- National Cabinet is due to meet today to redefine “close contact” and discuss a consistent approach to COVID-19 testing.
- Victorians will soon have access to free COVID-19 rapid antigen testing kits says Victoria’s Health Minister Martin Foley, with details of the state government distribution plan yet to be released.
- Eight new cases have been detected on Thursday Island in the Torres Strait.
- A NSW Pathology clinic claims it warned Queensland and Victorian governments of traveller testing chaos weeks in advance.
- The COVID-19 Omicron variant may protect against the Delta strain according to preliminary findings by the Africa Health Research Institute in Durban, South Africa.
- WHO Chief Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus says the “tsunami” of Omicron and Delta cases will strain health systems already on the “brink of collapse" as he pushes to end global vaccine inequity.
COVID-19 Stats:
New South Wales has recorded 12,226 new COVID-19 cases and one death, while Victoria has reported 5,137 new infections and 13 deaths.
Queensland cases have jumped to 2,222.
Tasmania has recorded 92 new COVID-19 cases.
Quarantine and restrictions state by state:
Travel
Financial help
There are changes to the COVID-19 Disaster Payment once states reach 70 and 80 per cent fully vaccinated: Getting help during Covid-19 from Services Australia in language
- News and information over 60 languages at sbs.com.au/coronavirus
- Relevant guidelines for your state or territory: NSW, Victoria, Queensland, Western Australia, South Australia, Northern Territory, ACT, Tasmania.
- Information about the COVID-19 vaccine in your language.