Free tests call as virus infections rise
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A health expert has called for free rapid antigen tests amid growing signs a fourth wave of COVID-19 infections is on the way ahead of the Christmas holidays.
Infectious disease expert Mary-Louise McLaws is concerned about an eightfold increase in case numbers on Thursday from the daily case average a month ago.
“All of a sudden we have got the highest number we have had in NSW and I think this is sadly heralding a fourth wave,” she told the Nine network.
“We really do have to be careful because what we have learnt from the England experience when Delta happened (was) all of a sudden children became the target for the virus and this is exactly what is happening again.”
Children aged between five and 11 will be able to receive their first jab from January 10 next year.
“While adults may be vaccinated and feeling quite comfortable with living with (Omicron) children have not been vaccinated and they are at great risk of being the next big group (infected),” Professor McLaws said.
Professor McLaws called on the federal government to make rapid antigen tests available for free so people don’t inadvertently spread the virus while travelling during the holidays.
State and federal MPs have said Australians must learn to live with COVID-19, and the new Omicron variant, and can’t go back into lockdowns.
Federal cabinet minister Peter Dutton said people may be shocked by rises in daily case numbers in the coming weeks and months – with NSW modelling pointing to a potential 25,000 cases a day by the end of January – but Australia remained in the best possible position to handle the virus.
“We want people to reunite at Christmas and not to miss out on having another family Christmas together,” he told the Nine network.
The Omicron variant has seen coronavirus infections explode, particularly in NSW, where the state registered 1742 cases on Thursday, its single biggest daily number of the entire pandemic.
Former Australian deputy chief medical officer Dr Nick Coatsworth said it was reassuring to see hospital admissions not rise significantly so far, despite the growing number of infections.
“We have … emerging evidence that this is a milder variant, and I don’t think those numbers are as of great a concern as we would be led to believe,” he said.
“The answer is not increased restrictions, the answer is a booster blitz, which is exactly what we’re going to do.”
Nearly one million people have received their third dose of a COVID-19 vaccine since booster shots became available.
Australia’s national double dose vaccination rate for people age 16 and over is expected to hit 90 per cent on Friday, from 89.9 per cent now.
Victoria registered 1622 new cases and nine deaths on Thursday, while 22 new cases were reported in Queensland and 24 in South Australia.
The ACT had 11 new cases and Tasmania had one.
