Border reopening delayed amid omicron Covid variant concerns

Scott Morrison and the national security committee have signed off on delaying the easing of border restrictions after the emergence of the Omicron variant.

The World Health Organisation has warned the consequences of the Covid-19 Omicron variant may be “severe” as its potential to spread globally is “high”.

The advice came as more countries reported cases of the mutant strain, the latest being 13 postives tests within a professional soccer team in Portugal.

“Omicron has an unprecedented number of spike mutations, some of which are concerning for their potential impact on the trajectory of the pandemic,” the UN Health body tweeted.

“If another major surge of Covid-19 takes place driven by Omicron, consequences may be severe.

“The likelihood of potential further spread of Omicron at the global level is high.”

It comes as Australia’s reopening plans have been dealt a blow with the opening of borders for international students, migrant workers and a travel bubble with Japan and South Korea pushed back two weeks.

It is understood National Security Committee on Monday night agreed to delay the next phase of Australia’s international borders from December 1 to the 15th in an abundance of caution as health authorities wait for more information on the Omicron Covid-19 variant.

The federal government is waiting on more information about the omicron variant’s transmissibility, potential resistance to the vaccine and the severity of illness it causes.

There is no current evidence indicating the new strain of the virus, first detected in southern Africa, is more resistant to Covid vaccines or likely to cause severe illness, with the border reopening delay seen as a way to buy time until experts are more certain.

The next stage of opening Australia’s international borders will be pushed back two weeks. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Jeremy Piper

About 200,000 people with skilled work, study and humanitarian visas were expected to enter Australia in the coming months in a move welcomed by struggling universities and businesses after almost two years of hard borders.

It comes after Omicron was heralded as the “number one Christmas present” by the nation’s top medical adviser.

As the world waits for omicron data, it can be exclusively revealed Australian authorities are moving to rapidly expand a partnership with South Africa to share Covid-19 information and research, determined the country won’t be held hostage to surprise virus mutations.

The collaboration is part of a broader push to ensure the country is well-prepared for future variants, beyond relying on the World Health Organisation (WHO).

Since March deputy chief medical officer Professor Michael Kidd has been meeting monthly with South African public health officials to share Covid experiences, with plans now in motion for the collaboration between to the two countries to expand.

Chief Medical Officer Professor Paul Kelly. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gary Ramage

Australia’s National Health and Medical Research Council will in December co-host a forum between Australian and South African clinicians, researchers and public health leaders to ensure expertise is targeted to new and emerging Covid threats and challenges.

Chief Medical Officer Professor Paul Kelly on Monday declared if early reports Omicron patients were not suffering severe disease and hospitalisations were mostly limited to the unvaccinated it would be a “very interesting change and a positive one”.

“That would be my number one Christmas present … if that was how it ended up,” he said.

“We are not in that position to make that statement.

“But hope for the best, and plan for other things.”

With a national double dose vaccination rate approaching 87 per cent and above 93 per cent in NSW alone, Australia is well placed to face the omicron variant should the jabs’ efficacy hold up.

International students like Susan Tsai and Anson Cheng will be impacted by the border reopening being pushed back. Picture: NCA Newswire / Gaye Gerard

Infectious diseases expert Professor Peter Collignon said there was not currently enough data on omicron to be changing rules and restrictions.

“I think the fear is out of proportion to the data,” he said.

“I think we’re over reacting here because we’re going to have new variants all the time for the next five to six years or more.

“So I think we need to be more explicit with what our rules are and not change them until there’s evidence where vaccines are not effective against a new variant, or it is causing more severe disease and death.”

Former deputy chief medical officer Dr Nick Coatsworth said Australians should be “a little less worried” about omicron, adding if it was confirmed as mild it may benefit the world for it to spread as fast as possible.

“I definitely don’t think we should be waking up to any sort of panic,” he said.

Health Minister Greg Hunt has tasked the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) with reviewing the current booster shot program, with a third vaccine currently recommended six months after a person has received a second dose.

Former Deputy Chief Medical Officer Nick Coatsworth says we should be slightly less worried about the new variant. Picture: AAP Image

“We will as ever allow (ATAGI) to act independently and continue to follow their advice,” he said.

“If they recommend changes, we will follow those changes.”

State and territory leaders will meet with Prime Minister Scott Morrison for an emergency national cabinet session on Tuesday to discuss the latest omicron data and review the decision to reopen borders to fully vaccinated international students and migrant workers from December 1.

Mr Morrison stressed the importance of responding calmly and carefully to the new variant.

“This isn’t the first of the new strains we have seen, and the evidence to date does not suggest it is a more severe form of the virus and issues of transmissibility and impact on the vaccine, there is no evidence yet to suggest there are issues there,” he said.

“But should that information come forward, then obviously we will be considering that and moving very quickly.”

Two more returning travellers tested positive to the omicron strain of Covid-19 on Monday, bringing the total number of local cases in NSW to four.

Both new cases were passengers who arrived in Sydney from South Africa on November 28.

The pair are now isolating in special health accommodation and are both fully vaccinated.

Despite medical authorities claiming the new variant is milder than delta, there has been no shortage of overreactions in the few days since omicron emerged.

City of Sydney Councillor Kerryn Phelps told Australians to “wake up” on social media when sharing articles about the strain and pushed for the country to take stronger measures.

“Wake up Australia! We will have one chance to keep this out of our country. Vaccines alone will not be enough,” she said.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison says we need to remain calm over the new variant. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Martin Ollman

Victorian MP Fiona Patten called for the government to pass more laws while it has unprecedented power under the state of emergency.

“New vaccine-resistant variant and no ability to enforce any health orders? No thanks. Next week is Parliament’s last sitting this year. Crucial that we pass pandemic laws before (the) State of Emergency runs out. Other Xbenchers (sic) need to stump up,” she said.

UK Health Secretary Sajid Javid said the government needed to act “swiftly” to save Christmas.

He has brought back mandatory face masks in shops and on public transport from Tuesday.

“The reason we’ve set out these measures yesterday is to protect the progress we’ve made so we can all continue to enjoy Christmas with our families,” he told the BBC.