- Moderna COVID-19 vaccine has been approved for children who are between 6 and 11 years old. Half of the adult dose will be inoculated in children, with the vaccines available from tomorrow Thursday 24 February.
- The Therapeutic Goods Administration is the first in the world to approve the use of Moderna COVID-19 vaccine in children aged 6 to 11, with other international regulators expected to follow soon, according to Adjunct Professor John Skerritt.
- Restrictions will be relaxed in New South Wales schools on Monday 28 February. There will be no more cohorting, with students from different years and classes free to interact, and parents and visitors will be allowed back on school sites.
- Face masks will not be required in NSW high schools from Monday 28 February and in primary schools from Monday 7 March.
- This adds to the announcement made on Sunday that RAT testing will not be a requirement any more in NSW schools from next week. RAT tests will be provided to students' families to be used when deemed necessary.
- Face masks will not be required in the ACT from Friday 25 February in most indoor settings. They still have to be worn on public transport, when working or visiting in a high-risk setting (hospitals, residential aged care facilities, correctional facilities or residential accommodation facilities), at the airport, on flights and for staff and visitors in schools. Students in years 7 to 12 are also required to wear a face mask while in an indoor space at school.
- Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk explained the high number of deaths reported today as they include the weekly report from the Department of Births, Deaths and Marriages with deaths occurring over a longer time period.
COVID-19 Australian Stats
New South Wales reported 1,246 patients hospitalised with 69 in intensive care. There were 6 deaths, and 8,931 new cases of COVID-19.
In Victoria, 319 people are in hospital with 22 in ICU and 8 on ventilators. There were 17 deaths and 6,926 new infections.
In Queensland, there were 6,301 new COVID-19 cases and 37 deaths. 379 people are hospitalised with COVID-19, with 35 patients in intensive care.
Tasmania has recorded no deaths with 842 new COVID-19 cases. 10 people are in hospital with COVID-19, two of them in ICU.
In the ACT 40 people are now in hospital with COVID-19, with 2 patients in intensive care. No death has been reported with 946 new cases.
Western Australia has reported 645 new cases, with 5 people in hospital with COVID-19.
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