NSW Chief Health Officer Dr Kerry Chant says the current COVID outbreak has plateaued and should soon decline, along with the number of patients in intensive care.
Dr Chant was speaking at Monday’s COVID-19 update webinar organised by the RACGP. A recording of the webinar is available below for those who were unable to attend.
Dr Chant said health officials were closely watching for any increase in COVID infections as students went back to school and others returned to their workplace.
The webinar covered in detail the critical importance of booster shots and their timing in protecting the community from COVID, particularly for people with underlying health concerns.
Dr Chant said booster shots were the best hope of mitigating against any rise in case numbers.
She said for those people who had already had Omicron, re-infection was unlikely within four-months. A booster shot could still be given, however, as soon as patients had recovered to protect against the Delta variant.
The Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) this week approved the Pfizer vaccine as a booster shot for people aged 16 and 17. It is currently the only vaccine registered for use as a booster in this age group.
Among other recent changes, ATAGI now recommends severely immuno-compromised people receive a booster shot two months after their third primary vaccine dose.