THOUSANDS of Swan Hill residents will now be eligible to receive a fourth COVID-19 vaccine dose from next week after it was approved by the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI).
Federal Health Minister Mark Butler yesterday told media that this would help provide additional protection from severe disease against the emerging surge of Omicron subvariant infections and reduce the burden on Australian hospitals and the health care system in coming months.
The Federal Government accepted the recommendations of the ATAGI vaccine experts and will open the fourth dose to those newly eligible from Monday.
ATAGI specifically recommended that people aged 50 to 64 years should have their fourth dose, while people aged 30 to 49 years may choose to have a fourth shot.
ATAGI reiterated that people who had already been eligible for the fourth dose, including those aged 65 years and over, remain at higher risk of severe disease and death from COVID-19.
As of yesterday, 60 per cent of people aged 65 years and over have had their fourth dose. People who haven’t already received it are strongly encouraged to have it as soon as possible.
Mr Butler said ATAGI also recommended the interval between vaccine doses, or prior infection (whichever comes later), be reduced from four months to three months to provide earlier additional protection.
“ATAGI did not support making the fourth dose available to healthy adults under the age of 30 years as it was not clear whether the benefits outweighed the risks in this population group,” he said.
Almost 14 million people in Australia aged 16 and over have received three or more doses of COVID-19 vaccine.
“We are in the early stages of a third Omicron wave and our government is absolutely committed to making sure as many people as possible are protected with the vaccine,” Mr Butler said.
“My message to everyone living in Australia aged 50 and over is to make sure you have the greatest protection against COVID-19 by having a fourth dose as soon as possible. If you are aged 30 to 49 and you want that extra protection, you can choose to get a fourth dose.”
It comes as new positive COVID cases remained stubborn in the Swan Hill local government area since the start of the month, with 120 active cases.
As of Monday, just 65.8 per cent of the population has had their third dose, below the statewide average of 68.4 per cent.
Premier Daniel Andrews has also extended the pandemic declaration by three months.
The pandemic declaration gives Health Minister Mary-Anne Thomas the authority to make pandemic orders she considers reasonably necessary to protect public health after considering the Chief Health Officer’s advice and other relevant factors, including social and economic factors.
“In making the declaration, I am satisfied on reasonable grounds that there continues to be a serious risk to public health throughout Victoria due to the coronavirus disease which requires continued public health and other protective measures to reduce the risk of transmission and hospitalisation,” Mr Andrews said.Mandates could return to Victoria
VICTORIA’S new health minister could reintroduce face mask mandates and working from home orders as COVID cases continue to soar.
Mary-Anne Thomas said “various ideas have floated” but no decisions have been made about the two rules.
“The public health team are looking at modelling and consulting with their colleagues and various ideas have floated but no decisions have been taken,” she told 3AW on Thursday.
“The new pandemic declaration enables me to make that decision but I have not yet made it and I’m continuing my consultation, not just with the health team but more broadly.
“I chat each day with the public health team but as the Minister for Health, my job is also to ensure that I’m consulting widely and understanding what measures can be put in place to best support Victorians as we go forward.”
The number of hospitalised COVID patients in the state hit its highest level in five months – 592 – but an Omicron sub-variant is expected to drive numbers even higher.
The last time Victoria recorded more than 590 positive hospital patients was on February 7 this year, when 638 people were hospitalised.
The spike comes as hospital staff continue to come under increased pressure, facing an influx of COVID and flu among patients and staff, leading to shortages and an increase in the severity of patients’ illness, linked to deferred care.
This comes as the immune-resistant Omicron variant of BA.5/BA.4 became the dominant strain in Victoria.
The Department of Health warned on Wednesday night that the recent spike in cases and hospitalisations would continue in the coming weeks as they said deaths would also rise.
