New South Wales has recorded 6,394 new infections on Boxing Day with an uptake in hospitalisations that rose to 458 from 388 the previous 24 hour period.
Of those infections, 52 are in the ICU, however, over 95 per cent of people aged over 16 in the state have had at least one dose of the COVID vaccine while 93.5 per cent of that population have had two doses.
Experts hope that due to the high vaccination rates and the more moderate severity of Omicron the death rate will be lower.
Meanwhile in Victoria, there was a drop in daily case numbers, with 1,608 new Covid-19 infections being reported, of which, 374 in hospital.
As testing clinics are still extremely overwhelmed causing wait times of at least two hours, the number of infections in the state could be higher.
At the moment thousands of Australians are going through their Christmas holidays in isolation due being infected or a close contact. As case numbers rise rapid tests are becoming scarcer and people are advised to isolate anyway if they fear they could have been exposed to the virus.
Since the beginning of the pandemic, this has been the highest in number outbreak for Australia in every state and territory as experts warn that “it is not a matter of ‘if’ but a matter of ‘when’ everyone will come in contact with COVID-19”.
On a hopeful note, based on early UK and South Africa data it seems that while Omicron is easier to catch its effects are less severe and could lead to further immunity of the world’s population.
