NSW and Victoria record more than 25,000 new Covid cases and 80 deaths
More than 25,000 new Covid cases have been detected in NSW and Victoria, and 80 more people have lost their lives. It came as Aussie teens are now able to get a booster vaccine.
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NSW has recorded it’s deadliest day since the pandemic began, with 49 new deaths associated with Covid-19.
It is the highest number of deaths recorded in a single day of the pandemic across Australia.
NSW Health confirmed the state had 13,354 new infections on Saturday, with 7,928 cases recorded from PCR tests and 5,426 from rapid antigen tests.
A further 2693 people are in hospital, with 186 being treated in intensive care units.
NSW COVID-19 update – Saturday 29 January 2022
— NSW Health (@NSWHealth) January 28, 2022
In the 24-hour reporting period to 8pm last night:
- 95.4% of people aged 16+ have had one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine
- 94% of people aged 16+ have had two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine pic.twitter.com/6dmTcHnx5U
It came as new modelling suggests next week could be the circuit breaker hospitals are hoping for, with admissions set to drop across the state.
Premier Dominic Perrottet said the trends in the latest modelling were “positive”.
On Friday, NSW Health deputy secretary Susan Pearce the decline was coming.
“They might not follow a lovely curve, and it may be a bit lumpy but we do expect that in the coming week we will start to see some declines,” she said.
12,000-PLUS NEW CASES IN VC
Victoria has recorded 12,250 new cases and 31 Covid deaths in the past 24 hours.
There are currently 953 patients in Victorian hospitals being treated with the virus. Of those in hospital, 114 people are being treated in intensive care, with 39 people on ventilators.
The state has reported 12,250 new COVID-19 infections, reported from 6,244 PCR tests and 6,006 rapid antigen tests.
Saturday’s figures bring the total number of active cases in the state to 79,836.
It’s a major drop in the number of active cases reported on Friday, a decrease of more than 20,000 cases.
We thank everyone who got vaccinated and tested yesterday.
— VicGovDH (@VicGovDH) January 28, 2022
Our thoughts are with those in hospital, and the families of people who have lost their lives.
More data soon: https://t.co/OCCFTAtS1P#COVID19Vic#COVID19VicDatapic.twitter.com/PQ6WItzEfR
More than 37 per cent of Victorians aged over 18 have received a Covid-19 vaccine booster, with 22,139 doses administered at state hubs on Friday.
While experts believe Victoria is beginning to pass the peak of the Omicron wave, it’s expected cases will rise when students and teachers return to the classroom on Monday.
But authorities are hopeful it will not see numbers surge back to the mid-January peak.
A walk up vaccination blitz will occur across the weekend, in an effort to get more young children aged 5-11 vaccinated before their first day at school.
As of Friday, around 38 per cent of the five-to-11-year-old cohort have now had a first dose of the vaccine.
3 doses (18+): 35%
— VicGovDH (@VicGovDH) January 27, 2022
2 doses (12+): 93%
Doses yesterday: 23,252
Doses total: 5,562,506
Hospital: 988
ICU: 114
Ventilated: 40
Lives lost: 39
New cases: 12,755 (Rapid antigen test cases: 7,410, PCR test cases: 5,345)
PCR tests: 24,467
Active cases (all): 101,605
10,391 NEW CASES IN QLD
Older Queenslanders are being urged to be on high alert and get booster vaccines after it was confirmed the Omicron wave had peaked in younger residents and the state struggles to hit its 90 per cent double dose vax target.
“The virus has clearly spread through the younger age groups and now this is the group that is most at risk of hospitalisation,” Queensland’s chief health officer Dr John Gerrard said on Saturday.
“We’re going to see a steady fall in hospitalisations over the course of three or four days in the various regions of Queensland.
“This is the peak, it’s not the end. The unknown is what happens as those numbers decline, what the tail looks like.....we’re only sort of halfway through.”
Dr Gerrard’s comments came as Queensland recorded 10,391 new cases and 12 Covid deaths – a third of whom were unvaccinated.
It is a drop on the day before when 12,775 infections were reported.
The number of people with Covid in hospital rose to 853, up from 818 while intensive care admission numbers dropped slightly to 53, down from 54.
“Clearly the epidemic is progressing and so far the outcomes in terms of hospitalisations and complications are significantly lower than what we were expecting,” Dr Gerrard said.
Queensland’s peak came as health authorities in the UK released data showing the newest Covid Omicron variant, known as BA. 2, was more transmissible with a 13.4 per cent rate of household transmission compared to 10.3 per cent for the original Omicron.
Dr Gerrard said new variants were expected and he was not aware of any known cases of BA. 2 in Queensland.
“At this stage we’re not unduly concerned about the new variant, we’re waiting for information about it,” he said.
“As far as we can see, the vaccination are still effective.”
As students and teachers prepare to return to classrooms on February 7, Dr Gerrard said masks would be mandatory when school goes back.
“Masks will be mandatory for anyone from year 7 and above, and encouraged for those above year 3,” he said.
“I’m jumping the gun here but the plan will be released soon.
“The plan is pretty common sense … there isn’t anything in the plan that will shock Queenslanders. I think parents should not be too anxious about this plan.”
COVID-19 BOOSTER SHOTS APPROVED FOR TEENS
Teenagers as young as sixteen could soon be eligible for the Covid booster after the nation’s drug regulator gave the Pfizer vaccine the green light.
This means teens in this age group no longer need to wait until they turn 18 until they can recharge their immunity with an extra jab.
In a statement on Friday, the Therapeutic Goods Administration said the Pfizer jab had been provisionally approved in teens aged 16 to 17 years old.
“This decision follows the provisional approval granted by the TGA to Pfizer for the use of COMIRNATY as a booster in individuals 18 years and older on 26 October 2021. Booster doses of COMIRNATY in this age group have been approved for use in the US, Israel and the UK,” it said.
Australia has joined the United States, United Kingdom and Israel in boosting teens.
‘BREAKING POINT’: PM URGED TO ACT
Pharmacists are calling on Scott Morrison to urgently provide them with more rapid tests and personal protective equipment, warning they are at “breaking point”.
More than six million Australians are now eligible to receive 10 free rapid antigen tests over a three-month period, but supply shortages have caused chaos across the country.
The government’s handling of the situation has been branded as “reckless and negligent” by Professionals Pharmacists Australia.
“The federal government’s announcement that RATs would be freely available for six million pensioners and concession cardholders, without providing adequate logistical support to ensure pharmacies had access to these tests, was reckless and negligent,” chief executive Geoff March said.
The frustration is also felt by the Pharmacy Guild of Australia, who have warned some pharmacies are taking a loss due to the scheme.
“If the government wants to improve accessibility they can improve the time frame they reimburse pharmacies. At the moment the government won’t be making the first payments until the end of February,” President Trent Twomey told the Guardian.
“Many small pharmacies can’t afford to wait this long.”
The tests cost $17.50, but the government’s reimbursement sits at $10.
As the children vaccination program ramps up, the pharmacy guild has also warned about a critical shortage of PPE for pharmacists.
“Yet again the federal government has failed to adequately plan and organise the supply of essential equipment to prevent the spread of the highly transmissible Omicron variant of Covid-19,” Dr March said.
“Pharmacists are working hard to roll out vaccination boosters and children’s vaccination before the return to school but can’t do their jobs properly and safely without access to adequate PPE.”
QUEENSLAND STILL TO HIT ITS OMICRON PEAK
The coronavirus continues to surge across Queensland, with 9974 new cases and 18 fatalities reported on Friday.
Of the 18 deaths one was in their thirties, four in their sixties, four in their seventies, seven in their eighties and two in their nineties.
The number of patients presenting to southeast public hospitals is showing signs of stabilising as the state records 818 hospitalisations, down from Thursdays total of 829.
54 people are currently in intensive care.
Chief health officer Dr John Gerrard said
Authorities on Thursday had flagged hospital admissions were showing signs of flattening in Brisbane, Ipswich, and Logan, while the Gold Coast was already witnessing a decline after the Omicron wave passed its supposed peak this week.
That said, health Minister Yvette D’Ath warned case numbers were yet to peak across greater Brisbane, on the Sunshine Coast, and in Townsville.
The latest daily case figures were down from the 11,600 new infections reported 24 hours ago, a plateau that reflects the tail end of the peak.
The new deaths reported on Friday were in aged care.
JOYCE SORRY FOR SAYING ‘PEOPLE AREN’T DYING’
Barnaby Joyce has apologised after saying “people aren’t dying” from Covid-19 Australia.
During a radio interview on ABC RN on Monday morning, the Nationals leader was asked if Australia can “really say that we are the envy of the world” after the EU and US warned its citizens against travelling here.
Mr Joyce replied: “Well, people aren’t dying”.
Host Patricia Karvelas responded: “People are dying. People are dying every day.”
Mr Joyce was quick to correct himself: “Sorry, sorry sorry. Yes, you are correct, I shouldn’t have said that. But the number in which – the fatality rate is very low. Obviously, that is a tragic thing for anybody … (to die) for any reason – for catching the flu. But the fatality rate of Omicron is remarkably low and Australia has done a remarkable job.”
VIC, NSW SCHOOLS PLAN REVEALED
Victorian students and staff will be asked to test themselves twice a week, and teachers will be required to get their third dose, in order to keep case numbers under control in schools.
As part of the plan to keep students in classrooms from “day one, term one”, Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews said testing and air-purifiers would be crucial to keeping schools open and students on campus.
The state government will also call on inactive or retired teachers to rejoin the system to combat staff shortages.
Mr Andrews said it was inevitable there would be a surge in Covid-19 cases, but insisted reopening schools was a priority.
Victoria and NSW authorities have worked closely together to get students back in school from January 31.
Both states will require students and teachers to use rapid antigen tests at home twice weekly.
The federal government will split the cost with states opting to test students and teachers.
Fourteen million tests will be delivered to schools and early childhood centres over the coming weeks – 6.6 million of which will be delivered in time for the first week.
A key plank of the NSW plan will be the use of rapid antigen tests for students and staff, to be taken twice a week.
Up to six million tests are being sent to 3000 public, Catholic and independent schools across NSW ahead of the start of term.
Once the tests are delivered to schools by Wednesday, parents will be able to arrange a time to pick up the kits once they are contacted by school staff.
Education Minister Sarah Mitchell on Sunday revealed schools would no longer be closed once a positive case was identified, and contact-tracing would not be completed.
“If you are testing negative that’s great, come to school, but if you happen to get a positive test you need to let your principal know that you have tested positive to Covid,” Ms Mitchell said.
“You also need to let NSW Health know through the Services NSW app but we will no longer be closing schools when there is a positive Covid case in that community and we will not be conducting contact tracing anymore.”
“We are really moving schools in line with what we see in community settings, but parents and carers and family members will be notified if there is Covid in your school community.”
Schools will be required to carry out an improved cleaning regimen, while limited visitors will be allowed on school grounds.
Face masks will be made mandatory for all teachers and high school students, but not primary school children.
Air purifiers are being installed in “problem areas” and windows in older buildings are being repaired to ensure they can be opened and allow appropriate airflow.
School staff will have to be double-vaccinated, while music, school sport and assemblies have all been given the green-light to go ahead.
Overnight camps are also allowed with “risk planning” and parental consent.
The premier said he highly recommended students in Year 3 and above wear masks and said visits would be limited to schools to ensure the Covid-safe plans could be undertaken.
“We are incredibly confident that while there will be disruption, as we move through this period of time and as we know through this wave of the latest outbreak of Covid, there will be challenges that come our way,” Mr Dominic Perrottet said.
“We need to make sure that we have kids back in the classroom in a safe way, and I think the work that has occurred right here in our state with the Department of Education, it has been a significant effort.”
Originally published as NSW and Victoria record more than 25,000 new Covid cases and 80 deaths
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