Australia has recorded another 26 COVID-19-related deaths as the nation's peak immunisation advisory body released new advice on COVID-19 vaccine booster shots, while travel restrictions are set to ease further.
Victoria reported nine COVID-19-related fatalities and there were seven fatalities in NSW, four in South Australia, three in Queensland, two in Western Australia (both historical) and one in the ACT on Friday.
NSW recorded 23,702 new COVID-19 cases; there were 9,730 fresh infections in Queensland, 9,244 in Victoria, 8,133 in WA, 4,549 in SA, 1,786 in Tasmania, 1,122 in the ACT and 335 in the Northern Territory.
In NSW, there are 1,182 people with the virus in hospitals across the state. Of those, 43 are in intensive care units (ICU).
There are 253 people with COVID-19 in Victorian hospitals. Some 19 are in ICU, including four on ventilators.
The number of people in hospital in other states and territories:
• Queensland - 265
• Western Australia - 209
• South Australia - 157
• ACT - 42
• Tasmania - 24
• NT - 20
In Queensland, 14 of those are in ICU, while 10 people in WA and six people in SA are also in ICU.
Fourth COVID-19 vaccine dose approved
The Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) has recommended a second booster be administered for Australians over 65, Indigenous Australians over 50, those in disability care and those who are immunocompromised over the age of 16.
The doses will be rolled out to those groups from 4 April at pharmacies, GPs and vaccine clinics.
The ATAGI advice recommends the second booster be given to those groups between four and six months after the first booster.
ATAGI said the fourth dose could also be administered four months after a COVID-19 infection, if the infection happened after a person received their first booster.
The Pfizer and Moderna vaccines will be recommended for the booster doses, but non-mRNA vaccines such as AstraZeneca and Novavax will also be recommended for a fourth shot, should people prefer those options.
The advice was given ahead of a winter that is expected to bring a spike in COVID-19 cases alongside a rise in flu infections.
However, Health Minister Greg Hunt said it was not likely the fourth dose would be expanded soon to include all of the eligible population.
"There's always continuous review, but at this stage, we're not predicting that that's likely to change," he told reporters on the Gold Coast on Friday.
ATAGI said there was insufficient evidence of benefits for an additional dose for broader sections of the population.
"Prevention of severe illness from COVID-19 remains the primary goal of the ongoing COVID-19 vaccination program," it said in a statement.
"These recommendations for an additional booster dose focus on protecting the most vulnerable groups against severe disease and reducing the potential burden on the healthcare system over the coming months."
Health Minister Greg Hunt. Source: AAP
"We have sufficient vaccines to dose all Australians not just four times but five times," he said.
"We are protecting the vulnerable, we are reducing harm."
Mr Hunt also announced the government's biosecurity emergency determination would not be renewed after April 17, when the determination expires.
The move would mean there would be no need for pre-flight testing for arrivals into Australia.
The health minister will also lose certain plenary powers that have been in place for more than two years.
However, arrivals to Australia will still need to be vaccinated and wear masks on flights.
