Scary number of Aussies infected by virus during latest wave

Fresh advice on vaccines has been released along with the number of Australians estimated to have been infected by Covid-19 in the latest wave.

All Australian adults will soon be eligible to receive another Covid-19 booster shot.

Up to four million Australians are estimated to have been struck down with Covid-19 over the past four months.

Health Minister Mark Butler is optimistic the end of the Omicron wave is on the horizon but concedes it has lingered longer than expected.

“There’s no doubt that this wave has endured for longer than was expected … longer than the advice that was received by governments,” he told reporters in Canberra on Wednesday.

Adults will be able to receive a fourth Covid-19 jab from February 20.

“It was not short or sharp. It lingered for longer, and had a very significant impact on the community, our health care system and many individuals, tragically resulting in the loss of many lives.”

Since the wave began in October, more than one million people had registered as contracting the virus. But the minister said the true number of Australians infected was estimated to be between three to four million.

Chief medical officer Paul Kelly said while those number were still high, it was less than previous Omicron waves.

“The flattered curve that we had at this wave demonstrates to me that there is a large amount of retention right now in the community in terms of hybrid immunity,” he said.

Chief medical officer Paul Kelly announced the new advice on Wednesday. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gary Ramage

More than 2600 Australians have died with the virus since October. Around 800 of those deaths were aged care residents.

On Wednesday, the government announced it had accepted advice from the nation’s vaccine advisory to expand eligibility for a Covid booster to all Australian adults from February 20.

The Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation has recommended that all people aged 18 and over receive a top-up jab, no matter how many doses they’ve already received, as long as they have not been infected with the virus in the last six months.

Children will not be offered another vaccine unless they have a health condition that puts them at risk.

A fifth dose has previously only been available to those who were severely immunocompromised. A fourth dose was only offered to Australians aged over 30.

The new advice does not require people to roll up their sleeves every six months.

Originally published as Scary number of Aussies infected by virus during latest wave