Top doctors to consider fourth vaccine dose as Covid immunity wanes and subvariants rise

Australia’s top doctors will urgently consider rolling out a fourth Covid dose to the nation, with two “sneaky” new subvariants set to become the dominant strain in just a few weeks.

Australia’s top doctors will this week consider rolling out a fourth Covid dose to the nation amid warnings of a huge spike in people being admitted to Queensland hospitals with the virus.

On Monday, 522 people were in state hospitals with the virus, but Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said that number was ­expected to jump by almost 100 to 613 by Tuesday.

The predicted surge comes as NSW’S chief health officer Dr Kerry Chant revealed that the Australia Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) was due to meet on Wednesday and the expansion of the fourth dose to people under 65 years would be deliberated.

Staff prepare Covid vaccines at Sydney’s Olympic Park Vaccination Centre in May last year Picture: James Gourley – Pool/Getty Images

Despite the predicted surge, when asked whether mask mandates had been “ruled out” Ms Palaszczuk said “definitely”.

“Definitely ruled out, we’re not doing a mask mandate, but there are discussions happening about urging people in certain situations to wear masks, but there are ongoing discussions about that,” she said.

But she urged Queenslanders to remember that “Covid is out there” and to carefully monitor for symptoms during the coinciding flu season.

Ms Palaszczuk said 1600 health staff were currently at home sick with either the flu or Covid and winter served as a “timely reminder” for people to get their vaccine booster shot.

“If you have not had Covid, please take care, but also too, as a general rule of everybody, if you are sick, stay at home,” Ms Palaszczuk said.

“Please err on the side of caution,” she said.

Queensland chief health officer Dr John Gerrard on Friday said there was a national “school of thought” that mask mandates should be introduced.

Dr Gerrard said the current Covid wave would get “significantly worse in coming weeks”.

Professor Robert Booy, an infectious disease expert from the University of Sydney, said it ­“simply made good sense” to reintroduce some mask rules in Queensland as cases rise.

“It is extremely hard for governments to balance lives and livelihoods, but masks are an easy way to lessen the impact. Also wearing masks triggers pandemic protocols like keeping a distance and washing hands,” Professor Booy said.

It’s a great ­reminder,” he said.

But director of infectious diseases at the Mater Hospital Dr Paul Griffin said he was “inclined to agree” with the government’s no-mask-mandate decision.

“The commentary around masks around Queensland has not been that helpful,” he said.

“I personally don’t think mandates would make that big of a difference,” he said.

NSW Chief Health Officer Dr Kerry Chant. Picture: Brendan Read

Dr Chant said the goalposts for managing the virus had changed and it was clear that three doses – and even four – were required to flatten the curve.

Cases grew up by 17 per cent in NSW this week, compared with the last, with almost 9000 people diagnosed in the 24 hours to ­Sunday.

Experts have blamed the more infectious new variants BA.4 and BA.5, which are capable of evading immunity gained from the vaccines and earlier infections – along with a rise of other respiratory viruses causing co-infections.

Clinical virologist Professor Tony Cunningham said a low immunisation rate for the third dose was a concern.

“We’ve only go 70 per cent of people who have got the third dose and we know BA. 5 is more immune evasive. It is the most evasive in terms of the current vaccine,” he said.

‘It is really incumbent on people to get their antibody levels as high as possible and that is with the third dose.

“These variants are going to keep coming,” he said.