Five cases of variant in NSW

A WOMAN in her 30s who spent time on the NSW Central Coast and in Sydney’s west is the state’s fifth case of the Omicron Covid variant.

The woman flew into Sydney from South Africa on November 25, before new travel restrictions were introduced.

NSW Health revealed the passenger, who is fully vaccinated, flew from Doha to Sydney before travelling to the Central Coast in a private car.

“Everyone on the flight is considered a close contact and will need to get tested immediately for Covid-19 and isolate for 14 days, regardless of their vaccination status,” a spokesman said.

“NSW Health is contacting all passengers and flight crew to advise them of their isolation requirements.”

Health Minister Greg Hunt has said that there was no cause for alarm over the new Omicron strain, describing it as “manageable”. Chief medical officer Paul Kelly said all the cases so far had been mild or asymptomatic.

However, while more intense restrictions do not seem to be on the cards, officials said that Australians should be prepared for the possibility of booster shots next winter.

International students and migrants were to be allowed into the country on December 1 but that has been delayed until December 15.

Professor Kelly said the cases identified in Australia were all fully vaccinated: “It’s similar to travellers in other countries, almost all of them directly linked with southern Africa – they are young. They’re doubly vaccinated.”

Professor Kelly also said that vaccine boosters may be a weapon against the new variant as well as other future variants, with Australia able to deliver around 300,000 jabs a day – as occurred in the peak vaccination months of September and October. “Boosters in winter make a lot of sense.”