Key Points
- Researchers from the University of Queensland link COVID-19 with heart damage
- TGA provisionally approves Pfizer's vaccine for children six months to under five years
- WHO continues to report a decline in new weekly global COVID cases and deaths
New South Wales and Victoria reported a decline in new COVID-19 infections, hospitalisations, deaths and ICU numbers for the week ending 6 October compared with the last week.
NSW Health said early indications suggest BA.2.75 infections are increasing in the state.
However, the state's seven-day hospitalisation average is the lowest since the start of this year. It is expected to remain low over the next few weeks.
Researchers from the University of Queensland have found that COVID-19 damages the heart.
They showed COVID is not 'just like the flu.'
Australian Medical Association president Steve Robson said Australia eased COVID-19 isolation too early.
"All the signs are that we're looking at another wave of COVID. If we have another wave over the holiday season, then it spells bad news for the country because we can't tackle that backlog," he told AAP.
The Therapeutic Goods Administration has provisionally approved a paediatric dose of Pfizer's vaccine for children six months to under five years.
The vaccine will now be reviewed by the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) before it is recommended to the federal health minister for approval.
Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine remains the only vaccine approved for vulnerable children in this age group.
TGA has allowed Moderna to submit its application for a bivalent vaccine targeting the original virus and Omicron's BA.5/BA.4 subvariants.
TGA said it will review the human clinical trial for the vaccine before granting provisional approval.
Australia has already approved the use of Moderna's vaccine that targets the original virus and Omicron's BA.1 subvariant as a third and fourth vaccine in individuals aged 18 and over.
Queensland, Victoria and Western Australia have closed the quarantine facilities to house COVID-19 positive cases.
More than $1 billion was spent building these purpose-built facilities during the pandemic.
The number of new weekly COVID-19 cases and deaths continues to decline globally.
On Thursday, the World Health Organization reported 8,300 deaths for the week ending 2 October, a 12 per cent from the previous week.
The highest numbers of new weekly cases were reported from Germany, the US, Japan, China, and France.
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