Virus parties ‘ridiculous’

AUSSIES planning to attend Covid parties in the hope of getting the virus have been slammed as “ridiculous”, with Scott Morrison warning people can be reinfected with Omicron.

The soaring number of positive infections was at the forefront of national cabinet talks on Thursday, as leaders prepare for children to return to the classroom at the end of the month. The Prime Minister urged people to be responsible about their health and continue using common sense, saying the goal was no longer about stopping everyone in the country from getting Covid.

“All this nonsense about Covid parties, it is ridiculous,” Mr Morrison said.

“If you think you can go out there and get the virus and get it over with, that is not how it works. That is not how the virus is writing the rules. The goal is to protect our hospitals and keep our society, and economy, functioning as we ride this latest wave of Omicron.”

Leaders also heard that at least 10 per cent of workers nationwide were expected to be absent from their jobs at any point due to Covid.

But keeping schools open was an important way to prevent workforce shortages from being exacerbated, and the absentee rate rising to 15 per cent.

Mr Morrison said the medical advice stated students could safely return to schools for term one.

“Childcare and schools are essential, and should be first to open and last to close wherever possible, and face-to-face learning prioritised,” he said.

National cabinet also discussed how rapid antigen testing could be used for surveillance testing in childcare and school settings, particularly primary schools.

Mr Morrison said detailed operational plans would be presented at next week’s meeting, which would also include advice about mask wearing.

Concession card holders will also be able to access free rapid antigen tests from January 24. Those eligible will have access to 10 free tests over three months, with a maximum of five a month.

Pharmacies will have to source their own supply, but will be reimbursed under a funding agreement between federal and state governments.

More than one million Australians have tested positive for Covid-19 and 2500 people have died.

The nation’s chief medical officer, Professor Paul Kelly, said Australia had quickly caught up to the rest of the world, with half of its total case numbers diagnosed since the beginning of January.