COVID-19: Prime Minister Anthony Albanese gets fourth jab

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has rolled up his sleeve for his fourth dose of the COVID-19 vaccine as case numbers and hospitalisations increase across the country amid another Omicron wave.

Mr Albanese visited a pharmacy in Sydney on Tuesday to get his fourth shot, before he departs for the Pacific Islands Forum in Fiji on Wednesday.

The 59-year-old now falls into the age bracket of receiving an additional dose of the vaccine after ATAGI last week recommended it for people aged 50 to 64.

Since Monday, Australians between the ages of 30 to 49 may choose to the extra jab for better immunity against the deadly virus.

During a press conference on Wednesday, the Prime Minister said he was going to get his fourth shot after it because “that is what is recommended”.

“Follow the health advice,” Mr Albanese said.

“We will continue to take advice on these issues by the health experts, and we’ve acted on all the advice that has been given during this pandemic.”

It comes as the number of West Australians in hospital with COVID has increased more than 30 per cent in less than a week — driven by new, infectious BA.4 and BA.5 Omicron sub-variants.

On Tuesday, WA Health reported there were 297 COVID-positive patients hospitalised, compared to 226 last Wednesday.

More than 41,000 cases were reported across Australia in the past 24 hours with 6000 of these being in WA.

NSW and Victoria have now followed WA and the ACT by changing the COVID reinfection period from 12 weeks to four.

Health Minister Mark Butler said COVID cases were expected to peak across the country in the next month.

“All of the modelling indicates that case numbers and hospitalisations have further to go over probably the next four to six weeks,” Mr Butler told Melbourne radio 3AW.

“We’ve seen some data out this morning that suggests that COVID is the largest killer of Australians this year, taking over from coronary disease.”

Australia’s Chief Medical Officer Professor Paul Kelly said the surge in reinfections had changed the way the country needed to handle the virus.

“The new BA4 and BA5 are more infectious and there is strong evidence that you can get reinfected earlier than what was previously the case,” he told the ABC.

“It is important that anyone who develops symptoms again 28 or more days after they have had a previous COVID-19 infection, to get tested and to take the appropriate arrangements in terms of isolation.”