‘Have a serious think’: Health Minister Mark Butler urges COVID boosters as new NB.1.8.1 variant surges

Health Minister Mark Butler has urged Australians to get their COVID booster jab after a surge in infections from the new subvariant NB.1.8.1.

The variant is behind surging infections in parts of Asia, with the World Health Organisation reporting it is spreading faster than other circulating strains.

Wastewater screening in WA has detected the new highly contagious variant of Omicron as the dominant variant in Perth.

Mr Butler said people aged over 75 should seek out a booster if it’s been more than six months since their last, while those aged between 65 and 74 should get one if it has been more than a year.

“For everyone else, have a serious think,” he warned.

“I do encourage, particularly as we head into winter, for people to think about the last time they got the COVID vaccine.

“I’ve just got my booster over the last couple of weeks, and I think that puts me in a good position over winter, and other Australians should make sure that they equip themselves similarly.”

Monash University’s head of epidemiological modelling James Trauer warned if people weren’t up to date with their boosters and had previously suffered from the Omicron they could be more at risk.

“You’re just more likely to get it. You’re more susceptible if you’ve been infected with a variant that was around two or three years ago and if you’ve been vaccinated with a vaccine that’s a couple of years old,” he said.

“That will provide you with less protection. So if you have had a bit of a gap since your last infection you could get a somewhat worse episode this time around.

“Omicron has continued to evolve and its throwing off offshoots. This one is just a step on from the last one.

“The virus gradually evolves so that some of its proteins are a little bit different so that it can avoid the antibodies that we’ve now got present at population level.”