An infectious diseases expert has said Australia should open up before the nation reaches herd immunity against coronavirus.
Herd immunity is typically achieved when 80 to 85 per cent of populations are vaccinated but Professor Emma McBryde, an infectious disease expert from James Cook University said it shouldn't be an "all or nothing thing".
"We can do our best to get to herd immunity, we can offer everyone an opportunity to become vaccinated if they wish … and herd immunity is about ensuring there is essentially no risk to people, vaccinated or unvaccinated of getting COVID. It's so small that it's negligible," Prof Mcbryde told ABC's 7.30.
"But there is also the direct effects of vaccine. We know that being vaccinated makes you less likely to get sick with Covid and maybe a 20th is likely to go to hospital…
"Those effects will happen whether we reach immunity or we don't."
Prof McBryde said the easing of pressure on the nation's hospitals and healthcare systems meant "we may be able to open up our borders even without herd immunity".
It comes as NSW recorded 18 new Covid-19 cases, with a decision expected tomorrow morning on whether he Greater Sydney lockdown will be extended.
This is where Australia’s Covid-19 outbreak stands: NSW has 330 cases, Queensland has 33 cases, the Northern Territory has 10 cases, Western Australia has six cases and South Australia has six cases.
An infectious diseases expert has said Australia should open up before the nation reaches herd immunity against coronavirus.
Herd immunity is typically achieved when 80 to 85 per cent of populations are vaccinated but Professor Emma McBryde, an infectious disease expert from James Cook University said it shouldn't be an "all or nothing thing".
"We can do our best to get to herd immunity, we can offer everyone an opportunity to become vaccinated if they wish … and herd immunity is about ensuring there is essentially no risk to people, vaccinated or unvaccinated of getting COVID. It's so small that it's negligible," Prof Mcbryde told ABC's 7.30.
"But there is also the direct effects of vaccine. We know that being vaccinated makes you less likely to get sick with Covid and maybe a 20th is likely to go to hospital…
"Those effects will happen whether we reach immunity or we don't.
"Perhaps when we get everyone had an opportunity to be vaccinated who wants to be, that risk may be a manageable risk and certainly it will take the pressure off the health system if we ensure that the majority of people, particularly the most vulnerable and the over 60s, are vaccinated."
Prof McBryde said the easing of pressure on the nation's hospitals and healthcare systems meant "we may be able to open up our borders even without herd immunity".
A fourth worker from a Sydney aged care facility has tested positive for coronavirus, ABC reports.
SummitCare in Baulkham Hills was hit by coronavirus last week after a worker inadvertantly worked while infectious.
The facility's cluster now numbers 10 – four employees and six residents.
All but one of the residents was vaccinated against coronavirus, SummitCare confirmed.
Around 95 of its 200 staff were also vaccinated.
NSW Covid update
The commander of Australia's Covid-19 taskforce has detailed how he hopes to see the bulk of the nation vaccinated by the end of the year.
Lieutenant General John Frewen is meeting with business leaders tomorrow to discuss potential ideas to speed up the vaccination rollout, including introducing workplace jabs.
"Many of these industries already do annual flu vaccinations so I think there's a couple of attractions to their ability to do workplace vaccinations when it comes to Covid as well," Lieutenant General Frewen said.
"They're used to vaccinating their workforce, it's another efficiency in the program, potentially. It also take burden off the both the primary healthcare system and some of the state mechanisms if necessary.
"It's just another way to help accelerate the program and using another workforce that's out there, that may be training up of the workforce that currently does flu vaccinations."
Lieutenant General Frewen said workplace vaccinations would potentially be introduced in September or October, when Pfizer and Moderna supplies are expected to increase.
Year 12 students vaccinated against coronavirus
– Anthony Piovesan
About 160 year 12 students at a prestigious Sydney school were given the Covid-19 Pfizer jab despite the national rollout only allowing for people aged 40 and above to get it.
St Joseph’s College at Hunters Hill asked Sydney Local Health District in May about the possibility of vaccinations for the students given many of them were boarders from remote, regional and Indigenous communities.
In a statement seen by NCA NewsWire, school principal Ross Tarlington said NSW Health approved the administration of the vaccines through Sydney Local Health District.
“The college proceeded to make arrangements for the administration of the approved vaccine at a centre determined by NSW Health,” it said.
“Acknowledging that the college does not determine vaccination priority, it welcomed the opportunity to offer the vaccine for students given the approvals provided and for the reasons listed above.
“The college will continue to encourage and support members of its community to receive the appropriate vaccine as the opportunity arises.”
It is understood the students received their first doses at the end of the last school term and were set to receive their second jabs when school resumed.
Lieutenant General John Frewen, Australia's Covid-19 taskforce commander, will discuss potential incentives to get reluctant Aussies vaccinated when he meets with business leaders tomorrow.
Lieutenant General Frewen is in charge of Australia's vaccination program and ensuring the nation is largely immunised against coronavirus by the end of the year.
Despite the push to deliver millions of jabs by the end of 2021, Lieutenant General Frewen said incentives weren't necessary just yet.
"There's two different ways to look at incentives. There's … policy style incentives that encourage people to get vaccinated and then there's those sort of handout-type incentives that just encourage people along the way. We'll look at both of those," he said.
"I will talk to industry with the treasurer tomorrow about how they see themselves best playing a role in that place.
"As to whether they're necessary, I think for now there is a lot of interest from the community about getting vaccinated.
"I think right now the incentivisation isn't as necessary.
"I think perhaps later in the campaign, when we're starting to get to those people who are less convinced or a bit more hesitant that may be a better time for incentives.
"Tomorrow will be a good conversation around that."
Anti-vaxxers expose mask legal loophole
A gap in NSW’s public health order has been seized upon by anti-mask and anti-vaccine groups making what should be a basic policing task a nightmare.
According to NSW’s Public Health Order no law stipulates medical proof evidence must be provided when claiming you have an exemption from wearing a mask.
This wording has been seized upon by anti-vax groups who have posted how-to guides and explainers on getting away without wearing a mask.
The controversial groups have been vocal on social media, filming interactions with police where they claim police have no authority over their mask-wearing habits.
– Mitchell Van Homrigh
Premier Gladys Berejiklian has sought to reassure NSW that the government will "do the right thing" by its residents.
"While it has been a stressful time for all of us, it has been an amazing learning experience on what the virus is doing now and we will take those learnings forward," she said.
"That is why I want to assure the community, please do not stress. There is no reason why anyone should feel concerned."
Picture: Adam Yip/NCA NewsWire
Ms Berejiklian said the advice of health experts would be balanced against the needs of residents.
"I want to reassure everybody, there is not long to go before we update the community on what next week looks like. But most importantly, my message to everyone at home is not to stress," she said.
"Please remain confident that the government will do the right thing by the committee and we will update everybody tomorrow."
Premier Gladys Berejiklian said NSW residents will likely have to continue living with tougher restrictions even when the Greater Sydney lockdown ends.
"I anticipate that when we do come out of the lockdown it won’t be what life looked like necessarily before we went into lockdown," she said.
"But what New South Wales has a track record of is not burdening our citizens unless we absolutely have to add that is certainly our attitude moving forward.
"So we are looking at a scenario where we don’t burden our citizens more than we have to but we also have to accept the new world we’re living in."
Picture: Matrix Media
Ms Berejiklian said the highly-infectious Delta variant is likely to be the dominant strain, saying more people needed to be vaccinated before people can "live as freely as we would like".
"So in between now and vaccinating a greater proportion of our population, we need to think about what life looks like," she said.
JobKeeper won't be returning
There are now 12 Covid-19 cases linked to the party held at Meriton Suites in Waterloo over the weekend.
One new case was confirmed yesterday, with a total of seven infections in people who attended the party and five infections in household contacts of these people.
Chief health officer Dr Kerry Chant thanked the people linked to that party for their cooperation.
Picture: Dylan Coker/NCA NewsWire
"Can genuinely thank the young people who attended that party who have cooperated without contact traces and given us the information, who have got the message out to their family and friends and have associated with that gathering," she said.
"There is clearly a lot of testing around the Meriton suites Waterloo and I thank everyone for their patients as we work through that information of those testing results and some retesting that occurred."
Premier Gladys Berejiklian has revealed a decision on the Greater Sydney lockdown will be announced on Wednesday morning.
She said officials and health authorities will be having discussions throughout today and tonight to make a decision on whether restrictions need to be extended.
"I hope to be able to communicate to the community tomorrow on what next week looks like," Ms Berejiklian said.
"NSW wants this to be the last lockdown until we get the majority of our citizens vaccinated. The difference now to what occurred in the last year or so since we had the only other lockdown, is the delta strain.
Picture: Gaye Gerard/NCA NewsWire
"This strain is different to what we have experienced and if you look at other jurisdictions around the world, we can see that you can't afford to let this get away from you.
"While we have the best contact tracers in the world, and I believe the right settings at the right time for our population, we have to be mindful that what we are experiencing with this strain is something new during the pandemic. It is not something we have seen before, and that is why it requires a different type of response."
Ms Berejiklian said she intends for this lockdown to be the last one NSW goes through.
"That will factor into our decision-making as to whether it finishes on Friday or whether we continue for a period longer," she said.
One Aussie state has revealed its next move on a major vaccine development project – which promises to change the way it responds to future health challenges.
