NSW Health Minister urges residents to get coronavirus vaccine boosters as cases rise

NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard has said there is one Covid-19 rule he wants to see changed “as quickly as possible”.

NSW chief health officer Kerry Chant gave a Covid-19 update on Tuesday. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Damian Shaw

The NSW Health Minister has said he wants Australia’s medical advisory groups to pave the way for fourth-dose coronavirus boosters.

Brad Hazzard said he had told a meeting of health ministers last week he believed extra doses should be opened up for more people as soon as possible.

“Basically, every dose helps,” Mr Hazzard said on Tuesday.

“I’d like to see the rules change as quickly as possible to allow a fourth dose, for a much greater age bracket than it’s currently constrained to.”

Mr Hazzard spoke at a media conference called to bring attention to a worsening Covid-19 situation, as the state averages about 10,000 new infections per day.

Chief health officer Kerry Chant said hospitalisations could get up to the numbers seen in January as infections from the new variants of the omicron strain, BA4 and BA5, approach an expected peak later this month.

“I’m concerned about this picture,” she said.

The simultaneous spread of influenza was an additional worry, she said.

Mr Hazzard, said the new “pesky little variants” of the coronavirus can infect people even if they have already been sick with Covid-19 or vaccinated, but added booster shots can protect against serious illness.

“If you have had two (doses), or one, and you haven’t had your full three, to put it bluntly, you’re crazy,” Mr Hazzard said.

NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard and chief health officer Kerry Chant gave an update on coronavirus on Tuesday. Picture: NCA Newswire / Gaye Gerard

The latest virus update from NSW Health showed 10,504 people reported positive tests in the 24 hours to 4pm Monday.

There were 58 people in intensive care who were infected and 14 Covid-19 positive people died.

While nearly everyone in the state aged over 16 have had at least two doses of a coronavirus vaccine, just 68.1 per cent have had three doses.

Dr Chant said people should monitor advice from the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI), which could soon update its guidelines around vaccines.

It’s believed the group might discuss the need for a fourth dose when it convenes on Wednesday.

Currently only some people, including those aged 65 and over, are eligible for a fourth dose.

But Dr Chant said it’s already clear that two doses are no longer enough.

Masks are mandatory on public transport in NSW. Picture: NCA NewsWire / David Swift

“Previously, we did tell you to get two doses, and that that will provide protection against Covid,” she said.

“But the virus has changed. So now with Omicron, the evidence is clear that we need three or in some cases four doses to provide the best protection against getting very sick.”

She also cautioned that the vaccines are more effective at protecting against serious illness than against the actual spread of the virus.

“We need to act now to slow the spread of the virus in the community.”

Dr Chant recommended wearing a mask on public transport and in other public indoor areas like shops and pharmacies.

However Mr Hazzard said there were no plans to introduce new mask mandates.

Masks are currently mandated for people over 12 years of age on public transport, in hospitals, in aged care, in airplanes flying over NSW, and in cruise terminals.

There have been more than 70,000 cases recorded in NSW the past seven days.