• As Victoria records 11,695 new COVID-19 cases today, marking the lowest figure since 2 January, medical experts are calling for at least some elective surgeries to resume in the state.

Sadly, there were17 lives lost and 998 people are hospitalised across the state, another drop in numbers as Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton said “Victoria’s Omicron peak had very likely passed yesterday”.

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews has said there have never been more appointments available for COVID-19 vaccines than now, while urging Victorians to get their booster shots and to have children vaccinated.

“1.77 million Victorians have had a third dose and there’s about 2.2 million others who are eligible but have not yet had that third dose,” he said.

“And with so many staff away sick, with so many staff, thousands of them, away because of, or with COVID, that means that the system is under significant pressure,” added highlighting there are including 119 people in intensive care.

  • NSW, on the other hand, recorded 24 COVID-19 deaths in the 24 hours to 8:00pm yesterday and 15,091 new infections.

The number of people with the virus in hospital is 2,816, of which 196 are in ICU

NSW Chief Health Officer Dr Kerry Chant says the Omicron situation in her state is stabilising, but warns today’s low case numbers should be interpreted with caution.

“It is pleasing that when we look at a range of measures, our assessment indicates that the spread of coronavirus is slowing, our situation is stabilising,” she says.

“While we expect to see an uptick in transmissions associated with schools going back, this could be mitigated by the actions of you as individuals.

“Getting those boosters will help us. They will also help us have some effect on transmission by preventing you acquiring infection and passing it on.”

  • The ACT has recorded 756 new cases of COVID-19 and two deaths while 68 people are in hospital with coronavirus. Of those, three are in intensive care. One is on a ventilator.
  • Queensland has recorded 10,212 new COVID-19 cases in the past 24 hours. Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said 13 more deaths had also been reported – all were people aged over 70.
  • Tasmania has recorded 619 new cases of COVID-19, down slightly from yesterday’s 625. The Department of Health says 41 patients with COVID are in hospital, including three in intensive care.

Finally, Health minister, Greg Hunt, has announced that the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) has recommended the use of the Novavax vaccine. The vaccine will be available in Australia from 21 February.

Novavax was already approved by the Therapeutic Goods Administration, but Australia has a “double green light” approach that requires a separate recommendation for use.

Hunt also declared there is a “clear decrease in cases, hospitalisations, and that in turn will have an impact on ICU and ventilation numbers”.