Australia has not recommended a fifth dose of the vaccine before the new wave of COVID-19

According to Reuters, at a press conference on November 15, Australian Health Minister Mark Butler said the average number of daily cases recorded this week was 47% higher than last week. However, the number of cases is still 85% below the peak in late July.

Minister Butler noted that the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) had recommended against the need for a fifth dose of COVID-19 vaccine, or booster, after evidence from Singapore's recent wave showed that severe illness and death were rare in fully vaccinated people and that the fifth dose had little effect on the spread of the virus.

“ATAGI has reviewed international and local data on vaccination and the number of cases during the pandemic and decided not to recommend a fifth dose. In Singapore, there have been few cases of severe illness or death among people who have received at least two doses of COVID-19,” the authority said.

Booster vaccination recommendations will be issued by Australian health officials early next year.

Minister Butler urged those who have not yet received the recommended number of doses to get vaccinated. Currently, 5.5 million Australians, or about a fifth of the population, have not received their third dose of a COVID-19 vaccine despite being eligible.

Speaking alongside Minister Butler, Chief Medical Officer Paul Kelly said Singapore's experience showed the current wave would peak soon and then the number of cases would decline rapidly.

According to Tin Tuc Newspaper