Coronavirus: Australians told to get boosters to fend off Omicron subvariant threat

NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard warned the BA. 2 subvariant could leave ‘more people in hospital and more people possibly to pass away sadly’

Elsewhere, Tonga’s PM tested positive as the island nation’s infections climbed to more than 900, and India to vaccinate 12-14 year olds

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Health experts have asked Australia to consider reintroducing some Covid-19 restrictions. Photo: AP

Published: 1:10pm, 14 Mar 2022Updated: 7:37pm, 14 Mar 2022

Australian authorities on Monday warned the slow roll-out of Covid-19 vaccine booster shots could unleash a new wave of infections amid the threat from the highly contagious BA. 2 subvariant of the Omicron strain.

Australia battled record cases and hospitalisation rates during the initial Omicron wave, but they have steadied over the past six weeks. Most states have been easing social distancing rules, with mask requirements being rolled back at indoor venues and businesses asking staff to return to offices.

But daily infections could likely double in the next four to six weeks as the new subvariant looks set to become the dominant strain, New South Wales Health Minister Brad Hazzard told broadcaster ABC on Monday, leaving “more people in hospital and more people possibly to pass away, sadly.”

Around 20,000 new cases were reported in Australia by midday on Monday with two states due to report later, while four deaths were registered. More than 3.1 million cases and 5,590 deaths have been recorded since the pandemic began.

According to official data, just over 57 per cent of people above the age of 16 have received a third dose of the Covid-19 vaccine in New South Wales, home to a third of Australia’s 25 million people, trailing the national average of 65 per cent. Around 95 per cent have received two doses.