nevertheless it’s nonetheless there. We won’t ignore that there’s COVID circulating locally,” he mentioned.
“We’re quickly shifting to a time the place we’re truly actually concentrating on these (COVID) messages for these higher-risk people, fairly than the overall inhabitants.”
Eligibility will even be expanded for the antiviral COVID therapy Paxlovid beneath the PBS.
These aged between 60 and 69 with just one danger issue for extreme sickness will now be capable to get the sponsored therapy from Saturday.
Beforehand, folks within the age bracket wanted two danger elements for the therapy beneath the PBS, with the expanded eligibility permitting 160,000 extra folks to obtain it.
Well being Minister Mark Butler mentioned antiviral use had been steadily rising in latest weeks.
“Prescriptions for the oral antiviral therapies have additionally been rising slowly however steadily during the last a number of weeks by about 40 per cent in whole,” he mentioned.
“We all know how efficient (the oral antivirals) are in stopping extreme illness and hospitalization and loss of life. We have seen that by means of the previous few waves over the course of 2022.”
Go away grants of $750 for aged care employees who’re pressured to isolate on account of COVID however don’t have go away entitlements will even be prolonged for eligible workers from April 1.
Earlier provisions had been on account of expire on the finish of March.
– AAP
