Updated: Following today’s government announcement, New South Wales residents will be able to access a COVID-19 vaccine booster three months after their second dose, Victoria announced a similar opening to eligibility earlier today.
The announcement came after the NSW recorded another 32 COVID-19 deaths.
Hospitalisations in the state have increased to 2,863, while ICU admissions were also up slightly to 217.
A total of 32,297 new cases were reported from 12,450 positive rapid antigen tests (RATs) and 19,847 PCR swabs.
Meanwhile, Victoria has recorded 20,769 new COVID-19 infections and 18 more deaths overnight. There are currently 1173 people in hospital with the virus; 125 in the intensive care unit and 42 of those on a ventilator.
The state has implemented an unprecedented Code Brown at hospitals as frontline health workers struggle with an increasing number of patients battling the virus.
Tasmania has recorded 29 hospitalisations and 1,185 new cases of COVID-19, health authorities say.
Two patients are in ICU — the same as yesterday — and 12 people are receiving treatment specifically for COVID complications.
Although the daily cases have been stable, experts say it is unlikely the state’s COVID outbreak has peaked yet.
South Australia is also reducing its booster vaccine interval to three months for anyone over the age of 18 who had their second dose three months ago.
“The reason why we can go from originally six months to five months, four months to three months is that we were given the approval to do so when we reach the, if you like, the threshold in terms of supply,” Premier Steven Marshall said.
In ACT 1467 new cases were reported, with 60 hospitalised.