Latest news with #PaulGriffin
Sydney Morning Herald
3 days ago
- Health
- Sydney Morning Herald
New COVID variant emerges as vaccinations hit five-year low
A surge of COVID cases and the emergence of a new variant ahead have raised concerns from health authorities, with doctors warning vaccination rates in Queensland have fallen to a five-year low. Figures show more than 15,000 COVID cases have been reported in Queensland since January, with nearly 3000 people hospitalised with the virus. At the same time, fewer than 250,000 Queenslanders have received their free booster jab this year, which Mater hospital's director of infectious diseases Professor Paul Griffin said was the lowest since COVID vaccines were introduced five years ago. 'We have dropped the ball with COVID-19 vaccinations, but this disease is still very prevalent in the community and poses a serious threat to high-risk patients,' Griffin said. The figures arrived as NB.1.8.1 – a sublineage of the Omicron variant – emerged, which Griffin said was driving up infections and hospitalisations, particularly in Asia and Western Australia. Loading 'The best way to protect yourself and your family, is to get the newest booster which provides very good coverage, is safe, and will reduce the severity of your symptoms if you contract COVID-19.' Griffith University virology and infectious diseases expert Associate Professor Lara Herrero said preliminary data regarding NB.1.8.1 – designated a 'variant under monitoring' by the World Health Organisation last week – suggests the virus can attach to host cells and evade antibodies slightly 'stronger' and 'better' than other variants. 'From other places that have sequenced this variant, we can see that there are mutations that are accumulating in the virus's spike protein – that's the outer shell protein that the virus uses to attach to our cells,' Herrero said.
The Age
3 days ago
- Health
- The Age
New COVID variant emerges as vaccinations hit five-year low
A surge of COVID cases and the emergence of a new variant ahead have raised concerns from health authorities, with doctors warning vaccination rates in Queensland have fallen to a five-year low. Figures show more than 15,000 COVID cases have been reported in Queensland since January, with nearly 3000 people hospitalised with the virus. At the same time, fewer than 250,000 Queenslanders have received their free booster jab this year, which Mater hospital's director of infectious diseases Professor Paul Griffin said was the lowest since COVID vaccines were introduced five years ago. 'We have dropped the ball with COVID-19 vaccinations, but this disease is still very prevalent in the community and poses a serious threat to high-risk patients,' Griffin said. The figures arrived as NB.1.8.1 – a sublineage of the Omicron variant – emerged, which Griffin said was driving up infections and hospitalisations, particularly in Asia and Western Australia. Loading 'The best way to protect yourself and your family, is to get the newest booster which provides very good coverage, is safe, and will reduce the severity of your symptoms if you contract COVID-19.' Griffith University virology and infectious diseases expert Associate Professor Lara Herrero said preliminary data regarding NB.1.8.1 – designated a 'variant under monitoring' by the World Health Organisation last week – suggests the virus can attach to host cells and evade antibodies slightly 'stronger' and 'better' than other variants. 'From other places that have sequenced this variant, we can see that there are mutations that are accumulating in the virus's spike protein – that's the outer shell protein that the virus uses to attach to our cells,' Herrero said.
Daily Mail
3 days ago
- General
- Daily Mail
Health expert furious as Aussies avoid getting the Covid-19 vaccine: 'We have dropped the ball'
Australians have been warned that falling Covid vaccinations rates could pose a risk as a new highly contagious strain of the virus emerges. The variant known as NB.1.8.1 - first recorded on January 21 - is responsible for a sharp rise in cases in China, Hong Kong and Taiwan and is now the dominant strain in WA, responsible for a 24 per cent jump in case numbers. Professor Paul Griffin, from Mater Hospital in Brisbane, said the Covid vaccination rate is the lowest it has been since they were introduced five years ago. 'We have dropped the ball with Covid-19 vaccinations, but this disease is still very prevalent in the community and poses a serious threat to high-risk patients,' said Prof. Griffin, who is director of infectious diseases at the hospital. 'It should now be a once-a-year booster, just like the flu vaccine is, and with winter here next week, now is the time to get vaccinated and it's safe to get them both together. 'There are hundreds of different strains of Omicron, and the new subvariant NB.1.8.1 is driving up infections and hospitalisations, particularly in Asia and Western Australia. 'The best way to protect yourself and your family, is to get the newest booster which provides very good coverage, is safe, and will reduce the severity of your symptoms.' Fewer than 250,000 Queenslanders have received a yearly booster despite it, along with the flu vaccine, being free. He said there has also been a sharp rise in flu cases in Queensland with more than 2,000 people already hospitalised this year. This is a 30 per cent increase on the same period last year and could pose a threat of overloading the hospital system if Covid cases also spiked. He said cases of Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) were also high with 1,500 people hospitalised making it a 'triple threat'. 'More than half of these hospitalisations have been for the most vulnerable in our community, babies less than six months and people over 65,' Prof Griffin said. RSV vaccinations are free for pregnant women, with immunity then passed onto babies up until they are six months old. Experts have warned that childhood vaccination rates across the board - not just for Covid - have been steadily dropping since the Covid pandemic. 'Since 2020, the share of children who are fully vaccinated has fallen every year. For every child vaccine on the National Immunisation Schedule, protection was lower in 2024 than in 2020,' Professor Peter Beadon of the Grattan Institute said. 'Globally, in 2023, measles cases rose by 20 per cent.
West Australian
3 days ago
- Health
- West Australian
‘Serious threat': Fresh Covid warnings as jab rates decline
Covid vaccination rates in Queensland are at their lowest since the jabs were introduced five years ago, with health professionals warning that the virus still poses a 'serious threat' to the community. Fewer than 250,000 Queenslanders have received their free Covid booster this year, prompting urgent calls from doctors to people who have not yet been vaccinated to get the jab. The calls come as new data from the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing revealed that more than 15,000 Covid cases had been reported in Queensland since January, with almost 3000 people hospitalised with the virus. 'We have dropped the ball with Covid-19 vaccinations, but this disease is still very prevalent in the community and poses a serious threat to high-risk patients,' Mater director of infectious diseases Paul Griffin said. 'Particularly for high-risk people, it should now be a once-a-year booster, just like the flu vaccine is, and with winter here next week, now is the time to get vaccinated and it's safe to get them both together. 'There are hundreds of different strains of Omicron, and the new subvariant NB. 1.8.1 is driving up infections and hospitalisations, particularly in Asia and Western Australia. 'The best way to protect yourself and your family is to get the newest booster which provides very good coverage, is safe, and will reduce the severity of your symptoms if you contract Covid-19.' Queensland health providers are dealing with high cases of both flu and RSV, in addition to Covid. More than 2000 Queenslanders have been hospitalised with the flu this year. Cases are up more than 30 per cent from the same time last year, but only a quarter of Queenslanders have been vaccinated. 'We are at our lowest levels of vaccination and protection in five years and with early rises in cases with winter approaching, the impact on our healthcare system could be significant, particularly with high levels of flu and RSV,' Professor Griffin said. The Covid and flu vaccines are free in Queensland and available at most pharmacies and GP clinics, and they are safe to receive at the same time In addition to Covid and the flu, about 12,000 cases of RSV have been reported in Queensland this year, with more than 1500 people hospitalised. 'More than half of these hospitalisations have been for the most vulnerable in our community, babies less than six months and people over 65,' Professor Griffin said. RSV is the leading cause of hospitalisation for babies in Australia, and Queensland recorded the highest number of deaths due to RSV last year. RSV vaccinations are free for pregnant women, with immunity then passed onto babies up until they are six months old.
News.com.au
3 days ago
- General
- News.com.au
‘Serious threat': Fresh Covid warnings as jab rates decline
Covid vaccination rates in Queensland are at their lowest since the jabs were introduced five years ago, with health professionals warning that the virus still poses a 'serious threat' to the community. Fewer than 250,000 Queenslanders have received their free Covid booster this year, prompting urgent calls from doctors to people who have not yet been vaccinated to get the jab. The calls come as new data from the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing revealed that more than 15,000 Covid cases had been reported in Queensland since January, with almost 3000 people hospitalised with the virus. 'We have dropped the ball with Covid-19 vaccinations, but this disease is still very prevalent in the community and poses a serious threat to high-risk patients,' Mater director of infectious diseases Paul Griffin said. 'Particularly for high-risk people, it should now be a once-a-year booster, just like the flu vaccine is, and with winter here next week, now is the time to get vaccinated and it's safe to get them both together. 'There are hundreds of different strains of Omicron, and the new subvariant NB. 1.8.1 is driving up infections and hospitalisations, particularly in Asia and Western Australia. 'The best way to protect yourself and your family is to get the newest booster which provides very good coverage, is safe, and will reduce the severity of your symptoms if you contract Covid-19.' Queensland health providers are dealing with high cases of both flu and RSV, in addition to Covid. More than 2000 Queenslanders have been hospitalised with the flu this year. Cases are up more than 30 per cent from the same time last year, but only a quarter of Queenslanders have been vaccinated. 'We are at our lowest levels of vaccination and protection in five years and with early rises in cases with winter approaching, the impact on our healthcare system could be significant, particularly with high levels of flu and RSV,' Professor Griffin said. The Covid and flu vaccines are free in Queensland and available at most pharmacies and GP clinics, and they are safe to receive at the same time In addition to Covid and the flu, about 12,000 cases of RSV have been reported in Queensland this year, with more than 1500 people hospitalised. 'More than half of these hospitalisations have been for the most vulnerable in our community, babies less than six months and people over 65,' Professor Griffin said. RSV is the leading cause of hospitalisation for babies in Australia, and Queensland recorded the highest number of deaths due to RSV last year. RSV vaccinations are free for pregnant women, with immunity then passed onto babies up until they are six months old.
