• Another 1125 cases, five deaths in Victoria
• NSW records 187 new cases, seven deaths
• SA Health checks movements of NT virus case
• Labor to appoint River Murray Commissioner if elected
• SA reaches 70 per cent vaccination for over-16s
• GPs, pharmacies join COVID booster shot program
• UK booster warning as vax immunity wanes among elderly
• Pakistan books semi-final with Australia

Another 1126 cases, five deaths in Victoria

Victoria has recorded another 1126 new COVID-19 cases and five deaths, with 91 people in intensive care including 54 on ventilators.

The health department said on Monday the state had 16,178 active cases, with 556 in hospital.

The seven-day hospitalisation average has fallen by 20 to 628.

Another 44,479 tests were processed on Sunday with 8337 vaccines administered at state-run hubs.

About 84 per cent of people over 12 are fully vaccinated.

NSW records 187 new cases, seven deaths

Another 187 new local cases of COVID-19 and seven deaths have been recorded in NSW as freedoms expand for the state’s fully vaccinated residents.

Those who have had two jabs can now gather in bigger numbers indoors and outdoors while school kids will be allowed assemblies and excursions from Monday under the state’s revised COVID-19 road map.

NSW businesses will now move to density restrictions of one person for every two square metres and fully vaccinated diners can book without number limits.

As many as 1000 people can gather outdoors while stadiums, racecourses, theme parks, zoos, cinemas and theatres can operate at 100 per cent of their fixed-seated capacity.

School children will be able to enjoy music classes, excursions and assemblies from Monday while teachers who aren’t fully vaccinated will be suspended.

A parliamentary committee was told last week that about 4900 teachers had not yet advised the Education Department of their vaccination status.

NSW is on the brink of hitting 90 per cent full vaccination coverage for people aged 16 and over, with 89.8 per cent now double-dosed.

All unvaccinated NSW residents will have to wait until December 15 or when the state reaches a 95 per cent double-vaccination rate to enjoy greater freedoms

SA Health checks movements of NT virus case

SA Health says it’s “unlikely” a woman who stayed overnight in South Australia two weeks ago before testing positive for COVID-19 in the Northern Territory was infectious in Adelaide, with an investigation into the woman’s movements underway.

The 21-year-old woman – who was revealed on the weekend as the source of the Northern Territory’s three-person COVID-19 cluster that prompted a lockdown in Greater Darwin and Katherine – had spent time in Melbourne where NT Chief Minister Michael Gunner said she “almost certainly” contracted the virus before spending time in Adelaide and Cairns.

She arrived in Adelaide on Sunday, October 24, and is believed to have stayed overnight before flying to Cairns the next day.

SA Health said it was investigating the movements of the woman after she entered South Australia.

“It is unlikely she was infectious while in SA, however the investigation will determine any risk,” it said in a statement.

South Australian authorities over the weekend introduced 14-day self-quarantine requirements on unvaccinated travellers from the Nothern Territory, while vaccinated travellers from the top end are now subject to day one, five and 13 testing requirements in SA.

Queensland Health on Sunday listed six contact-tracing alerts for a Jetstar flight from Adelaide to Cairns on October 25 and sites in Cairns and Mission Beach on October 25, 27 and 29, including the Cairns Domestic Airport and Cairns Central Shopping Centre.

All are listed as casual or low-risk contacts.

The woman arrived in Darwin from Queensland on October 29. Gunner said she had been fined for lying on her border entry form.

Queensland Health officials are also looking into another COVID-19 scare in the state’s southeast, with Toowoomba Hospital “keeping visitors to a minimum” as it probes a possible exposure linked to the recent Goondiwindi cluster.

Four people have tested positive in Goondiwindi on the state border. They had recently visited the northern NSW town of Moree, which has been battling a COVID-19 outbreak.

Labor to appoint River Murray Commissioner if elected

Labor has vowed to install a Commissioner for the River Murray in South Australia and prepare for High Court legal action over the Murray Darling Basin Plan if it wins the March state election.

The Opposition has also pledged to act on every demand of the Murray Darling Royal Commission and present a “series of demands” to the federal government over water policy, including that a South Australian representative be appointed to the Murray Darling Basin Authority Board.

It comes amid an ongoing tussle between the State Government and the Nationals over the delivery of 450 gigalitres of water which would most benefit the SA portion of the Murray.

The allocation was agreed to in the Murray Darling Basin Plan but the Nationals have pushed to ban the government from buying back water from the eastern states to return to South Australia.

Labor says the Commissioner for the River Murray would be an eminent jurist who would advise the State Government and work with irrigators, environmentalists and river communities to improve water management.

The commissioner would report back to parliament once a year.

The Opposition also says preparing for High Court legal action is a bid to ensure the Murray Darling Basin Plan is delivered in full.

“The River Murray is the lifeblood of so many South Australian communities, businesses and jobs,” Opposition leader Peter Malinauskas said this morning.

“As we have seen over the past three and a half years, when we have a weak State Government, the eastern states trample all over us.

“That’s why Labor has a plan for action to ensure that South Australia’s interests are put first.”

The Opposition also over the weekend pledged to scrap the State Government’ electric vehicle tax which was legislated in parliament last week.

SA reaches 70 per cent vaccination for over-16s

South Australia has reached the 70 per cent double dose vaccination milestone, with the state’s border reopening date just over two weeks away.

Federal government figures show that as of Saturday, 70.3 per cent of people in South Australia over the age of 16 are fully vaccinated against COVID-19, while 83.7 per cent have received a first dose.

SA Health-commissioned modelling from the University of Adelaide predicts South Australia will reach the 80 per cent double-dose milestone on November 29.

That’s despite significant inequities in the rollout, with several northern suburbs LGAs only projected to be around 60 to 70 per cent double dosed on the November 23 border reopening date, according to modelling from local data scientist Ben Moretti.

Similarly, the latest Indigenous vaccination data for South Australia, correct as of last Tuesday, shows just 40.5 per cent of the state’s Aboriginal population is fully vaccinated.

South Australia’s vaccination rate for children aged between 12 and 15 are also the second-worst in the nation, with 53.5 per cent of the cohort having received one dose and only 28.8 per fully vaccinated.

The national average for vaccination in the 12-15 cohort is more than 52 per cent.

Most COVID-19 restrictions in South Australia are not due to ease until 90 per cent of the over-12s population is fully vaccinated.

GPs, pharmacies join COVID booster shot program

COVID-19 booster vaccinations will be available from GPs and pharmacies from Monday for those who had their second jab six months ago.

Australia’s deputy chief medical officer Sonya Bennett said two doses are highly effective in preventing people from getting sick with COVID-19, but some studies have shown that immunity does tend to wane over time.

“For those people 18 and up who had a vaccine at least six months ago, we encourage you to make an appointment and get your booster dose,” Bennett told reporters on Sunday.

“There is plenty of vaccine for all of us to get our booster.”

Australia passed a major milestone over the weekend of having 80 per cent of the national population aged 16 and over fully vaccinated.

But Bennett is urging everyone to get on board and be vaccinated.

“COVID will be in the community in each and every area of Australia over time as we open up,” she warned.

“Everyone will be at risk of being exposed to COVID. The best way to protect yourself against diseases is to get vaccinated.”

The South Australian Government announced on Friday that those in phase 1A of the vaccination rollout – including frontline workers and aged care and disability residents – are allowed to walk-in to state-run vaccination clinics to receive a third booster shot of the Pfizer vaccine.

The booster program will be extended to all South Australian from December 1 provided they have waited six months are receiving their second shot.

SA Health-run clinics will only offer Pfizer’s mRNA vaccine as a booster shot following approval from the Therapeutic Goods Administration last week.

Health authorities say it is safe for people who have previously received the AstraZeneca vaccination to receive the Pfizer vaccine as a third dose.

UK booster warning as vax immunity wanes among elderly

An NHS COVID-19 vaccination health campaign advertisement is displayed near a housing block in London, October 21, 2021. (Photo: Reuters/Toby Melville).

More than 10 million people have had COVID-19 booster jabs, according to new figures, as people were told to get their top-up to help prevent restrictions this Christmas.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the milestone was “amazing” as he warned boosters will be crucial to keep people protected through the winter.

Meanwhile, the chief medical adviser at the UK Health Security Agency said the number of deaths among the vaccinated population is on the rise as immunity wanes.

The prime minister tweeted: “An amazing 10 million people across the UK have already come forward for their booster.

“We know vaccine immunity wanes over time, so boosters are vital in keeping you and your loved ones protected through the winter.

“Please get this lifesaving jab as soon as you are called.”

In total, 10,062,704 people in the UK have received a top-up jab, according to the government, with 409,663 receiving one on Saturday.

But about 30 per cent of over-80s and 40 per cent of over-50s in England are yet to receive a booster shot of vaccine, the Department of Health and Social Care said.

People over 50 and those most at risk from COVID-19 are eligible for a booster six months after their second jab.

From Monday, the NHS is changing the booking system to allow people to pre-book a booster appointment five months after their second COVID-19 vaccine, allowing them to get it as soon as they pass the six-month mark.

The latest figures come as chief medical adviser at the UK Health Security Agency, Dr Susan Hopkins, said elderly and vulnerable people who are double vaccinated have started dying, as the immunity provided by the vaccine reduces over time.

“We’re still seeing deaths in mainly the unvaccinated population, but increasingly, because of immune waning effects, there are deaths in the vaccinated group as well,” she said.

“It is particularly the older age groups, so the over-70s in particular, but also those who are clinically vulnerable, extremely vulnerable, and have underlying medical conditions.”

Pakistan books semi-final with Australia

Pakistan’s captain Babar Azam celebrates scoring fifty runs during the Cricket Twenty20 World Cup match between Pakistan and Scotland (AP Photo/Aijaz Rahi).

Babar Azam and Shoaib Malik cracked blistering half-centuries as Pakistan eased past Scotland by 72 runs to seal top spot in Group II and set up a semi-final meeting with Australia.

The former World Twenty20 champions have won all five matches and will be formidable opponents but Justin Langer’s team are in good form themselves after a slow start.

The tie will be in the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Thursday.

Azam opted to bat on Sunday first after winning the toss and the captain led from the front with a 47-ball 66 that contained five boundaries and three sixes before Malik put the Scots to the sword with an 18-ball 54 dotted by six hits over the ropes.

Mohammad Hafeez also joined the party with a 19-ball 31 to help them reach a commanding 4-189 in their 20 overs, with 114 coming off the final eight.

The winless Scots had little reward in their final Super 12 stage clash, with spinner Chris Greaves’ two wickets – that of Azam and Fakhar Zaman – coming at the cost of 43 runs in his four overs.

Pakistan reduced Scotland to 4-41 with Shadab Khan removing dangerous opener George Munsey for 17 before bowling out Dylan Budge for a duck to lay the foundation for another convincing victory in a tournament where they have been flawless.

Richie Berrington brought up his half-century in the 18th over off Hasan Ali, smashing the paceman for a huge six along the way, but his gutsy 54 not out went in vain as Scotland managed only 6-117 in their 20 overs.

New Zealand beat Afghanistan earlier in the group to book a clash with England in the semi-finals.

-With AAP and Reuters