A million Aussies over 60 yet to have booster as cases tipped to rise
With coronavirus cases in Australia seeing a steep uptick in recent days, state health ministers have warned over-60s to get their booster vaccine.
Cases are expected to double in the coming weeks, with over 900,000 Aussies in the 60-plus age bracket yet to book in for the latest jab.
NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard has said he does not support reinstating pandemic lockdown restrictions, but is encouraging everyone to have their booster as soon as possible.
“What we’ve seen in the last few years is that as soon as positive cases start going up, people start getting vaccinated. It would make a lot more sense if they got [boosted] now, so they are less likely to catch the virus and be part of those rising numbers,” Mr Hazzard said.
NSW reported a dramatic increase in Covid cases on Wednesday, with 30,402 infections after a data glitch meant about 10,000 tests on Sunday and Monday failed to be added to daily case counts.
Despite the data glitch, the sudden uptick in cases has health officials concerned that many people are getting complacent in their thoughts towards the virus.
“Boosters are our passage to safety and normal life, go and get it, don’t muck around.”
In NSW, more than 330,000 people over the age of 60 have yet to have the jab, as Mr Hazzard warned the vulnerable group to be protected.
“We’ve got just over 300,000 people in the 60-plus age bracket who are still not boosted … that makes them particularly vulnerable. They’re the grandmothers and grandfathers, the aunts, the uncles that young people are going to see. We need the whole population boosted,” he said.
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