Most Australians won’t even know they’ve got an omicron: Scientists offer a glimmer of hope that new strains of COVID won’t be as bad as we move to ‘herd immunity’
- Leading scientists are confident many Australians will soon not realize they have Covid-19
- Professor Tony Blakely tells The Project that ‘herd immunity’ is likely by April 2022
- Comes from Omicron strain despite high number of cases in NSW and Victoria
A leading epidemiologist says most Australians will not even know they have Covid as the country moves towards a ‘herd immunity’ scenario.
Professor Tony Blakely, Melbourne The School of Population and Global Health told The Project it is ‘very confident’ that booster shots and rising case numbers will put the country in a better position to handle a new variant.
“In three to four months’ time, once we get through this band-aid sharp pain, we can be in a very good flexion space,” he said.
‘We’ll have a massive population vaccinated, including children, we’ll have a boost to a lot of people, and we’ll have somewhere between a third and two-thirds of the people who will be infected by it. omicron – and most of them would not even be aware of it,’ said Professor Blakely.
‘That whole package will make us more resilient – something like herd immunity – and more resilient to something to come.
A leading epidemiologist says most Australians will not even know they have Covid as the country moves towards a ‘herd immunity’ scenario (pictured, a couple at Bondi Beach)
‘I’m expecting this to be our big wave and then just small tremors that we can deal with very easily.’
According to a recent study conducted by the University of NSW, COVID booster jabs will be crucial for maintaining population protection against Covid-19.
Rapid contact tracing and isolation are still important for people who have contracted the virus, and rapid antigen testing has proved vital for interstate travelers across Australia in recent weeks.
In NSW, elective surgeries could be suspended, nightclubs closed, singing banned and major events halted after the state reported another 34,994 COVID-19 cases on Thursday .
NSW also reported six deaths, including a vaccinated and otherwise healthy ACT man who died in his 20s at St Vincent’s Hospital in Sydney.
The other deaths were four men and one woman in their 60s, 80s and 90s. Two were from Lake Macquarie in the Hunter area and three from western Sydney.
Hospitals (1609) and intensive care units (131) as well as the number of people on ventilators (38) also increased.
Premier Dominique Perrot warned that the state could suspend elective surgeries to relieve pressure on the hospital system.
He said private hospitals could also be asked to help in managing the ‘surge in cases’.
Many of NSW’s testing sites and pathology labs are also under pressure due to high demand.
Mr Perrott said the testing system was at full capacity and it would take time to relieve the pressure as people adjust to the new testing guidelines.
Under the changes approved by the national cabinet on Wednesday, people who test positive after a rapid antigen test will not have to undergo a PCR test to confirm the result.
Employers should also stop asking workers to undergo PCR tests when they are asymptomatic.
“Given the current pressure on the system, it is taking a few days for (PCR tests) to come back, so (requirement) as we say for employers is very little for employees,” the premier told Sydney Radio. . 2 GB.
Professor Tony Blakely says Australians may be more resilient to new strains of Covid-19
According to a recent study by the University of NSW, Covid booster jabs will be critical to maintaining population protection against Covid-19 (pictured, people enjoying the summer at Bondi Beach this week)
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