Omicron variant adds a new strain to South Aussie Christmas plans

Experts say it’s still too early to know how the Covid variant will behave but it could already be having an effect on how South Aussies book their holidays this year.

Australia’s top health official is hoping for an Omicron Christmas gift where the new variant spreads faster but is less severe than the Delta strain – rendering the virus a far less serious threat.

Commonwealth chief medical office Professor Paul Kelly said a mild version of the disease that topped up immunity “would be my number one Christmas present. And it would be, if that was how it ended up.”

But Australia and other countries are in a waiting game after the World Health Organisation said it was not yet clear if Omicron was more transmissible than previous strains.

It also said there was currently no information to suggest that symptoms associated with Omicron were different from those of other variants

Premier Steven Marshall ruled out further border closures or new restrictions on Monday. The state’s transition committee meets on Tuesday morning and national cabinet will meet later in the day for a briefing on developments.

NSW recorded two further Omicron cases on Monday and there was one case in the Northern Territory, taking the nation’s total number of the new variant to five.

Professor Paul Kelly in Canberra. Picture: Gary Ramage

Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt has ordered a review of the vaccine booster time frames in light of the Omicron variant.

“We’re prepared with supplies,” he said. “We are already one of the earliest nations in the world, after Israel, to have a whole-of-nation booster program.”

The new variant spooked stockmarkets with the Dow Jones Industrial Average and the S & P 500 index both having their largest one-day falls in a year on Friday in the US, while in London the FTSE 100 closed more than 3.6 per cent lower.

Travel stocks, including cruise and airline companies, were battered in those markets but vaccine companies surged.

Australian stocks recovered after a shaky start on Monday to close just more than half a per cent lower.

Flight Centre traded in positive territory at one stage before closing 0.9 per cent lower. Qantas and Webjet also fell, while the broader Australian share market dropped 0.54 per cent.

SA Health on Monday reported a female interstate traveller, aged in her 20s, was the 10th case to emerge since borders reopened a week ago.

There are no cases in hospital.

After an overhaul of vaccine reporting, SA Health said 79.1 per cent of South Australians older than 12 were fully vaccinated – the previous measure was people aged over 16.

The vaccination rate dropped 0.5 per cent after officials removed more than 9000 international students from population data.

Mr Marshall said more information about the Omicron variant was needed before the state government could decide whether any changes to restrictions were needed.

“I’m very hopeful that the severity of this variant is not high – in fact, I’m hopeful that it is lower than the Delta variant, but we do know it is highly transmissible,” he said.

Federal opposition health spokesman Mark Butler said “Australia is not as well prepared as we should be”, noting low vaccination rates among some groups, including Indigenous communities, and a lack of any new federal purpose-built quarantine facilities.

Health experts were hopeful the variant would cause less severe symptoms than Delta but prove more transmissible, in turn becoming the dominant form.

Former federal deputy chief health officer Nick Coatsworth said in a TV interview if it was milder than Delta “you actually want it to spread within your community … it could be that we want Omicron to spread around the world as quickly as possible”.

Special Health Adviser at the CSIRO Dr Rob Grenfell said: “If this is less serious and becomes the dominant variant then it could be the next step in living with Covid-19.”

Australian Medical Association SA president, Dr Michelle Atkinson, called for a suspension of the state’s open borders so health experts could review Omicron evidence.

“Why don’t we just buy ourselves some time. It could be a one week pause, or two weeks, while we get the information,” she said.

Kerryn and Kieran Ruane from Darwin, holidaying at Hahndorf Resort Caravan Park. Picture: Matt Loxton

Late festive holiday plans a costly trip

By Brad Crouch

Almost two-thirds of South Australians are planning a holiday in their home state this summer amid ongoing Covid uncertainty – but many face missing out or paying top dollar if they leave it too late.

Traditional beach getaways across Yorke, Fleurieu and Eyre peninsulas are already in high demand, as are river breaks, as a random survey of online booking sites by The Advertiser on Monday shows no available accommodation in Robe or Port Elliot.

Current supply and demand means festive season holiday-makers who leave it too late will be paying a premium if they are lucky enough to find accommodation. A Tuscan-inspired villa in Mylor is available for more than $13,000 over five days from December 24.

A recent poll shows a quarter of South Australians intended to leave booking a holiday to the last three weeks. The McGregor Tan research shows 63 per cent of South Australians planning an intrastate regional break this summer is up 20 per cent on last year and is the highest percentage nationally

It also shows plans for “remote” intrastate breaks are up 8 per cent in SA, the biggest increase nationally.

The research was commissioned by Adelaide-based G’DAY Group, which runs about 300 holiday parks and other properties across the country.

“South Australians are flocking to country locations like never before,” G’DAY Group chief executive Grant Wilckens said.

Mr Wilckens said there had been a surge in bookings at the group’s SA holiday parks in recent weeks.

“We’re gearing up for a record Christmas and those that don’t book soon may struggle to secure accommodation over summer,” he said.

Mr Wilckens said Streaky Bay – a “real hotspot” – was near 100 per cent booked.

“Robe and Lake Bonney are also incredibly popular,” he said.

He said latecomers should now reconsider holidaying closer to home, such as in Hahndorf and Goolwa.

“There’s also a bit of space left in the wine regions of Clare and the Barossa, but it’s not expected to last long. My message to anyone who hasn’t yet booked accommodation for the summer holidays is ‘book now, or miss out’,” he said.