The National Cabinet met today to discuss Australia's COVID-19 response and changes to the Australian COVID-19 Vaccine Strategy.
National Cabinet continues to work together to address issues and find solutions for the health and economic consequences of COVID-19.
There have been 29,801 confirmed cases in Australia and, sadly, 910 people have died. More than 16.8 million tests have been undertaken in Australia.
Globally there have been over 150 million cases and sadly over 3.1 million deaths, with around 882,000 new cases and more than 14,000 deaths reported in the last 24 hours. The COVID-19 pandemic continues to surge in many countries around the world.
National Cabinet noted the significant increase in cases in India and welcomed the Commonwealth Government's support package including oxygen concentrators, PPE and oxygen tanks and consumables. National Cabinet expressed solidarity with the Indian community both within Australia and overseas.
Australia's COVID-19 vaccine rollout continues to expand. To date 2,179,544 doses of COVID-19 vaccines have been administered in Australia. The number of administration sites has expanded, with 4,500 general practices as well as general practice respiratory centres and Aboriginal health services now administering COVID-19 vaccinations.
Today, National Cabinet received a briefing from Professor Brendan Murphy, Chair of the Science and Industry Technical Advisory Group, the Commonwealth Chief Medical Officer, Professor Paul Kelly and Commodore Eric Young, CSC, RAN, Operations Coordinator, Department of Health Vaccine Operations Centre on the Vaccine Rollout Phases Implementation.
National Cabinet agreed the imperative to work together to administer COVID-19 vaccinations to Australians as quickly as possible.
National Cabinet noted the measures that have been put in place to restrict entry into Australia of people who have previously been in high risk countries determined by the Chief Medical Officer. These measures will be reviewed before 15 May 2021. National Cabinet noted the Chief Medical Officer's assessment that India is the first country to meet the threshold of a high risk country. The Commonwealth will consider further measures to mitigate risks of high risk travellers entering Australia.
National Cabinet will meet again on Friday 7 May 2021.
