Australians are being asked today to make sure they receive their COVID-19 reinforcements as a new Omicron strain takes over New South Wales.
Epidemiologist Margaret Hellard said this morning that the appearance of the new BA.5 Omicron subvariant in NSW was a wake-up call for the entire country.
“It’s a concern because if you’ve had a previous infection, your protection isn’t that great. Some Australians have now had a previous COVID-19 infection,” said Professor Hellard of Melbourne’s Burnett Institute.
Australians are being asked not to put up their COVID-19 reinforcements after a new variant of Omicron appeared. (Getty)
The new BA.5 subvariant has tripled in NSW cases since earlier this month, surpassing BA.2 as the most common variant in the state, the latest respiratory surveillance report, released today, showed.
The cases of variant BA.2 peaked in NSW around March.
The emergence of the new BA.5 comes amid concerns that millions of Australians are postponing their coronavirus boosts.
Professor Hellard said the coronavirus will not go away soon and people need to increase their immunity levels.
“People should go out and get their booster doses of booster doses if they haven’t received the third dose. Get vaccinated, vaccinate your children,” he said.
Health officials are concerned that a new wave of coronavirus, along with the rise in flu cases during the winter, will put pressure on essential services.
There is concern that dual waves of coronavirus and flu during the winter would endanger health services. (new)
Professor Hellard said the research predicts that more than 10,000 Australians will die of coronavirus this year.
“But there are things we can do to stop it. We must not think that we are not all in a position to do so,” he said.
The Sydney Morning Herald reports that NSW has a lower absorption of COVID-19 enhancers than anywhere else in the Northern Territory and Queensland.
Of NSW people aged 16 and over, 35% have not received a third dose.
A fourth booster vaccine is also available for people 65 and older or with certain health conditions.
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The BA.5 subvariant originated in South Africa and is now consolidating in parts of Europe and the US.