‘Serious threat’: Fresh Covid warnings as jab rates decline

Australians are being urged to get vaccinated against Covid as another strain of the illness becomes dominant across the country as we head into winter.

Australians are being urged to get a Covid booster as a new variant of the illness takes hold across the country.

In the past six months, a little over 6 per cent of Australians have received a booster shot, national data shows.

Speaking on Friday, federal Health Minister Mark Butler urged older people, in particular, to get vaccinated and younger people to consider getting a booster too.

The NB. 1.8.1 variant is taking hold as the dominant strain across the country.

Wastewater testing estimates 40 per cent of Covid cases in Victoria, and 50 per cent of cases in WA, are a result of NB. 1.8.1.

The NB.1.8.1 is the latest Covid variant to take hold in Australia, leading to a plea for Aussies to get vaccinated.

The latest Omicron variant had developed the same way all other variants had.

“This is another member of the big, sprawling Omicron family,” Mr Butler said.

“This is pretty consistent with patterns we’ve seen now for a few years, where a new subvariant of Omicron emerges and starts to spread across the world.”

On Friday, the federal health minister said he had just received a booster shot.

“I do encourage, particularly as we head into winter, for people to think about the last time they got the Covid vaccine,” Mr Butler told ABC radio.

“If you are over 75, you should have one if it’s more than six months since you had your last booster.

“If you’re 65 to 74, if it’s more than 12 months and for everyone else, have a serious think.

“I’ve just got my booster over the last couple of weeks, and I think that puts me in a good position over winter, and other Australians should make sure that they equip themselves similarly.”

His warning came as it was revealed Covid vaccination rates in Queensland are at their lowest since the jabs were introduced five years ago, with health professionals warning that the virus still poses a “serious threat” to the community.

Fewer than 250,000 Queenslanders have received their free Covid booster this year, prompting urgent calls from doctors to people who have not yet been vaccinated to get the jab.

Australians have ‘dropped the ball’ when it comes to vaccination. Picture: NewsWire / Adam Yip

New data from the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing revealed more than 15,000 Covid cases had been reported in Queensland since January, with almost 3000 people hospitalised with the virus.

“We have dropped the ball with Covid-19 vaccinations, but this disease is still very prevalent in the community and poses a serious threat to high-risk patients,” Mater director of infectious diseases Paul Griffin said.

“Particularly for high-risk people, it should now be a once-a-year booster, just like the flu vaccine is, and with winter here next week, now is the time to get vaccinated and it’s safe to get them both together.

“There are hundreds of different strains of Omicron, and the new subvariant NB. 1.8.1 is driving up infections and hospitalisations, particularly in Asia and Western Australia.

“The best way to protect yourself and your family is to get the newest booster which provides very good coverage, is safe, and will reduce the severity of your symptoms if you contract Covid-19.”

Health Minister Mark Butler says vulnerable people should get a booster vaccination. Picture: Jason Edwards / NewsWire

The NB 1.8.1 strain is yet to take a dominant hold in Queensland, where the variant accounts for about 10 per cent of cases, Griffith University research shows.

But in the meantime, Queensland health providers are dealing with high cases of both flu and RSV, in addition to Covid.

More than 2000 Queenslanders have been hospitalised with influenza this year.

Cases are up more than 30 per cent from the same time last year, but only a quarter of Queenslanders have been vaccinated.

In addition to Covid and the flu, about 12,000 cases of RSV have been reported in Queensland this year. Picture: NewsWire / Dan Peled

“We are at our lowest levels of vaccination and protection in five years and with early rises in cases with winter approaching, the impact on our healthcare system could be significant, particularly with high levels of flu and RSV,” Professor Griffin said.

The Covid and flu vaccines are free in Queensland and available at most pharmacies and GP clinics, and they are safe to receive at the same time.

In addition to Covid and the flu, about 12,000 cases of RSV have been reported in Queensland this year, with more than 1500 people hospitalised.

“More than half of these hospitalisations have been for the most vulnerable in our community, babies less than six months and people over 65,” Professor Griffin said.

RSV is the leading cause of hospitalisation for babies in Australia, and Queensland recorded the highest number of deaths due to RSV last year.

RSV vaccinations are free for pregnant women, with immunity then passed onto babies up until they are six months old.