Covid to become ‘seasonal’

WAVES of Covid-19 will likely become “seasonal” as authorities reveal Queensland is currently in the grip of a second Omicron spike.

Another 9730 cases and three deaths were recorded on Friday, while one in 50 schoolchildren have tested positive during the past week.

But despite the spike, there hasn’t been an increase in hospitalisations or people requiring ICU beds.

The state has had cases increase by 54 per cent in just two weeks, while 47 per cent of cases lived in the same household as a primary case.

Chief health officer John Gerrard said he would not be requesting specific mandates for schools but if there were individual outbreaks, headmasters were encouraged to implement mask wearing.

Dr Gerrard also said while it may take several years, Covid-19 would likely “get into a seasonal pattern” as opposed to “random waves”.

“Our experience and understanding of the pandemic is largely based on influenza,” he said.

“Each wave gets less and less.”