Australia determined to brave through Omicron

With the infection growing at a rapid pace, hospitals and supply chains are stressed

PRAVASISAMWAD.COM

Infected by Omicron with infections crossing the one million mark in Australia, the country’s Prime Minister, Scott Morrison, said that the nation must “push through” the outbreak. Reuters reported that with the infection growing at a rapid pace, hospitals and supply chains were stressed.

Australia had managed to keep the Covid infections in check, thanks to strict lockdowns and tough border controls but it is now in the grip of record infections. The number of hospital infections have once again brought curbs in some states, even as businesses grappled with shortages of staff because of sickness or isolation requirements.

Australia’s booster programme continues even as the country began inoculations with Pfizer’s vaccines for children aged five to 11

Morrison, facing pressure at the start of an election year, has chalked out changes to isolation rules to allow work in food production and distribution by those who have been in close contact with asymptomatic infections. “Omicron is a gear change and we have to push through,” the Prime Minister told a media briefing in the capital, Canberra. “You’ve got two choices here: you can push through or you can lock down. We are for pushing through.”

Morrison, reported Reuters, plans to eventually widen the changes to transport and other key sectors. Even though Australia was dealing with serious volumes of cases, health systems were coping, Morrison added. More than 3,500 people are in hospital, up from about 2,000 a week ago.

Australia’s strict border rules have been hitting the headlines after it cancelled an entry visa for star tennis player Novak Djokovic because of questions about his vaccine exemption.

Australia’s booster programme continues even as the country began inoculations with Pfizer’s vaccines for children aged five to 11.

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