Australian PM Scott Morrison to hold 'informal' cabinet meeting amid Omicron scare: Report

As the country is witnessing a surge in Omicron cases, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison is expected to hold an "informal" meeting with the national cabinet including premiers and chief ministers. The said meeting is scheduled to take place on Wednesday, December 22. Speaking to reporters in Brisbane, the Prime Minister said that the unscheduled meeting will provide everyone with the most up-to-date information and also enable the states and territories to share information, The Guardian reported. 

Morrison downplayed the significance of the discussion despite the fact that the leaders' meeting reflects the shifting circumstances. "We are looking forward to catching up and it's not unusual that we will be meeting more frequently amid growing concerns over the spread of Omicron," he was quoted by the British daily as saying. The Prime Minister went on to say that the meeting would be a good opportunity ahead of the Christmas break to update each other on aspects pertaining to public health. 

Morrison further echoed that vaccination and booster doses remain the best protection against serious illness and that the country must keep moving forward with the easing of COVID-19 restrictions. However, he also added that leaders would continue to fine-tune and calibrate the tasks at hand. "The Omicron variant will obviously increase the number of cases, nevertheless, we will continue to cooperate with states and territories to ensure that the impact on the hospital system and primary health network is managed," Morrison remarked.  

Existing COVID vaccines effective against severe Omicron cases: Australia's CMO

It is significant to mention here that there has been a considerable increase in Omicron infections in recent days, prompting a debate among epidemiologists over whether public health restrictions, such as mask regulations, should be reinstated in Australia. Meanwhile, On Monday, as many as 2,501 cases were reported in New South Wales followed by 1,302 cases in Victoria, according to The Guardian. Last week, Australia's Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Paul Kelly stated that existing COVID-19 vaccines are effective in preventing serious illness from the Omicron variant. He also added that existing vaccines aren't as effective in preventing transmission and mild illness as they are with other strains.

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