The Albanese authorities has launched a spate of latest measures to assist Australia deal with future waves of Covid-19, after Health Minister Mark Butler warned the nation the pandemic “is not over”.
Australians who’ve grown complacent are being urged to stay vigilant towards the virus amid specialists predicting a rise in coronavirus infections this 12 months.
From January this 12 months to now, the nationwide rolling seven day common has plateaued to the 2500 to 3000 instances a day mark, whereas the each day variety of deaths has declined from 55 at its peak to 3.
Meanwhile, Australia’s Covid-19 vaccination rollout has reached a “significant milestone” with over a million residents receiving their 2023 booster dose.
However, Mr Butler has warned case numbers might climb within the coming months because the nation prepares to enter the cooler season.
“This is not over,” Mr Butler mentioned whereas addressing the media in Canberra on Thursday.
“There will be future waves of Covid across the course of this year.”
Mr Butler’s feedback come after Chief Medical Officer Professor Paul Kelly discovered Australia’s fourth wave of the Omicron variant exceeded the size of earlier waves.
“I don’t have a crystal ball,” he mentioned
“But in terms of future Covid waves … I think we’ve got a ripple at the moment. Whether that will turn into a wave for the reasons I mentioned, and mentioned in my report, it’s difficult to predict at this stage.”
He added case numbers have elevated in the previous few weeks “but off a very low base” and that the newest Omicron wave got here with much less extreme sickness than final 12 months’s winter wave.
To guarantee Australians are able to fight future will increase in infections, Mr Butler introduced 160,000 further individuals would meet the standards to be prescribed antiviral drug Paxlovid beneath the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS).
Previously, sufferers who had two danger components of extreme sickness had been solely eligible for the remedy, nevertheless that might be diminished to only one danger issue for sufferers aged between 60 to 69 from Saturday.
Mr Butler inspired Australians who really feel they could want the remedy, to carry an early dialogue with their GP or nurse to evaluate whether or not it is going to go well with their wants and to develop a plan to allow them to be outfitted within the case they develop a optimistic take a look at.
“We know how effective Paxlovid and Molnupiravir – two oral antivirals – are in preventing severe disease and hospitalisation and death,” Mr Butler mentioned.
“This will make a real difference to the experience of many tens of thousands of people aged in their 60s and take real pressure off the hospital system as well.”
Aged Care employees who turn into contaminated with the virus can even obtain new entitlements from April 1 in keeping with Mr Butler’s newest announcement.
Both informal and everlasting employees working within the sector might be eligible for “Aged Care Worker Covid-19 leave grants” of as much as $750 straight from their employer after they’re required to take depart associated to the virus.
However, they’ll solely meet the standards for the grant if no different depart entitlements can be found to them.
The new grant follows the High Risk Settings Pandemic Payment scheme which ends on Saturday, March 31.
Finally, Mr Butler urged all Australians to be up-to-date with their booster photographs.
“If it has been six months since your last Covid vaccine or infection, you can now top up your protection with the latest vaccine,” he mentioned.
Covid-19 boosters are free for all eligible Australians and can be found at most physician clinics.
A full eligibility standards will be discovered on the federal government’s coronavirus web site.
Originally printed as Aussies urged to ‘get boosted’ as authorities introduces new measures to assist fight future waves
Source: www.dailytelegraph.com.au
