4th dose on cards

QUEENSLANDERS have been warned they may need further Covid-19 booster shots by the end of the year, with some hospitals suspending services as the latest wave decimates the state’s health workforce.

From Monday, 7.4 million Australians will be eligible to receive a fourth vaccine dose, with the nation’s expert immunisation panel recommending the extra booster for everyone over 50.

The Darling Downs recorded 59 active cases of Covid-19 in the past 24 hours, taking the total number of cases up to 22, 578.

The Toowoomba region has recorded 11,096 cases.

Fifty eight people have died since the pandemic started.

Qld has recorded 5726 cases in the past 24 hours, with 714 people currently in hospital and 17 people in the Intensive Care Unit.

A fourth vaccine dose will be optional for those aged 30 to 49, as the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation said the benefit for people in that age group was less certain.

While he welcomed the ATAGI making the fourth dose more readily available, Mater Health Services director of infectious diseases Professor Paul Griffin said Queenslanders needed to be aware it was unlikely to be the last dose required and might not even be the last dose recommended this year.

“The expanded eligibility for the fourth dose is welcome news, as even a modest amount of additional protection is going to be of benefit as we experience a significant wave of transmission of the more infectious sub-variants of BA. 4 and BA. 5,” he said.

“This is not, however, a complete solution in itself.

“We need to focus primarily on getting those people already eligible for additional doses up to date with their vaccinations.

“We also need to do more to ensure people who are eligible for therapies get access to them in a timely manner.”

ATAGI’s decision comes as some under-pressure Queensland hospitals were forced to start cutting services. ATAGI also cut the gap between doses – as well as between infection and immunisation – from four months to three months.

The extra booster would be available nationwide from pharmacies and GP clinics.

Royal Australian College of General Practitioners vicepresident Bruce Willett urged people to be “patient and respectful” in the race for an appointment.

He said greater government support was needed for “exhausted” clinics.