Doctors and pharmacists will receive a cash bonus for administering COVID-19 vaccine boosters, whether third shots will be sped-up remains up in the air.
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But Scott Morrison on Wednesday also reiterated masks are "highly recommended" in indoor settings while Australia grapples with the highly infectious Omicron strain.
Mr Morrison made the comments after an emergency meeting of national cabinet, as NSW and the ACT confirmed their highest daily case numbers since the pandemic began.
He revealed GPs and pharmacists will from Thursday receive an extra $10 for each booster they administer, in a move he said was "well received" by premiers and chief ministers. State hubs will also be brought back online to accelerate the booster rollout.
"This is an added incentive to keep that primary care system for delivering vaccines at its greater capacity," he told reporters.
SA Premier Steven Marshall on Wednesday demanded a five-month wait between a second vaccine and booster shot be shortened.
Mr Morrison warned Omicron was moving very quickly among young people, but said bringing forward boosters was a decision for the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation "and no one else".
ATAGI is meeting on Wednesday afternoon to discuss changing its advice.
"We know that the Omicron strain of the virus moves very quickly amongst young people, and so we'll be taking more advice on those issues," Mr Morrison said.
"[But] that will be determined by the immunisation experts, and no one else."
Mr Morrison insisted there were "plenty of vaccines" to cope with demand, but warned suddenly expanding eligibility could cause logistical problems.
"Making more people eligible doesn't get boosters into arms any quicker. If anything, it can actually lead to a situation where those groups that you want to prioritise to get those boosters can be crowded out," he said.
COVID-19 taskforce commander Lieutenant-General John Frewen conceded there were logistics to work through.
"It's now about getting those vaccines to where the greatest demand is. This week we have a record number of deliveries going out; that's both vaccines and other consumables around the rollout," Lieutenant-General Frewen said.
Mr Morrison also confirmed mask wearing was "highly recommended" in indoor settings, but said making them mandatory was a matter for each jurisdiction.
The Prime Minister on Tuesday hit out at mask mandates, saying Australians needed to shift to personal responsibility. On Wednesday, he compared wearing masks to putting on a hat - which is done to prevent non-transmissible forms of cancer.
"People will be slapping on the hat and slapping on the sunscreen. There's no rule or requirement to do that, but it is strongly recommended health advice," he said.
"Australians are common sense people and they know what they need to do to protect their own health."
Queensland on Wednesday followed the ACT in defying the Prime Minister's warning against mandates, announcing they would return for various indoor settings.
Mr Morrison said, while cases were exploding across Australia, the hospital system was yet to suffer severe impacts.
"Despite those rising cases, hospitals and health systems remain in a strong position. But of course they'll be tested, and our shared goal is to ensure that we keep it that way," he said.
National cabinet will also work on a uniform definition for casual and close contacts.
More to come.
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