Health Experts Call To Reinstate Mask Mandates Amid Looming Triple Threat

Calls to reintroduce mask mandates escalate as Covid and influenza cases ramp up. 

Health experts are now warning of a triple threat - Covid, flu and furloughed health workers all driving added pressure to Australia's strained health systems.

Stay up-to-date on the latest news with The National Briefing - keeping you in the loop with news as it hits

Sydney GP Kean Seng Lim warns the return of face masks is essential as Australia braces for a horror winter ahead.

"I think we have a big problem coming," he told the Today show on Thursday.

"You have got the Covid and influenza viruses both coming on together.

"We do see them happening more during these winter months as people cluster closer together," he said.

"We also have the problem where we are going to have fewer staff. It isn't just because staff are off, because they themselves are sick, but also because their kids and grandkids are sick at schools and or schools are reducing because teachers are sick and so forth and so forth because everything interconnects."

- Dr Kean Seng Lim

Victoria and NSW look likely to follow Queensland in offering free flu jabs as millions of Aussies will be eligible for a fourth Covid vaccine from next week.

Meanwhile, Covid cases and hospitalisations across Australia and New Zealand look like this:

Western Australia 

• New cases: 11,832
• Covid-related deaths: 2
• Hospital and ICU admissions: 312 / 6 

Northern Territory 

• New cases: 330 
• Covid-related deaths: 0 
• Hospital and ICU admissions: 12 / 0

Australian Capital Territory 

• New cases: 911   
• Covid-related deaths: 0 
• Hospital and ICU admissions: 85 / 1 

Queensland 

• New cases: 5,246 
• Covid-related deaths: 19
• Hospital and ICU admissions: 445 / 12

New South Wales 

• New cases: 10,926  
• Covid-related deaths: 30
• Hospital and ICU admissions: 1,204 / 38

Victoria 

• New cases: 12,421
• Covid-related deaths: 19
• Hospital and ICU admissions: 559 / 34

South Australia 

• New cases: 3,837 
• Covid-related deaths: 1 
• Hospital and ICU admissions: 238 / 9 

Tasmania 

• New cases: 946 
• Covid-related deaths: 0 
• Hospital and ICU admissions: 50 / 1

New Zealand 

• New cases: 7,591
• Covid-related deaths: 16
• Hospital and ICU admissions: 355 / 12

For Australians looking for intelligent and unbiased news coverage, join renowned journalist Natarsha Belling on Your Morning Agenda for breaking national and international stories as well as the top business and finance stories - every weekday from 6:30am on Listnr