7NEWS Australia published this video item, entitled “Australia monitoring newly identified coronavirus variant B.1.1.529 | 7NEWS” – below is their description.
A newly identified coronavirus variant that has spread in South Africa, B.1.1.529, is being monitored by Australia’s health officials says Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt.
Chief Medical Officer Paul Kelly and Professor Brendan Murphy, the head of the Scientific and Technical Advisory Group, spoke to Greg Hunt today and are both working in conjunction with the World Health Organisation reviewing what is happening in South Africa.
“They are investigating and reviewing the South African variant in conjunction with the WHO and our international partners. The WHO is holding a special meeting to discuss the variant and if it is determined to be a major new variant it will be given the Greek alphabetic signal of ‘Nu’…We’re well prepared, we are able to act quickly if there is advice. The advice at the moment is to engage with the international communities and, of course, we have the fact that it’s double vaccinated Australians returning.”
“At this stage the advice of the Chief Medical Officer, Professor Paul Kelly, who is truly an international epidemiologist of the highest standing, is that there’s no basis for change…But, always through the pandemic we’ve responded, as we did with flights from India, when there was the emergence of the Delta variant and a massive spike.”
More Details: 7news.link/COVIDVariant
7NEWS Australia YouTube Channel
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