Key Points
- Mr Butler says 'very concerned' over Medicare data breach
- Pfizer acquires Brisbane-based ResApp for $179 million
- ABS data shows fewer Australians are reporting cold, flu or COVID-19 symptoms
Health Minister Mark Butler said Australia has got sufficient doses of COVID-19 vaccines.
He told ABC that the government was trying to get the up-to-date vaccines through its current contracts with Pfizer and Moderna.
"We currently have agreements with Novavax, Pfizer and Moderna over the course of summer and into 2023," Mr Butler said.
The health minister was responding to the independent review by former health secretary Professor Jane Halton into the purchase of COVID-19 vaccine and treatments.
Prof Halton suggested Australia's should look at the option of sourcing Moderna's vaccine for 2023 as the current contract with the drug manufacturer expires at the end of the year.
Minister Butler said the government was looking into replacing Medicare cards for those affected by the Optus data breach.
"The breach of Optus data more broadly was known to us or notified to us last week. And we're particularly concerned that only in the last 24 hours that we learned about the breach of Medicare data," he said.
Pfizer has finally acquired ResApp for $179 million.
The Brisbane-based company has developed a smartphone application that diagnoses COVID-19 and other respiratory illnesses by listening to cough sounds.
The latest data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics shows fewer Australians are experiencing cold, flu and COVID-19 symptoms.
David Zago, head of household surveys at the ABS, said the study conducted between 8 and 28 August 2022 showed 36 per cent of households experienced cold, flu or COVID-19 symptoms, down from 42 per cent in July 2022.
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