- Australia's medical regulator, the Therapeutic Goods Administration has issued a fresh warning not to buy RATs that have not been approved for use in the country.
- It comes following concerns some types of RATs are being repackaged or relabelled for sale without all the components inside.
- The TGA has already approved 32 different types of RATs for use in Australia and said, "(Unapproved RATs) have not been assessed by the TGA, meaning they do not come with the same assurances of safety, effectiveness and quality as those that have met Australian regulatory requirements."
- In New South wales, anyone who tests positive to the virus and are isolating during the NSW floods emergency should obey any orders to evacuate. COVID-19 positive people arriving at flood evacuation centres must notify staff, wear a mask and physically distance from others.
- In Queensland from 6:00pm today, masks will no longer be required in most indoor settings, including workplaces, schools, shops, cafes, restaurants and pubs. This applies to both staff and patrons.
- Masks will still be required on public transport, when visiting airports, on planes, in prisons, and in disability, hospital and aged care settings and are also recommended whenever you can't socially distance.
- Density limits will be scrapped, with no restrictions on the number of people at weddings, funerals or in homes, while Proof of vaccination will still be required at certain venues.
- , the Omicron strain of COVID-19 is at least 40 per cent more lethal than seasonal flu, underscoring the potential danger of lifting pandemic curbs too quickly and underestimating the virus’s ongoing health risks.
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UK experts say they have found that can help people ill with COVID. The anti-inflammatory baricitinib is normally used to treat rheumatoid arthritis. Trials suggest it can cut death risk by about a fifth in patients needing hospital care for severe COVID.
COVID-19 Australian Stats
New South Wales reported 1,000 patients hospitalised with 42 in intensive care. There were two deaths, and 9,466 new cases of COVID-19.
In Victoria, 245 people are in hospital with 28 in ICU and 7 on ventilators. There were 26 deaths and 6,545 new infections.
Tasmania has recorded no deaths with 937 new COVID-19 cases. 14 people are in hospital with COVID-19, four of them requiring intensive care.
In Queensland, there were 5,446 new COVID-19 cases and 7 deaths. 284 people are hospitalised with COVID-19, with 25 patients in ICU.
In the ACT 35 people are now in hospital with COVID-19, 2 of them requiring intensive care, with 794 new infections reported and no deaths recorded.
In Western Australia there were 2,137 new cases of COVID-19 with no deaths and 21 people currently in hospital.
In South Australia 106 people are currently in hospital with COVID-19 and 9 of them are in ICU, one is ventilated. There were 2 deaths and 2,047 new cases.
In the Northern Territory there were 660 new cases of COVID-19 and one deaths. 48 people are now in hospital with 2 patients in ICU
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