Qld in grip of ‘second Omicron wave’ as cases spike 54 per cent in two weeks

A second Omicron wave is sweeping across Queensland with cases spiking by 54 per cent in just two weeks and one in 50 schoolchildren testing positive in the past week alone. There were 9730 new Covid cases on Friday.

Health Minister Yvette D’Ath says the state is in the grip of a ‘second Omicron wave’, as Queensland recorded 9730 new Covid cases and three more deaths.

She said the wave was expected to peak some time in April and had come ‘sooner than expected’.

“We don’t know if this is the winter wave or not,” she said.

Authorities did not plan to change any current quarantine measures and vaccine mandates with Ms D’Ath saying they didn’t want to make the snap decision to reinforce restrictions because it could be potentially damaging to businesses.

The state has seen cases spike 54 per cent in just two week, s with one in 50 schoolchildren testing positive in the past week alone, chief health officer Dr John Gerrard said.

A total of 47 per cent of cases lived in the same house as a primary case.

More than 2400 health workers are having to isolate because of Covid-19.

But Ms D’Ath said there wasn’t an increase in hospitalisations or people needing ICU beds.

There are now 265 patients in hospital with 14 in intensive care – up from 11 on Thursday.

More than 6000 of today’s cases were reported from RAT tests.

Ms Yvette D'Ath said the state was in the grip of a second Omicron wave. Picture David Clark

Dr Gerrard said he would not be requesting specific mandates for schools but if there were outbreaks in schools, headmasters were encouraged to implement mask wearing.

He said the second wave was ‘always expected’ due to the nature of pandemics but as time passed, the waves would become ‘less and less’.

He said it may take several years and Covid was ‘likely to get into a seasonal pattern’.

“Our experience and understanding of the pandemic is largely based on influenza,” Dr Gerrard said.

“Each wave gets less and less”.

Vaccination clinics will be open over the school holidays, with parents urged to get their children inoculated as cases increase.

The government is looking at launching another advertising campaign to boost the number of children vaccinated.

“Please don’t wait until the start of the next school term,” Ms D’Ath said.

“We need to lift our vaccination rates for young children.

“Don’t wait for the next school term …. take them over the holidays”

Fourth boosters are now available for a raft of cohorts including people aged 65 years and older.

Ms D’Ath called it “winter protection”.

“If you have been willing to come out and get your first and second … it’s crazy to not get your booster,” she said.

“We know boosters make a difference with Omicron.”

Ms D’Ath said vaccination clinics would be ‘winding down’ after school holidays due to worker shortages.

She said she will be looking at a heat map to see where the lowest number of vaccinations are which will determine where pop-up clinics are required.

Dr Gerrard said influenza cases were currently low in Queensland, however numbers were high in France, and Queensland could expect high flu numbers in coming months.

Chief Health Officer Dr John Gerrard. Picture: Liam Kidston

Ms D’Ath said if ATAGI believed a fourth booster was necessary, then Queensland would follow that.

“We don’t know if what we’re seeing now is the winter surge or if we’re going to have another one,” she said.

It comes as international travellers will have pre-departure testing requirements scrapped after Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt confirmed a number of changes to how Covid is controlled in Australia.

Vaccinated and unvaccinated travellers previously needed to show a negative Covid-19 test to board a flight to Australia, however from April 17 this rule will be removed.

Mr Hunt confirmed Covid biosecurity orders will also cease, meaning restrictions on cruise ships and anti-price gouging penalties for rapid antigen test will stop.

The state’s daily cases have been gradually climbing which health authorities have recognised as about a 15 per cent increase over a week.

Health Minister Yvette D’Ath said on Wednesday the government was watching the situation surrounding the new variant “very closely”.

There were 271 people in hospital and 11 in ICU in Thursday.

Experts say Australians will now need a “winter booster” to protect from Covid-19

Australians who are considered at risk of severe illness will be able to receive a fourth COVID-19 vaccine heading into winter following advice accepted by the Australian Government from leading immunisation experts.

The second booster shot will be offered to people aged 65 and over, the immunocompromised, Indigenous Australians over 50 and residents of aged and disability care facilities from Monday.

Originally published as Qld in grip of ‘second Omicron wave’ as cases spike 54 per cent in two weeks