Chief public health officer Professor Nicola Spurrier told reporters yesterday that it was expected that COVID-19 cases would spike over winter.
She said it was strongly recommended that people aged over 65 have a fourth “winter shot” of the COVID-19 vaccine, following the release of new data showing the reduced likelihood of death among those who are fully vaccinated.
“If you’ve had three doses and you’re fully vaccinated you have a very low chance of dying – it’s 50 per 100,000 approximately when we look at our data in South Australia,” she said.
“However, people that only have one vaccine or two doses of COVID vaccine have twicxjmtzywe the likelihood of dying compared to people that have had three doses.
“If you’ve had no doses of the COVID-19 vaccine, then there’s three times higher chance of dying if you catch COVID.
“That’s quite striking, those differences”.
The government is encouraging those aged over 65 who have waited four months since receiving their third booster shot to get a fourth vaccine.
People in that age group are also able to receive a flu jab at five metropolitan COVID-19 vaccination clinics including Elizabeth, Noarlunga, North Adelaide, Wayville and Kilkenny.
Spurrier said it was safe for people to get the flu shot at the same time as a COVID-19 vaccination.
“It is indeed safe to have both of those vaccines at the same time,” she said.
