Another 34 Covid cases in Geelong

GREATER Geelong recorded 34 new cases of coronavirus in the 24 hours to Friday.

A further three cases were recorded in the Surf Coast, one in Queenscliff and two in the Colac Otway region.

As of 9am on Friday, there were six inpatients at Geelong hospital with Covid-19, as well as eight patients who were still being treated but no longer considered active cases.

Barwon Health spokeswoman Kate Bibby said six of these cleared cases remained in the intensive care unit.

She said a cluster of cases linked to the Sphinx Hotel, in North Geelong, was at 10 and had not grown since Monday.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison is writing to all Australians, urging them to get a booster vaccination shot to help prevent a disastrous fourth wave of Covid-19.

As Australia continues to open up, the bleak reality of waning Covid-19 immunity is on full display in Europe, where case numbers are rising, hospitals face being overwhelmed and countries are returning to lockdowns.

Mr Morrison will ask those who had their second jab at least six months ago to book in for a booster.

“Australia now has one of the lowest number of cases per head of population in the world, and our health response has saved over 30,000 lives,” the letter, co-signed by Health Minister Greg Hunt and chief medical officer Paul Kelly, says.

An information sheet will also be sent that allows families to list the dates of each person’s scheduled booster shot.

With more than 151 million extra Pfizer and AstraZeneca shots ordered, boosters are available from GPs and pharmacists.

Booster dose walk-ins are currently available at the Norlane vaccination hub.