NSW’s top doctor has revealed a fresh list of underlying conditions Aussie Covid patients under the age of 65 are dying with – as she warns three key groups to get their booster shot immediately.
Dr Kerry Chant urged the overweight and obese, people with chronic conditions affecting major organs and the elderly to arrange and get a booster shot as soon as possible.
The warning came during the state’s Friday Covid update as the chief health officer described the various health conditions the 18 people under the age of 65 who died with the virus.
Among the conditions the group died from were cardiac disease, obesity, pulmonary disease, diabetes, cancer, mental illness and genetic conditions.
NSW Chief Health Officer Dr Kerry Chant said those with chronic conditions affecting major organs, the overweight or obese, and the elderly, should all receive a booster jab as soon as possible
The group who died included one person in their 30s, two people who were in their 40s, 10 in their 50s and five in their early 60s.
Dr Chant said eight of the cohort were unvaccinated, one had received one dose of a vaccine, eight had two doses, and only one had received three doses.
‘We want everyone to get boosted but I particularly want people who have got chronic conditions affecting their neurological systems, their heart, their lungs, their livers and kidneys, or that are overweight or obese, to get vaccinated… and the elderly to get that booster dose,’ Dr Chant said.
‘We know for the greatest protection against the Omicron variant we need that third dose so please do not delay.’
A further 192 people over the age of 65 had died in the past week, including 43 people who died in aged care facilities, 147 in hospital, and two who died at home.
Of those who died at home, one was a man in his 60s and another in his 80s. One was not vaccinated and one had received two doses of the vaccine.
NSW announced 13,333 new Covid cases in the past 24 hours – the lowest figure this year – but a spike in deaths to 35 people, a six-day high. Above, shoppers on George St, Sydney
The revelation on underlying conditions of those aged under 65 came as Dr Chant announced 13,333 positive tests returned in past 24 hours – the lowest figure in NSW this year – but a spike in deaths to 35 people, a six-day high.
Dr Chant also notified an additional 35 deaths – 19 men and 16 women – that occurred in aged care facilities in south western Sydney earlier in January but had not been immediately reported to the Ministry of Health.
Despite the falling number of cases in NSW, Health Minister Brad Hazzard is frustrated that the majority of those eligible for a booster shot have decided they do not need it.
‘The booster is what will slow the transmission, but also reduce the likelihood of the severe illness, so for everybody who is eligible, please go and get the booster as quickly as possible,’ he told ABC TV on Friday.
A Covid-19 testing clinic at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital in Sydney. Only 36.4 per cent of the eligible population in NSW had received a third booster jab as of Friday
About 100,000 vaccine slots in NSW-run clinics were not taken up last week.
Many people are confused about when they can have the booster after contracting Covid-19, he said.
‘It is a very clear message now: four to six weeks after you’ve had Covid, you can have the booster,’ he said.
A survey commissioned for the government also found about half of booster-eligible people in NSW are in the dark about their eligibility.
People who have not contracted Covid should have their booster shot three months after their second jab, he said, which was reinforced on Friday by Dr Chant.
Only 36.4 per cent of the eligible population in NSW had received a third booster jab.
NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet warned of further cases as the state continued to ‘live with the virus’ and more people returned to work, but expected the strain on the state’s hospital system to begin to ease
Premier Dominic Perrottet said he expected the current strain on the hospital system will soon ease as hospitalisations begin to plateau.
He warned of further cases, however, as the state continued to ‘live with the virus’ and more people returned to work.
‘Let’s be frank: Australia sleeps up to Australia Day and then … gets moving,’ Mr Perrottet said.
‘So we expect cases to increase.’
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