Live: All the COVID-19 news from across Australia in the one place

By Alexis Moran

Today’s numbers and press conference times

Don’t see your location? It’ll get added when we know either a press conference time or case numbers.

Victoria–  21,728 cases and six deaths. 644 people in hospital, 58 in ICU. Press conference: watch it here

New South Wales– 38,625 cases and 11 deaths. 1,738 people in hospital, 134 in ICU. Press conference: 1pm AEDT

Tasmania– 1,489 new cases. Three people in hospital, 0 in ICU. Press conference: watch it here

ACT- 1,246 new cases. 24 people in hospital, three in ICU

Queensland– 10,953 new cases. 327 in hospital, 14 in ICU. Press conference: watch it here

South Australia: 3,707 new cases. 144 people in hospital, 16 in ICU. Press conference: watch it here 

Northern Territory–  412 new cases. 19 people in hospital, two in ICU. Press conference: watch it here

Western Australia– Press conference: 12pm AWST

Modelling suggests NSW Omicron cases aren’t staying in hospital as long, or needing to go to hospital at all

Susan Pearce from NSW Health is providing some insight into the modelling that’s been conducted, which they’ll dive into deeper after the press conference. 

In a nutshell, she says the focus is less on case numbers and more on the conversion rate to hospitalisations. 

“What is interesting in that data is that we are seeing a much lower length of stay associated with people with Omicron who do end up with a hospital admission,” she says. 

“The point about that, though, is it still places a very significant degree of stress on the health system because people moving in and moving out takes a lot of work for our hardworking health staff each and everyday.”

But there’s more!

“There is some positive news that we’re starting to see emerge in this, though. And that is we’re measuring the conversion rate between cases as we know them and what that then translates to in terms of hospital admissions, and that conversion rate is coming down. That’s a very important factor that we’re continuing to monitor each and every day as we move through this period.”

SA: Expected COVID cases peak ‘towards the end of January’ 

CHO Nicola Spurrier says: 

“We’re definitely not at our peak now … the Premier has already flagged that we’re expecting a peak towards the end of January.” 

‘At this time, limit your social network’

Dr Chant has urged people not to go “out and about” if you have symptoms.

“If you can just stay with the groups that you normally engage with, don’t go into environments where you’re mixing more broadly,” she says. 

“If you are going to those big family events and there’ll be those special events such as weddings and those very sad events such as funerals, you may want to use a RAT test again, I know not everyone can get them, but if you have got one, that’s a good preventive method you can have.

“But my key message is, please, do not go out and about if you got symptoms.”

‘We’re not as interested in absolute case numbers’

Dr Chant says says if you return a positive RAT, you’re considered a case, but she stressed she’s aware how difficult is it to find RAT kits. 

“In terms of rapid antigen testing, what we’re saying is if you’re positive with symptoms, then treat yourself as a case. In this current setting of such high case numbers, if you got symptoms, and you got a positive RAT test, then you’re a case,” she says. 

“We’re also saying that if you’re a household contact or you have had those high-risk exposures, then also you’re positive, you’re a case.”

“Now, currently we were working our partners in Service New South Wales to establish a mechanism so you can actually register your positive RAT.”

Dr Chant also said the focus is shifting from exact case numbers to making sure vulnerable groups avoid hospitalisation.

“Moving forward, we’re not as interested in absolute case numbers. What we’re very interested in is making sure the right people with COVID are getting the care they need.”

20 to 39 year olds make up almost half of NSW cases from the previous week

NSW’s Chief Health Officer Dr Kerry Chant is now providing an update.

“In the last seven days, we have got about 50 per cent of the cases are aged between 20 and 39 years,” Dr Chant says.

“So there’s 29 per cent between 20 and 29, and 30 and 39 account for 19 per cent of the cases.”

NT: There are now 1,200 active COVID cases in the territory

Of the new COVID cases, Ms Fyles says 70 cases were community transmission, 80 are linked to known case contacts, 71 are interstate arrivals and 191 cases are under investigation. 

“We have got 1,200 active cases of COVID-19 in the Northern Territory,” Ms Fyles said. 

“It is fair to say that we have COVID in every region of the Northern Territory and so people when they leave their home, or they have visitors to their home, they should be prepared that they’re at risk from coronavirus.”

There were 22 cases reported in Alice Springs and one in Tennant Creek.

‘It will be a difficult few weeks,’ says Perrottet, but ‘the modelling is encouraging’

Here’s a bit of what Dominic Perrottet said after announcing those new restrictions:

“Can I end where I began, and that is thanking our healthworkers. They have gone through so much over a difficult period of time. Our health system, though, stands strong because of them and because of the substantial investments we have made.

“The modelling today is encouraging. Whilst it will be a difficult few weeks in New South Wales, our people and the effort we have made to go out, to get vaccinated, to get boosted, has been key to opening up our society, to living alongside the virus.

“This is a challenging time, not just in New South Wales, but around the world, that the efforts that our people have made has kept New South Wales safe, has kept New South Wales open, and kept New South Wales strong.

“And if we can continue to thank everyone for patience, especially people who are lining up for PCR tests and the like, if we continue to be patient and continue to treat people with kindness and respect, once again we’ll come out stronger the other side.”

SA: A new pop-up booster clinic will be opening

It’s at Netball SA’s stadium in Mile End. The Premier says it will open on January 12. 

The bookings-only clinic will operate daily from 8am until 4pm. 

Only adults aged over 18 can attend the clinic, and only Moderna vaccines will be available.

The clinic will have capacity to vaccinate up to 5,000 people per week, but that will increase to 15,000 in the coming weeks.

Online bookings will be open from today and Chief Public Health Officer Professor Nicola Spurrier encouraged anyone who had their second dose at least four months ago to make an appointment.

“Data from around the world is showing three doses are needed to provide enhanced protection against transmission and serious illness from Omicron,” she says.

NSW reintroduces some COVID restrictions

NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet has reintroduced several COVID-19 restrictions in the face of rising case numbers and hospitalisations.

“Today we are making some sensible and proportionate changes as we move through this next period as the peak of Omicron comes through,” Mr Perrottet says.

The following restrictions will come into effect from tomorrow until January 27.

• Singing and dancing will be banned in hospitality venues
• Non urgent elective surgeries will be paused until mid-February
• Major events will be risk-assessed by NSW Health and postponed where necessary

SA: Premier says more than 92 per cent of people in hospital have the Omicron variant

Mr Marshall also said 356 health staff are COVID-positive and 547 are close contacts.

He has urged people to work from home where they can. 

NSW to include positive RAT results in daily COVID case count

“As we move through the rapid antigen tests, we will be counting those positive RAT tests in line and including them as we have with PCR testing,” Mr Perrottet says.

“So what we would say to people today is we move through this period, is that if you do receive a positive rapid antigen test, that you register that through Service New South Wales and New South Wales Health.”

NSW to continue to suspend elective surgery for non-urgent surgeries until mid-February

“That’s Category 3 which is … elective surgery that’s not non-urgent in the next 365 days until mid-February,” Mr Perrottet says. 

“We did that during the Delta outbreak and the Alpha outbreak and we believe this is the right approach, as you see through that modelling.”

NSW Premier: ‘Even in the worst case scenario, we have the capacity in our health system’

“Today, we will be releasing modelling in terms of the hospital capacity here in New South Wales,” Mr Perrottet says.

“We have modelled three different areas over this period of time as pressure on the health system builds over the next few weeks. This is in line with what we did during the Delta outbreak.

“What is encouraging from this model is that even on a worst-case scenario, we have the capacity in our health system right now.

“So obviously around the country, around the world, during this pandemic, we are seeing significant pressure on our health system, but our health system is strong, we invested significantly, we have the best health system here in New South Wales in the country, if not around the world, and that is importantly supported by those great men and women who are making those efforts each and everyday to keep people safe.”

NSW Premier announces booster mandate for some frontline workers

“We are seeing, probably from 17 January, we’ll get up to around 300,000 booster shots administered per week in our 40 hubs alone,” Mr Perrottet says. 

“If you haven’t been boosted and it’s been four months since your second dose vaccination, please go out and get boosted.”

And there will be a booster shot mandate for some front-line workers. 

“That announcement today will ensure that whether it’s our teachers, nurses, our front-line health and disability workers, where New South Wales Health has previously required mandatory vaccination for certain front-line staff that we will move — we will move to boosters being included as part of that fully vaccinated determination.”

SA has recorded 3,707 new cases and two deaths 

Two people with COVID-19 have died in South Australia in the last 48 hours.

One is a person in their 60s, the other a person in their 90s and Premier Steven Marshall says they both had underlying health conditions.

144 people are in hospital, 16 in ICU and one is on a ventilator.

NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet is now speaking

He’s started by thanking frontline staff, including health staff, doctors, nurses, paramedics, cleaners, 000 call operators, saying they’ve been doing an “amazing job” during this entire pandemic.

The NT has reported 412 new cases

Health Minister Natasha Fyles says 120 were recorded from positive rapid antigen tests. 

They “will be confirmed” by a PCR test Ms Fyles said. 

There are 19 people in hospital, two are in ICU and one requires ventalition. 

WA will hold a press conference at 12pm AWST

Acting Premier Roger Cook will be speaking.