'Need to also move away from fear': Australian PM wants 'sensible' approach to fight virus

Amid new coronavirus cases, New South Wales leader Dominic Perrottet asserted that people "need to also move away from fear".

"There will always be new variants of this virus," Dominic Perrottet said. New South Wales has been hit hard due to the virus even as the state recorded 2,501 new coronavirus cases on Monday. On Sunday, the state had recorded 2,566 new COVID-19 cases.

Amid increased hospitalisations, Perrottet said 26 of the 33 people who were in intensive care were unvaccinated. Perrottet resisted calls for stiffer COVID-19 restrictions amid rising cases in the state.

Also Read: Australia allows vaccinated non-citizens to enter amid Omicron threat

"The numbers do not lie. Getting vaccinated protects you and your family, the numbers speak for themselves,” he said as he urged people to take the booster shots.

Australia has made booster doses eligible for people five months after they take their second dose. In New South Wales masks are required in public transport.

Watch: Australia reports first Omicron COVID-19 variant case

The country has so far vaccinated over 90 per cent of its population with the Delta variant surging nationwide.

As COVID-19 cases continued to rise, Victoria recorded 1,302 new coronavirus cases and the Northern Territory reported three new cases just days after it reopened its domestic borders to fully vaccinated people.

In Queensland, a university graduation ceremony event held on December 13 was identified as a COVID-19 cluster with 15 confirmed virus cases although health authorities expect more cases to emerge with some Omicron cases.

Also Read | Australia won't be able to meet booster campaign target: Reports

Australia has so far recorded  255,000 COVID-19 cases and 2,146 fatalities however it has witnessed a surge in cases in the past few months as authorities have struggled to halt the Delta surge.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison is set to meet state leaders this week to discuss the response to the pandemic as he suggested a “sensible, common sense” approach to the pandemic.

(With inputs from Agencies)