Vics take lead on virus variant research
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Victoria has taken the lead on attempting to anticipate the next step in the fight against COVID-19, asking people awaiting booster doses to donate blood to aid research.
Innovation Minister Jaala Pulford says up to 1500 donors are being sought.
The project will be run by the state’s Vaccines Collection biobank at Melbourne’s Doherty Institute, which has previously been commissioned extensively by the federal government to provide modelling.
It’s expected to offer an insight into the effectiveness of vaccines and the long-term effects of COVID-19 but also help experts prepare for new strains.
People due to receive a third vaccine dose are eligible to participate, with donors providing blood samples over two years including before and after receiving the booster jab.
Ms Pulford says the elderly, people living with HIV, healthcare workers, those who’ve been infected with coronavirus and the immunocompromised are strongly encouraged to apply.
“This new biobank will be a key part of managing coronavirus going forward while allowing researchers to monitor the effects of vaccines and prepare for any new strains,” she said.
Victoria reported 24 virus-related deaths on Saturday but all but four were to do with cases in February, which, for one reason or another, were not announced.
The state also posted 5721 fresh infections, while NSW added another 10,017 to its caseload along with 10 deaths.
Queensland recorded 12 deaths and 4152 cases, while an East Arnhem Land man in his 50s became the Northern Territory’s 28th fatality of the pandemic.
More than half the eligible population in NSW has now received a booster dose.
As of Thursday, 95.8 per cent of people aged 16 and over in the state had had at least one vaccine shot and 94.4 per cent two.
There were 995 virus patients in NSW hospitals on Saturday, 45 in intensive care and 18 on ventilators. In Victoria, there were 250 in hospital, 28 of them in ICUs and in Queensland, the numbers were 276 and 21.
Meanwhile, anyone who tests positive to the virus and is isolating during the NSW flood emergency has been asked to obey orders to evacuate.
COVID-19 positive people arriving at flood evacuation centres must notify staff, wear a mask and physically distance from others.
WA Premier Mark McGowan reported 2289 new infections on Saturday, bringing total active cases to 10,866, while virus hospitalisations rose by seven to 28.
AAP
