Dean Smith (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Health and Aged Care, Senator Colbeck. How is the Liberal-National government responding to international developments in relation to the new COVID-19 variant of concern?

Richard Colbeck (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Senior Australians and Aged Care Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Smith for his question. As we've seen in the media over the last few days, a new strain of COVID-19 first detected in Southern Africa, known as the omicron strain, has been declared a variant of concern by the World Health Organization. The omicron strain has a high number of mutations within its spike protein. Three cases of the variant have been detected in Australia in passengers who arrived in Sydney and Darwin. Fourteen passengers from a Sydney flight from Southern Africa, including two infected, are in quarantine and the remaining passengers are isolating. One person at the Howard Springs quarantine facility has tested positive to the new omicron COVID variant.

Yesterday the minister for health signed a biosecurity determination, valid until 12 December, preventing people who have been in an omicron high-risk country within 14 days from entering Australia, unless they are an Australian citizen, a permanent resident, an immediate family member of a citizen or otherwise exempt, including crew, diplomats and members of the Australian Defence Force. High-risk countries for this purpose are Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Seychelles, South Africa and Zimbabwe. During this period flights from these countries will not be permitted. Australian citizens, permanent residents and immediate family members who have been in high-risk countries in 14 days prior to their travel will be permitted to return but will be required to undertake quarantine of 14 days in a managed facility. The government has increased the Smartraveller advice level for these high-risk countries in Southern Africa to 'do not travel'. (Time expired)

Slade Brockman (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Smith, a supplementary question?

Dean Smith (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

How does Australia's vaccination rate compare to other countries'?

Richard Colbeck (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Senior Australians and Aged Care Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Smith for his supplementary question. On both the health and economic fronts Australia has fared better than most countries in dealing with COVID-19. More than 92 per cent of the eligible population over 16 are now protected against COVID-19 with a first dose and more than 86 per cent with a second dose. Of the 38 developed OECD countries, Australia has the second-lowest number of COVID cases per capita. The UK and the US have more than 40 times the number of COVID deaths compared with Australia. For example, over 12 per cent of people in the United States and 11 per cent of people in the United Kingdom have had COVID. By contrast, 0.4 per cent of Australians have had COVID. It's estimated that our program of support for Australians has saved more than 30,000 lives, an important number— (Time expired)

Slade Brockman (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Smith, a second supplementary question?

Dean Smith (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

How can Australians continue to prepare as new strands of COVID-19 enter the country?

Richard Colbeck (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Senior Australians and Aged Care Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thanks, Senator Smith. There is very simple action that Australians can take: get vaccinated. Vaccination continues to be our best defence against the virus. To provide even greater protection against COVID-19, Australians aged 18 and over who have received two doses of a vaccine at least six months ago are now eligible for a booster shot. This follows advice from Australia's vaccine experts, the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation, and approval from Australia's medicines regulator, the Therapeutic Goods Administration. The booster program will roll out directly to people living in residential aged-care and disability homes through in-reach programs. As of today there are over 500 aged-care facilities and quite a few disability sites that have already received those in-reach programs. This makes Australia one of the first countries in the world to commence a whole-of-population booster program.