- In NSW, non-urgent elective surgery will be suspended until February, after the state reported 38,625 infections in the last 24 hours.
- NSW residents who record positive rapid antigen tests will need to report their result to the health department and it will be counted the same as a positive PCR test, NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet also announced.
- New restrictions on singing and dancing in hospitality venues in NSW will come into force and continue until 27 January.
- Where vaccinations are mandatory, they will have to include boosters, Perrottet said in a press conference today.
- NSW has hit a record 1,738 hospitalisations from COVID-19. There are 134 people in intensive care, NSW Health said.
- In Victoria hospitalisations have again increased to 644 people. There are 58 active cases in intensive care and 24 on ventilation.
- Prime Minister Scott Morrison has urged Australians to check their eligibility for federal pandemic leave disaster payments, as Omicron cases surge. The payment is worth $750 for each seven day period a person has been told to self-isolate or quarantine.
- Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk warned the start of term one for primary schools in Queensland could be delayed by up to two weeks if the Omicron outbreak worsens.
- Unvaccinated residents in the Northern Territory have now to adhere to strict lockout restrictions. Those unvaccinated aged over 16 can only leave their house for three reasons and cannot travel more than 30 kilometres from their home.
- The World Health Organisation (WHO) has warned against describing the Omicron variant as mild, saying it is killing people across the world.
COVID-19 Stats:
New South Wales has recorded 38,625 new COVID-19 cases and 11 deaths, while Victoria has reported 17,636 new infections and six deaths.
Queensland has recorded 10,953 new cases, while South Australia reported 3,070 infections.
The ACT has reported 1,246 cases, while 1,489 infections have been recorded in Tasmania.
Quarantine and restrictions state by state
Travel
Financial help
There are changes to the COVID-19 Disaster Payment once states reach 70 and 80 per cent fully vaccinated:
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