Key Points
- Pensioners and concession cardholders in NSW can get up to 10 free RATs from today
- National cabinet to decide on reducing the isolation period on Wednesday
- The deadline for free flu shots expires on 31 August
On Monday, Australia reported at least 11 COVID-19 deaths, including four each in New South Wales and Victoria.
The number of new daily COVID-19 cases continues to decline across Australian states and territories.
Victoria's plan to provide free nursing education to more than 10,000 budding nurses and midwives in 2023 and 2024 has drawn criticism from industry leaders.
Michael Roff, chief executive of the Australian Private Hospitals Association, said this is not good news for the state's public hospital system.
“Victoria’s public hospitals are already groaning under the strain of COVID-19, influenza, and massive elective surgery backlogs," he said.
“They are currently relying on the private sector to help them manage all of this. If the private sector loses hospitals, the pressure on the public system only increases.”
From today, pensioners and other eligible concession card holders can collect up to 10 free RATs from any Service NSW Service Centre, Mobile Service Centre or Disaster Recovery Centre.
On Wednesday, the national cabinet may reduce the current isolation period from seven to five days for those testing positive to coronavirus.
Researchers from the University of Queensland said the COVID-19 pandemic had a significant financial and psychological impact on women.
Lead researcher Dr Terry Fitzsimmons said women either reduced their work hours or stopped working altogether during the lockdowns. They took on more domestic labour than their male counterparts.
The deadline to get free flu shots across Australian states and territories ends on 31 August.
Find a Long COVID clinic
Find a COVID-19 testing clinic
Register your RAT results here, if you're positive
Read all COVID-19 information in your language on the