Andrews flags Australians will need a third jab to be considered ‘fully vaccinated’

More vaccine mandates in Victoria are on the cards, as the state urges residents to get their booster shot to protect them from severe disease.

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews. Picture: David Crosling

Victoria’s Premier Daniel Andrews has left open the possibility a fourth and fifth Covid-19 vaccine dose could be mandated, flagging Australians will shortly need three jabs to be considered fully vaccinated.

Mr Andrews said it was a matter of time before federal authorities decreed that having three Covid jabs signalled full vaccination status and backed “health advice” to guide future mandates, even if it was unpopular.

“The vaccinated economy is here. Mandates are here. We didn’t get to 93 per cent without mandates. We only got to that unique international level … of vaccination protection by mandating,” Mr Andrews said.

“There has already been some mandating for third doses and there will be more.

“I think we are very close to a situation where the relevant federal bodies will determine that three doses is what is considered fully protected. As for fourth and fifth (doses), let’s wait and see how this goes.”

Mr Andrews said the federal government could announce as early as this week that a third dose of the Covid-19 vaccine would be required for Australians to be considered fully protected against the virus.

“I think it’s only a matter of time before the relevant federal agencies confirm that this is three doses. That it’s not two plus a bonus,” he said.

“It really is three doses to be protected not just against really critical illness but to be protected or minimise the likelihood that you get it and that you give it to the people that you love. We will wait and see how that unfolds over the course of the next week.”

Currently 31 per cent of Victorians have received their third jab, while 2.1 million are eligible to get the booster.

Mr Andrews’ comments came after Australia’s major states reported the number of people being treated in intensive care units dropped on Sunday, in a sign the country’s hospitalisation rates are stabilising.

Victoria reported 20 deaths and 10,589 new Covid-19 infections on Sunday. The number of people in intensive care fell to 111, down from 114 on Saturday.

With a total of 889 in hospital, Mr Andrews said health experts had declared the state had reached its peak number of ­infections.

NSW currently has the highest number of Covid patients in the country in hospital, with 2663 including 182 in ICU on Sunday, although those figures are down from 2693 and 186 and Saturday.

The state reported 13,524 Covid-19 infections and 52 deaths on Sunday, its deadliest day in the pandemic yet.

Queensland reported the number of patients being treated in ICU fell to 41 on Sunday, down from 53 on Saturday.

There are 745 in hospital, while 8580 new infections and 12 deaths were reported.

According to the latest information on the federal Department of Health’s website, on January 29 there were 394 people across the country in ICU due to Covid-19, with 4559 people in hospital.