The Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) has recommended a fourth dose for people at higher risk of severe illness from COVID-19 heading into winters.
ATAGI said the additional dose should be four months from the initial booster dose.
Australians aged 65 and over, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people over the age of 50, residents of aged care and disability care facilities, and people aged 16 years and older who are severely immunocompromised are eligible for the winter dose.
Health Minister Greg Hunt announced that Australia is investing more than $100 million for seasonal influenza vaccines to protect Australians most at risk this winter.
Mr Hunt, quoting medical advice from the ATAGI, said it is safe to have influenza and COVID-19 vaccines at the same visit to vaccine administrators.
Minister Hunt announced the federal government will not renew the biosecurity emergency determination after 17 April. It means travellers will no longer be required to do pre-flight COVID testing for entering Australia.
Singapore to allow quarantine-free entry to fully vaccinated travellers from 1 April. Travellers will no longer be required to take a COVID test on arrival, but they still need to take a pre-departure test.
Eligible employing businesses and not-for-profit organisations in New South Wales can claim a rebate of 50 per cent on the cost of Rapid Antigen Tests (RATs) from today.
COVID-19 Australian Stats
New South Wales reported 1,182 patients hospitalised, with 43 in intensive care. There were seven deaths and 23,702 new cases of COVID-19.
In Victoria, 253 people are in hospital, with 10 in ICU and four on ventilators. There were nine deaths and 9,244 new infections.
Tasmania has recorded one further death and 1,825 new COVID-19 cases. There are 25 people with COVID-19 in hospital.
In the ACT 42 people are now in hospital with COVID-19, three of them requiring intensive care and 1,122 new infections have been reported. One person has died.
In Queensland, there were 9,730 new COVID-19 cases and three deaths. 265 people are hospitalised with COVID-19, with 14 patients in ICU.
Find a COVID-19 testing clinic
Register your RAT results here, if you're positive