Australia news as it happened: ‘Code brown’ declared for Victorian hospitals as COVID-19 cases grow across nation; day two of 2022 Australian Open continues in Melbourne

• Prime Minister Scott Morrison has condemned the anti-vaccination comments of government MP George Christensen, as he comes under fire over the government’s decision to deport unvaccinated tennis star Novak Djokovic while saying little about anti-vaccination comments by some MPs within Coalition ranks. The Morrison government had argued the decision to cancel Djokovic’s visa was based on the risk he may stoke anti-vaccination sentiment in the community.
• Mr Morrison said Mr Christensen’s comments were “dangerous” and he “strongly” disagreed with the Nationals MP’s views that children should not be vaccinated against COVID-19. “It is contrary to the official professional medical advice provided to the government, and I urge parents to disregard his dangerous messages in relation vaccines,” Mr Morrison said. Children aged between 5 and 11 have been eligible to be vaccinated against COVID-19 since January 10, while older children became eligible last year.

• Australia’s expert vaccination group has recommended a third coronavirus vaccine dose for severely immunocompromised children. Under updated Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation guidelines, five- to 11-year-olds with specific medical conditions or drug therapies affecting their immune system will be eligible for a booster shot two to four months after their second dose. Children in this age group only became eligible for vaccination from January 10, meaning their third dose will not be until later this year. You can read ATAGI’s full advice here.
• Some immunocompromised adults have already received, or are eligible to receive, a third coronavirus vaccine dose as part of their primary vaccination course. They are then eligible for a booster dose, a fourth shot, four months after their third dose. The general adult population is eligible for a third dose as a booster shot four months after their second dose. (That four-month interval will drop to three months for both categories of adults on January 31).

• NSW has reported 29,830 official cases of COVID-19 and a record 36 deaths. Of today’s cases, 13,763 are self-reported positive rapid antigen test results, the majority of which were conducted over the past seven days, and 16,067 are positive PCR results. While NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet said yesterday that “the best way through this pandemic is to push through”, his language changed today. He said it was “a very difficult day for our state” and “behind every one of those numbers is a loved one who passed away”.
• There are 2850 people in NSW hospitals with the virus. Of those, 209 are in intensive care. That’s up from yesterday’s 2776 hospitalisations, when there were 203 people in ICU. Mr Perrottet thanked residents of the state for taking steps to limit the spread of the virus, including isolating if they contract COVID-19, “wearing masks [indoors], having gatherings outdoors ... [and having] more people sitting outdoors ... at restaurants and cafes”. Residents are also encouraged to work at home where possible.
• The NSW Premier reiterated his government’s commitment to children returning to school “on day one, term one”. “I also expect as we have kids go back to school, and as we move through this next period of time, case numbers may increase again, but our sole focus is ensuring that there is downward pressure on our health system,” Mr Perrottet said. NSW and Victoria are working together to develop a shared back-to-school plan to present to national cabinet on Thursday. Mr Perrottet defended his government’s response to the highly transmissible Omicron variant, saying Victoria was adopting the same approach. “As we move through this wave, sadly, we will see more deaths. That is a difficult reality. That is the difficult reality of the pandemic,” he said.

• Thirty-three of the 36 people who died in NSW had received at least two doses of a coronavirus vaccine, but Chief Health Officer Kerry Chant said that “generally” they had not received a booster dose. Dr Chant continued to urge residents to get a booster shot if their second dose was four months ago. “For Omicron, we know that the protection is lower and we need that next boosting to get that higher level of protection. We know that the boosters take about seven to 14 days to work and so I really want the community to have a sense of urgency in going and getting boosted,” she said.
• Dr Chant said that while “all of us would just like COVID to be gone”, we “won’t be able to achieve that with the vaccines available. We’re going to have to tailor a series of responses. We’re always going to have those protective measures for the people most vulnerable in the community.” She added there would be a “recalibration” of the response to the virus in 2022 and a range of tools would be used, including oral antiviral medication and potentially new vaccines.

• Victoria has reported 20,180 official cases of COVID-19 and 22 deaths, as a state-wide “code brown” was called for the Victorian hospital system after record-high hospital COVID-19 admissions and wide-scale furloughing of staff. Today’s coronavirus numbers in Victoria are down on yesterday’s total of 22,429. Of the total number of cases, 8433 were positive PCR results and 11,747 were from positive self-reported rapid antigen test results. There are 1152 people in Victorian hospitals with the virus. Of those, 127 cases are in intensive care.

• Victorian Deputy Premier James Merlino said half of today’s 22 reported deaths occurred over the past two days, Marta Pascual Juanola reports. Mr Merlino did not release the ages of those involved. He said there were approximately 175,000 appointments available for people aged 12 and over to get their COVID-19 vaccine over the next month, including 44,000 bookings for children aged five to 11, after additional slots were added. Victorians made 115,000 bookings to get a dose of the coronavirus vaccine over the past week. About 77,0000 of those were for booster shots and 36,000 for children getting their first dose, he said.

This is Michaela Whitbourn signing off on the blog for this evening. Broede Carmody will be back with you early tomorrow morning.

“It may be that rather than receiving the same level of intensity of service, it may be reduced,” he said.

“It may be that we need to discharge you a bit earlier, so we need the support of families and others for you to leave hospital so that we can get other people in.”

Mr Stripp said it was “possible” patients would not get the same level of care under code brown conditions.

“We’re not at that stage, although we have had to sort of balance what we are providing, but yes, it may come to that,” he said.

Mr Stripp said code browns were not unusual for hospitals, and Monash would probably do a “uniform call” for staff to return voluntarily from their leave soon.

“It is important that people have a break so we will try and facilitate that and not be cancelling leave unless it’s absolutely necessary, and at this stage I don’t think that’s the case,” he said.

“We are seeing our staff numbers of healthcare workers infected [with COVID-19] coming down, which is positive, and the number people furloughed coming down, so there’s some positive signs there.

“But our hospitalisations are still going up, which is the concern.”

“This includes opening bulk boxes of kits not intended for individual resale, and supplying them in smaller quantities,” the spokeswoman said.

Breaching the rules carries fines of up to $888,000 for individuals and $4.44 million for corporations, or civil penalties of $1.11 million and $11.1 million respectively.

Australian Competition and Consumer Commission chairman Rod Sims said on Monday it was “beyond outrageous” for retailers to be selling single rapid test kits for more than $30.

The consumer watchdog revealed it had received nearly 2000 reports of rapid tests being sold for as much as $100 per test. This was despite the tests costing between about $4 and $8 at a wholesale level.

Individuals re-selling RATs for more than 120 per cent of the price they paid a retailer may also be prosecuted under anti-price gouging laws introduced by the federal government earlier this month.

Read the full story here.