Key Points
- NSW reports 17,229 COVID cases and 115 deaths in the past seven days
- ATAGI maintains booster dose is not required in children aged 5-11
The Royal Life Saving Society and Surf Life Saving Australia (SLSA) reported 339 drownings in the past 12 months to 30 June.
It is the highest number of drownings in the country since 1996. The deaths have been linked to the COVID-19 pandemic and hot and wet weather.
"Increased drowning deaths in school-aged children is tragic and may be a sign of generational impacts of lessons missed due to COVID-19," SLSA chief executive Justin Scarr said.
The total fatalities include 141 coastal and 43 flood-related drownings.
States and territories have begun sharing their weekly COVID-19 numbers.
They decided to stop their daily updates on 9 September following a meeting of state and territory health ministers last month.
The Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) maintained that children aged 5-11 don't require a booster dose.
However, it will review the evidence once the Therapeutic Goods Administration approves a booster dose for this age group.
ATAGI is yet to approve the use of Pfizer's vaccine in children under six.
Moderna's Spikevax vaccine remains the only COVID-19 vaccine approved for this age group.
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