The Australian Health Protection Principal Committee (AHPPC) has issued a statement giving an update on COVID-19 and ongoing health protection measures. AHPPC says that Australian businesses should review their occupational health and safety risks and mitigations, and their business continuity plans. They should consider the feasibility of some employees working from home and support employees to take leave when sick.
Other key points from the statement include:
- Australia is experiencing significant community transmission of both COVID-19 and influenza, which is placing real stress on the community and health system.
- Australia is now beginning to see a new wave of COVID-19 infections, driven by the BA.4 and BA.5 Omicron subvariants. AHPPC expects that this wave will lead to a substantial increase in infections, hospitalisations and sadly, deaths, at a time when communities and health systems are already under strain.
- Without increased community and public health actions, impacts may be similar to that experienced during the BA.1 wave in January this year.
