DANICA DE GIORGIO:
Well, for more on the COVID situation across the country, I'm now joined by the Deputy Chief Medical Officer, Professor Michael Kidd. Professor, thank you for joining us this morning. I want to begin by asking you about rapid antigen testing. New South Wales is looking to make it mandatory. Should all states and territories follow suit so that the country can keep track of infections?
MICHAEL KIDD:
Well, certainly we're seeing rising use of rapid antigen tests in different situations, I think it's up to each of the states and territories to determine how the rapid antigen tests may be used in their own jurisdictions based on what's happening with the current outbreaks and the position where we're at with the- with the pandemic in each location.
DANICA DE GIORGIO:
Supply is still a major issue. How many cases could be falling through the cracks if we're being told to use a rapid antigen test instead of a PCR test?
MICHAEL KIDD:
So, of course, many people are still receiving PCR tests. We have rising numbers of rapid antigen tests coming into the country each day and over the next couple of weeks, so there are lots of tests coming in. It is important that if people do have symptoms of COVID-19, or they are a close contact, that they do get tested either through the other PCR tests that we're used to or through a self-administered rapid antigen test at home or at work.
DANICA DE GIORGIO:
Yesterday, the Prime Minister admitted that Omicron is spreading faster than authorities had expected. Based on that, when do you think that we will see the peak?
MICHAEL KIDD:
Yes, it's a very good question, and the answer is, I don't know. So we're watching what's happening in countries overseas very closely, particularly those countries where the Omicron variant first appeared, including South Africa. But the difference between Australia and most other countries around the world is that most of the population of our country had not been exposed to COVID-19 infection before, whereas in many other countries, much of the population had been infected once, or more than once, during the last two years. So it makes it difficult to provide a precise prediction about when we'll reach a peak in the current wave that we're seeing in Australia.
DANICA DE GIORGIO:
Based on these rising case numbers, how confident are you that lockdowns really are a thing of the past in Australia?
MICHAEL KIDD:
Well, we certainly hope that lockdowns are a thing of the past, and that's, of course, due to the very high rates of vaccination in Australia. And we've had another very strong day with our vaccination rollout yesterday, over 190,000 people attended to get their booster vaccine. We now have 43.7 per cent of people in Australia who are eligible for booster vaccines, have received their booster vaccines. And of course, yesterday was also a very big day because we had the first day of the rollout of the Pfizer vaccine for the five to 11 year olds. And yesterday, over 35,000 five to 11 year olds turned up to general practises, pharmacies, and other vaccination centres across the country with their mum or dad to get the first dose of their Pfizer vaccine. And I just want to say a huge thanks to all your viewers who are among those 5 to 11 year olds, Danica, who went and got their vaccine yesterday or who are planning to get their vaccine over the next couple of weeks. We have 2.3 million children aged five to 11 to get vaccinated before the end of the month to make sure that those children have that added level of protection when they start back at school.
DANICA DE GIORGIO:
And just on the rollout for children. Some GPs have said they're not getting enough doses, as they've been encouraged to send these doses to state-run hubs, should kids be returning to school unvaccinated? The school term just begins in a couple of weeks' time.
MICHAEL KIDD:
Yes. So obviously, we're aiming that the 2.3 million children aged between five and 11 all receive their first dose by the end of January, so that by the time children are getting back to school, the majority of children will have received at least the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. We also acknowledge that many children and their parents would like to get their vaccines through their local general practise, where children are used to getting their vaccines through the childhood immunisation program from their own GP or from the wonderful general practise nurse who's working there as well. So we currently have 6000 sites where people can get the paediatric vaccine. That'll increase to 8000 sites over the coming few days. There'll be more and more appointments becoming available in general practises, pharmacies, Aboriginal medical services, and the state and territory hubs over the days ahead.
DANICA DE GIORGIO:
Okay. Deputy Chief Medical Officer, Professor Michael Kidd, thank you very much for joining us this morning.
MICHAEL KIDD:
Thanks, Danica.
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