Covid wave to peak ‘probably in August’ on North Coast

Authorities have revealed when Covid numbers are expected to peak after more than 2000 cases were recorded in Coffs Harbour alone in the past four weeks. Read what you can do to protect your family.

More than two years after Covid arrived in Australia, Mid North Coast Health authorities understand there is a level of fatigue in the community – but warn local case numbers are likely to peak in August.

Robin Auld, assistant director of the North Coast Public Health Unit, said case numbers are on the climb locally and across NSW.

In the past four weeks there have been 2010 Covid infections in the Coffs Harbour local government area. In Bellingen there have been 321, Nambucca Valley 689, and in the Clarence Valley 1435.

Mr Auld said the latest wave was being driven largely by the BA4 and BA5 sub-variants, which were more able to avoid immunity gained from previous infection.

“I understand there’s a level of fatigue but Covid remains a serious illness,” he said.

“We’re heading into a peak again and people need to hold the course.”

It’s expected Covid numbers will “probably” crown on the North Coast in August – the last month of winter.

“The key message is that Covid is still a severe disease,” he said.

Mr Auld urged residents to take a number of steps to lessen their chance of becoming infected:

* Take the applicable Covid booster shots (and get the flu vaccination)

Thierry Lalchere with her daughter, Aliyah Gannon 10, and Teddy Gannon, 6, had their double-jabs of the flu shot and Covid vaccine/booster. Picture: Richard Dobson

* Wear a mask when indoors in public places

* Practise good hand hygiene and observe social distancing.

He said people who were feeling unwell should isolate at home.

COVID-19 vaccine doses administered to NSW population. * Includes both immunocompromised people who have received a third dose and all eligible people who have received a booster.

Anyone considering visiting an aged care home or someone who might be more vulnerable should first take a rapid antigen test (RAT) and be guided by that result.

While he understood that local residents might have a level of “fatigue” to the public health messaging – or resigned to catching Covid – he said it was important that “people hold the course”.

In the past four weeks there have been 6619 cases of Covid across the Mid North Coast Local Health District.

In NSW, 13,554 cases were reported in the latest 24-hour period.

There have been 3,015,848 cases statewide since the start of the pandemic, and 3881 deaths.