#BREAKING
The Chief Medical Officer Paul Kelly has written to the Prime Minister, Premiers and Chief Ministers urging them to mandate masks in a range of indoor settings before Omicron cases escalate
@SBSNews
https://twitter.com/annajhenderson/status/1472841060283867136------------------------------------------------------------
Australians may soon have to get a third dose to be considered fully vaccinated, as an expert taskforce weighs the evidence on the Omicron variant’s ability to evade vaccines and state governments push to bring forward the timing of booster shots.
Premiers will urge Prime Minister Scott Morrison to agree to speed up the schedule for booster shots when national cabinet holds an emergency meeting on Wednesday to discuss public health measures to curb rapidly increasing case numbers in NSW and Victoria.
In advice to national cabinet seen by The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age, the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee warned that Omicron could “strain health system capacity” even if the variant caused milder illness, recommending “minimal to moderate restrictions” and increased efforts to boost vaccine coverage.
“Masks should be mandated in all indoor settings including retail, hospitality when not eating or drinking, and entertainment facilities,” the advice sent to the Prime Minister and state and territory leaders by Chief Medical Officer Paul Kelly said.
“Implementation of mask-wearing measures should occur prior to Omicron case escalation to have maximum benefit.”
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/atagi-to-consider-three-dose-vaccine-schedule-as-states-push-for-earlier-boosters-20211220-p59j2l.html
