Health authorities said they are bracing for a winter Omicron wave as Covid-19 cases continue to decline in New South Wales — Australia's most populous state.

NSW recorded 11,807 new COVID-19 cases yesterday; a drop from the 12,818 seen on Tuesday.

There were a further 27 coronavirus-related deaths, and hospitalisations were down slightly, with 2622 people currently receiving care.

Of these, 170 in ICU.

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Despite the apparent plateau in cases, Chief Medical Officer Paul Kelly said Australia is not out of the woods yet.

"There will be another wave of Omicron, most likely in the winter," he said, speaking to a COVID-19 committee hearing.

"Every June since 2020 there has been a wave of COVID in Australia and other southern hemisphere countries."

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Speaking to Today, Emergency Physician Stephen Parnis said more variants are inevitable.

''The finish line', no-one knows when that could be," Dr Parnis said.

"Part of me knows that there'll be new variants that come along and we don't know what they will behave like.

"The other part of me doesn't want to think about that."

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The figures came after the NSW President of the Australian Medical Association implored eligible residents to get a booster vaccine as soon as they recover from a COVID-19 infection.

The booster rate has lagged in both NSW and Victoria, for weeks the triple-jabbed rate struggling to reach the 40 per cent mark.

"A number of people in NSW and Victoria have been caught short by catching COVID and delaying their booster. You can get this booster coverage across multiple strains," she told Today yesterday.

"Getting the illness does give you some short-term protection against Omicron but we don't know what it does for those future variants.

"The best advice, still get your booster".

High schoolers can now get a third Pfizer vaccine after Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) extended the program to 16 and 17 year olds.

Eligible teenagers will be able to receive a booster shot three months after their second at state government-run hubs and also pharmacies and GPs.

The post Top doctor’s stark warning as NSW COVID-19 cases plateau first appeared on Indisupport.