Key Points
- Queensland drops mandatory vaccination requirements for private health workers
- TGA approves vaccine that targets the original and BA.1 Omicron variants
- WHO reports a decline in weekly cases and deaths
On Friday, Australia reported at least 58 COVID-19 deaths, including 21 in New South Wales and 17 in Victoria.
Western Australia (WA) has become the first state to scrap face mask rules on public transport, including rideshare and taxis. The new changes will come into effect on 9 September.
However, mask-wearing is still required in high-risk settings such as hospitals, prisons, and aged and disability care facilities.
From today (2 September), visiting hour limit has been eased for aged and disability care facilities in the state.
Queensland has dropped mandatory COVID-19 vaccination requirements for private health workers.
However, workers in aged and disability care facilities are still required to stay up to date with their vaccinations.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese defended National Cabinet's decision to shorten the COVID-19 isolation period for asymptomatic Australians from seven to five days.
Mr Albanese told ABC News Breakfast it was a "necessary decision" supported by all states and territories.
The Therapeutic Goods Administration has provisionally approved Moderna's bivalent COVID-19 vaccine that targets the original COVID-19 variant and BA.1 Omicron variant.
The booster dose can be used in people aged 18 and over.
"Initial analysis shows that the bivalent vaccine also generates a higher immune response against the sub-variants BA.4 and BA.5 than the original SPIKEVAX vaccine," it said.
The new global COVID-19 cases and deaths declined by 16 per cent and 13 per cent, respectively, for the week ending 28 August, the World Health Organization noted in its latest weekly report.
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