Health Minister Mark Butler rung the alarm bell on COVID-19 cases in Australia today as the Omicron wave coupled with a spike in influenza cases puts increased pressure on the hospital system.
Butler urged eligible Australians to come forward for their booster shots.
He said 550,000 Australians have received their fourth dose over the past seven days.
“Two doses of COVID vaccines are just not enough,” he said.
It comes as the Hunter New England region records 1759 new COVID infections, the second highest number in the state and an increase of more than 600 cases on yesterday’s tally.
The increase in numbers has led Chief Medical Officer Paul Kelly to call on “employers to allow work from home if feasible” and consider mask wearing during the winter Omicron wave.
“We are at the start of this wave, not the end,” Kelly said.
Kelly has also urged people to wear masks when away from home in crowded indoor spaces as a new Omicron variant rips through Australia.
“This will not be forever but for the next few weeks,” Kelly said.
