Weekly COVID news at a glance

(AUS) Booster shots timeline unchanged

Booster shots for COVID-19 vaccinations will continue to be delivered on a 6-month timeline following a review by health authorities prompted by uncertainty over the Omicron variant. 

Chief Medical Officer professor Paul Kelly said the advice from the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisations remained unchanged after a review into whether booster doses should be expedited. The decision comes as health authorities continue to assess the severity of the Omicron variant and the effectiveness of vaccines against it. 

(AUS) January start for children’s jabs expected

The COVID-19 vaccine for children is expected to be approved in the coming days, Health Minister Greg Hunt has said. This will clear the way for children between 5 and 11 years of age to be vaccinated with the rollout expected to start on January 10. 

The first shipment of children’s Pfizer doses is due to arrive in Australia before Christmas. The Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) has been watching closely to see how the rollout in the United States was going before making a final decision. ATAGI is also considering recommending six weeks between vaccine doses for 5 to 11-year olds.

(AUS) VIC premier hints at end rules

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews has said there is a possibility that restrictions for unvaccinated people could change before the end of the year. Any change would need to wait until after health authorities have assessed the vaccine booster program and the COVID-19 vaccine rollout for children. 

The Therapeutic Goods Administration is waiting for more US data before it approves the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines for children aged five to 11 years. The Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation is also reviewing the booster program’s timeframe due to new potential risks related to the Omicron variant. 

Premier Andrews recently said that the two-tiered rules for vaccinated and unvaccinated people would last at least until April, despite having initially proposed 2023 as the likely timeline.

(AUS) Recognising leaders in multicultural communities

The state government has announced that nominations are open for the inaugural Victorian Multicultural Honour Roll. The new honour roll recognises the efforts of individuals, community and not-for-profit groups who have made exceptional and lasting contributions to multiculturalism in Victoria. 

It will also showcase those who promote multicultural civic participation and the social, cultural and economic benefits of diversity. Nominations for the Victorian Multicultural Honour Roll are open until 16 January 2022. Inductees will be announced as part of Cultural Diversity Week celebrations in March. For more information or to nominate someone, visit the Multicultural Commission Website.

(Worldwide) Findings HOPE to be known in days

Research findings on how effective COVID-19 vaccines are against Omicron are likely to be released within weeks. It is possible the findings will be released in the next few days.

A global collaboration of over 400 researchers are urgently studying the Omicron variant. Researchers are testing blood plasma from recovered COVID-19 patients or those who have been immunised with different vaccines to understand the antibodies needed to block the virus. 

This will help determine whether existing COVID-19 vaccines should be altered to protect against Omicron. The WHO wants to ensure any decision to alter vaccines is based on the recommendations of global experts, manufacturers and regulatory authorities.

(Worldwide) Vaccine inequity leaves the world vulnerable 

Low vaccination coverage and inequitable access across the global population leaves us vulnerable to new variants like Omicron. About 55 per cent of the global population has received at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose. In low-income countries, the rate is closer to just 6 per cent.

The more opportunity there is for a virus to replicate within a population, the more opportunity there is for a new variant like Omicron to happen, The Doherty Institute’s Dr Juno said. Reducing opportunities for transmitting and spreading the virus across large numbers of people, will reduce the chances of mutations occurring.

It’s very likely the world will continue to see new COVID-19 variants emerging, particularly while a large amount of the global population remains unvaccinated. How long we will need to keep dealing with new variants depends on how urgently global vaccine inequities are addressed and rich countries share and distribute the vaccine to poorer countries.