1 00:00:00,120 --> 00:00:03,120 Speaker 1: Good morning and welcome to the Daily OS. It is Wednesday, 2 00:00:03,160 --> 00:00:05,800 Speaker 1: the sixth of July. I hope you've had a fantastic 3 00:00:06,000 --> 00:00:08,840 Speaker 1: week so far. On today's podcast, we're going to be 4 00:00:08,880 --> 00:00:11,840 Speaker 1: revisiting COVID. Yeah, it's something we haven't talked about on 5 00:00:11,840 --> 00:00:14,040 Speaker 1: this podcast for a little while. We think there are 6 00:00:14,080 --> 00:00:16,840 Speaker 1: some comments that were made yesterday in New South Wales 7 00:00:16,840 --> 00:00:20,279 Speaker 1: that are worth discussing on a national level. Before we 8 00:00:20,320 --> 00:00:24,040 Speaker 1: do that, Billy, there is some interesting news from yesterday. 9 00:00:25,760 --> 00:00:28,960 Speaker 2: Yes so, the Reserve Bank of Australia otherwise known as 10 00:00:29,000 --> 00:00:32,040 Speaker 2: the RBA, has raised the cash rate from zero point 11 00:00:32,120 --> 00:00:35,360 Speaker 2: eight five percent to one point three five percent, and 12 00:00:35,440 --> 00:00:39,720 Speaker 2: that marks the third consecutive increase targeted to address rising inflation, 13 00:00:39,840 --> 00:00:43,640 Speaker 2: which is the rise in prices. After announcing this rise 14 00:00:43,640 --> 00:00:46,279 Speaker 2: in the cash rate, the RBA said that more rate 15 00:00:46,360 --> 00:00:49,440 Speaker 2: rises would be coming, adding that it expects inflation to 16 00:00:49,479 --> 00:00:52,360 Speaker 2: peak later this year and return it to normal in 17 00:00:52,400 --> 00:00:53,240 Speaker 2: twenty twenty three. 18 00:00:55,360 --> 00:00:59,240 Speaker 1: Prime Minister Anthony Albanezi arrived back in Australia yesterday after 19 00:00:59,280 --> 00:01:03,400 Speaker 1: attending the NATO Summit and visiting Wartorn, Ukraine over the weekend. 20 00:01:03,880 --> 00:01:07,320 Speaker 1: After landing in Perth, Albanesi responded to some criticism about 21 00:01:07,360 --> 00:01:10,240 Speaker 1: his overseas travel since winning the election, saying that he 22 00:01:10,319 --> 00:01:12,680 Speaker 1: hasn't had a day off quote in a very long 23 00:01:12,720 --> 00:01:13,600 Speaker 1: period of time. 24 00:01:15,040 --> 00:01:17,200 Speaker 2: The Prime Minister of Ukraine has said the cost to 25 00:01:17,319 --> 00:01:20,680 Speaker 2: rebuild the war torn country after the Russian invasion is 26 00:01:20,800 --> 00:01:24,319 Speaker 2: estimated to be about seven hundred and fifty billion dollars 27 00:01:24,360 --> 00:01:27,360 Speaker 2: and that's in US dollars. While speaking at the Ukraine 28 00:01:27,360 --> 00:01:31,720 Speaker 2: Recovery Conference in Switzerland this week, Dennis Chamal, the Ukraine PM, 29 00:01:31,800 --> 00:01:34,840 Speaker 2: said that direct infrastructure losses will cost about one hundred 30 00:01:34,920 --> 00:01:36,160 Speaker 2: billion dollars alone. 31 00:01:37,720 --> 00:01:40,280 Speaker 1: And for today's good news, we're going to stay in Switzerland, 32 00:01:40,440 --> 00:01:44,440 Speaker 1: where a Swiss renewable water battery power plant that costs 33 00:01:44,440 --> 00:01:47,520 Speaker 1: two billion euros and fourteen years to make came into 34 00:01:47,600 --> 00:01:51,560 Speaker 1: operation this week. The water battery is capable of storing 35 00:01:51,600 --> 00:01:55,240 Speaker 1: electricity equivalent to four hundred thousand electric car batteries and 36 00:01:55,320 --> 00:01:58,440 Speaker 1: can reduce the chance of a grid overload during times 37 00:01:58,440 --> 00:02:00,680 Speaker 1: of high demand. That is something that would be very 38 00:02:00,720 --> 00:02:03,440 Speaker 1: relevant in an Australian context in the last few months. 39 00:02:08,840 --> 00:02:12,640 Speaker 2: Okay, Sam, So we are talking about COVID again after 40 00:02:12,960 --> 00:02:15,840 Speaker 2: what has been mostly a pretty welcome break. I think 41 00:02:15,919 --> 00:02:19,079 Speaker 2: to the day to day constant news cycle away from 42 00:02:19,120 --> 00:02:21,840 Speaker 2: the pandemic. We haven't covered it on this podcast for 43 00:02:21,919 --> 00:02:24,320 Speaker 2: a little while. Now, what is going on? 44 00:02:25,000 --> 00:02:27,040 Speaker 1: Do you remember when we used to do every day 45 00:02:27,200 --> 00:02:30,120 Speaker 1: case numbers on the grid. That was our early claim 46 00:02:30,120 --> 00:02:32,160 Speaker 1: to fame, the daily ours and we have come a 47 00:02:32,240 --> 00:02:35,720 Speaker 1: long way since that. But we are talking about COVID 48 00:02:35,800 --> 00:02:38,400 Speaker 1: nineteen again because of a new wave that was announced 49 00:02:38,440 --> 00:02:40,720 Speaker 1: in New South Wales this week. Got to say it 50 00:02:40,720 --> 00:02:43,040 Speaker 1: hasn't been the best week for the state. At a 51 00:02:43,080 --> 00:02:45,960 Speaker 1: press conference on Monday, New South Wales Health Minister Brad 52 00:02:46,000 --> 00:02:49,120 Speaker 1: Hazard and Chief Health Officer doctor Kerry Chant, there's a 53 00:02:49,160 --> 00:02:50,639 Speaker 1: bit of a throwback. There's going to be a few 54 00:02:50,680 --> 00:02:54,480 Speaker 1: throwbacks here, said. There's been a rising proportion of BA 55 00:02:54,600 --> 00:02:58,840 Speaker 1: four and BA five omo chronic COVID variant cases now. 56 00:02:58,880 --> 00:03:01,920 Speaker 1: Hazard said that these are having a similar effect on 57 00:03:01,960 --> 00:03:04,560 Speaker 1: our hospital system to what we saw in January, when 58 00:03:04,560 --> 00:03:07,960 Speaker 1: an influx of cases, largely from the omicron variant of COVID, 59 00:03:08,320 --> 00:03:13,000 Speaker 1: overran many hospitals and exhausted essential workers across the country. 60 00:03:13,680 --> 00:03:16,520 Speaker 1: Chance said she expects this new wave to peak later 61 00:03:16,600 --> 00:03:18,600 Speaker 1: this month or in early August. 62 00:03:19,000 --> 00:03:20,600 Speaker 2: I don't know about you, Sam, but it kind of 63 00:03:20,600 --> 00:03:23,000 Speaker 2: feels like all of the pandemic is a bit of 64 00:03:23,080 --> 00:03:25,320 Speaker 2: a blur. Can you just take us through what is 65 00:03:25,360 --> 00:03:28,080 Speaker 2: the COVID story In twenty twenty two you mentioned briefly 66 00:03:28,120 --> 00:03:30,960 Speaker 2: they're a bit about what happened in January. Where are 67 00:03:30,960 --> 00:03:32,160 Speaker 2: we up to now? 68 00:03:32,560 --> 00:03:34,760 Speaker 1: So I only have to take you back about five months, 69 00:03:34,840 --> 00:03:38,360 Speaker 1: and that was when the omicron wave hit during our summer, 70 00:03:38,680 --> 00:03:42,160 Speaker 1: and most of us have been living relatively uninterrupted lives 71 00:03:42,160 --> 00:03:46,280 Speaker 1: with most regulations wound back across the country. Although in 72 00:03:46,320 --> 00:03:48,680 Speaker 1: saying that most of us have at least had COVID 73 00:03:48,800 --> 00:03:51,200 Speaker 1: or know someone very close to us who have had it, 74 00:03:51,400 --> 00:03:54,520 Speaker 1: so it's not exactly been out of our minds, but 75 00:03:54,600 --> 00:03:56,960 Speaker 1: it hasn't been in the news cycle because for the 76 00:03:56,960 --> 00:03:59,680 Speaker 1: most part, there hasn't really been much media coverage on 77 00:03:59,680 --> 00:04:01,760 Speaker 1: the p pandemic in the past couple of months, or 78 00:04:01,800 --> 00:04:03,960 Speaker 1: at least as much as we've seen in the first 79 00:04:04,120 --> 00:04:07,480 Speaker 1: two years of the pandemic. Most restrictions that limited the 80 00:04:07,520 --> 00:04:10,160 Speaker 1: spread of COVID have been removed, but that isn't to 81 00:04:10,200 --> 00:04:13,200 Speaker 1: say that people have stopped catching the virus. Just here 82 00:04:13,200 --> 00:04:15,920 Speaker 1: in New South Wales, which seems to be the epicenter 83 00:04:16,000 --> 00:04:18,680 Speaker 1: of this latest outbreak, there have been about ten thousand 84 00:04:18,839 --> 00:04:22,080 Speaker 1: cases every single day. This is far more than the 85 00:04:22,080 --> 00:04:24,880 Speaker 1: case numbers we were recording during the Delta outbreak, which 86 00:04:24,920 --> 00:04:27,160 Speaker 1: forced a good chunk of the country to be stuck 87 00:04:27,200 --> 00:04:29,880 Speaker 1: in lockdown for three to four months last year and 88 00:04:29,920 --> 00:04:31,960 Speaker 1: caused a lot of us to miss Christmas. 89 00:04:32,200 --> 00:04:34,159 Speaker 2: I want to jump in here, Sam, because you just 90 00:04:34,200 --> 00:04:37,480 Speaker 2: mentioned the Delta outbreak, which happened before most of the 91 00:04:37,520 --> 00:04:40,560 Speaker 2: country even had the chance to be vaccinated, or at 92 00:04:40,640 --> 00:04:42,560 Speaker 2: least when we went through that lockdown, a lot of 93 00:04:42,640 --> 00:04:45,160 Speaker 2: us were going through the process of getting the two 94 00:04:45,200 --> 00:04:49,080 Speaker 2: doses of the vaccine. Now the vast majority of Australians 95 00:04:49,080 --> 00:04:51,640 Speaker 2: have had at least two doses of the vaccine, if 96 00:04:51,680 --> 00:04:55,320 Speaker 2: not three, which has allowed us to live with the 97 00:04:55,360 --> 00:04:58,760 Speaker 2: pandemic a little bit more so, How concerned should we 98 00:04:58,880 --> 00:05:01,559 Speaker 2: be about this hour break in light of our high 99 00:05:01,640 --> 00:05:04,160 Speaker 2: vaccination rates. What are the authorities saying about that? 100 00:05:04,279 --> 00:05:06,480 Speaker 1: I think it's fair to say the authorities are encouraging 101 00:05:06,560 --> 00:05:11,240 Speaker 1: us to be cautious even though we are mostly fully vaccinated. 102 00:05:11,320 --> 00:05:14,839 Speaker 1: This is because they say vaccinations aren't always stopping the 103 00:05:14,839 --> 00:05:18,360 Speaker 1: BA four and BA five variants from causing infection At 104 00:05:18,360 --> 00:05:20,359 Speaker 1: the moment, and I might add here this is something 105 00:05:20,360 --> 00:05:22,640 Speaker 1: they warned us about when we were getting the vaccine, 106 00:05:22,640 --> 00:05:27,200 Speaker 1: that it wouldn't necessarily protect us from future mutations. Brad 107 00:05:27,240 --> 00:05:30,280 Speaker 1: Hazard went into a bit more detail on this yesterday. 108 00:05:30,440 --> 00:05:37,320 Speaker 3: Now BA four and BA five are not vaccinations, are 109 00:05:37,320 --> 00:05:45,320 Speaker 3: not necessarily stopping transmission. So these rather pesky little variants 110 00:05:45,480 --> 00:05:48,080 Speaker 3: are quite intelligent and they're working their way around the 111 00:05:48,120 --> 00:05:52,200 Speaker 3: current vaccines to an extent. Transmission is still happening. 112 00:05:52,040 --> 00:05:53,960 Speaker 1: And as you heard in that clip, Hazard said, the 113 00:05:54,040 --> 00:05:57,240 Speaker 1: transmissions of the BA four and BA five strains are 114 00:05:57,320 --> 00:06:02,240 Speaker 1: continuing despite people's vaccinations status. But he did also stress 115 00:06:02,279 --> 00:06:04,800 Speaker 1: the importance of being vaccinated as this would limit the 116 00:06:04,880 --> 00:06:08,120 Speaker 1: chance of getting hospitalized because of serious illness and keeping 117 00:06:08,160 --> 00:06:11,280 Speaker 1: fatalities down in the country. And if you're wondering how 118 00:06:11,279 --> 00:06:14,159 Speaker 1: many people haven't had their booster dose yet, Mark Butler, 119 00:06:14,200 --> 00:06:16,920 Speaker 1: who is the new federal Health Minister, last week said 120 00:06:16,960 --> 00:06:20,000 Speaker 1: there's almost six million Australians who are eligible for a 121 00:06:20,040 --> 00:06:21,600 Speaker 1: third dose but haven't. 122 00:06:21,360 --> 00:06:24,800 Speaker 2: Had it right and so what is the health advice? 123 00:06:24,880 --> 00:06:27,800 Speaker 2: Have they changed any of their guidelines in light of 124 00:06:27,800 --> 00:06:28,479 Speaker 2: this new wave. 125 00:06:28,839 --> 00:06:31,719 Speaker 1: I think most health ministers around the country have adopted 126 00:06:31,920 --> 00:06:34,440 Speaker 1: a tone of caution and encouragement for us to be 127 00:06:34,520 --> 00:06:37,479 Speaker 1: a little more careful, but in terms of actual regulation 128 00:06:37,680 --> 00:06:40,480 Speaker 1: and rule change, there's not much to report on. There 129 00:06:40,520 --> 00:06:43,600 Speaker 1: have been discussions by health ministers across the country and 130 00:06:43,680 --> 00:06:48,000 Speaker 1: by the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunization or a TARGI, 131 00:06:48,120 --> 00:06:50,360 Speaker 1: which will take us right back to twenty twenty one, 132 00:06:50,640 --> 00:06:53,880 Speaker 1: about giving the general population access to a fourth COVID 133 00:06:54,000 --> 00:06:56,840 Speaker 1: vaccine dose. So right now, the fourth JAB is only 134 00:06:56,839 --> 00:06:59,560 Speaker 1: available to a few of us, including people aged over 135 00:06:59,600 --> 00:07:03,919 Speaker 1: sixty five, people who are immunocompromised and Aboriginal and Torestrait 136 00:07:03,960 --> 00:07:07,159 Speaker 1: Islanders over fifty. The role out for BOOSTA DOOSUS and 137 00:07:07,200 --> 00:07:09,920 Speaker 1: I'm talking here about the third JAB began in November 138 00:07:10,000 --> 00:07:13,440 Speaker 1: last year and concerns over waning immunity have only grown 139 00:07:13,560 --> 00:07:17,080 Speaker 1: during this winter. But New South Wales Chief Health Officer 140 00:07:17,240 --> 00:07:20,360 Speaker 1: Kerry Chant has also told people to start wearing masks 141 00:07:20,400 --> 00:07:23,440 Speaker 1: again when out in public. She said this was particularly 142 00:07:23,480 --> 00:07:27,120 Speaker 1: important when you're on public transport and in pharmacies and shops. 143 00:07:27,600 --> 00:07:30,320 Speaker 1: She also urged people to ensure they stay home and 144 00:07:30,520 --> 00:07:32,120 Speaker 1: to test if they have symptoms. 145 00:07:32,320 --> 00:07:34,520 Speaker 2: And just before we wrap up can you take us 146 00:07:34,600 --> 00:07:38,160 Speaker 2: through where Australia stands in terms of COVID deaths. 147 00:07:38,440 --> 00:07:41,600 Speaker 1: So Australia is ranking fourteenth in terms of the rate 148 00:07:41,720 --> 00:07:44,520 Speaker 1: of new COVID deaths when compared to deaths this time 149 00:07:44,680 --> 00:07:47,360 Speaker 1: last quarter, so three months ago. Now, this is a 150 00:07:47,440 --> 00:07:49,800 Speaker 1: rate and it sometimes can be a little misleading when 151 00:07:49,840 --> 00:07:53,480 Speaker 1: compared to different countries with far smaller populations than Australia. 152 00:07:53,920 --> 00:07:55,720 Speaker 1: So if we take out all of the countries with 153 00:07:55,840 --> 00:07:59,800 Speaker 1: less than one million people, we're only behind Taiwan, New Zealand, 154 00:08:00,080 --> 00:08:03,360 Speaker 1: Portugal and Botswana in terms of the rate of new deaths. 155 00:08:04,000 --> 00:08:06,600 Speaker 1: The difference in the number of deaths now compared to 156 00:08:06,680 --> 00:08:09,240 Speaker 1: three months ago is double what's being seen in the 157 00:08:09,320 --> 00:08:12,120 Speaker 1: United States in terms of a rate, and ten times 158 00:08:12,200 --> 00:08:15,240 Speaker 1: higher than the global change in the death rate. This 159 00:08:15,280 --> 00:08:18,440 Speaker 1: new wave is expected to cause similar hospitalizations to the 160 00:08:18,480 --> 00:08:22,200 Speaker 1: original omicron wave back in January, which is obviously putting 161 00:08:22,240 --> 00:08:25,680 Speaker 1: massive stress on our health system, and it also caused 162 00:08:25,760 --> 00:08:28,320 Speaker 1: labor shortages due to the number of people stuck at 163 00:08:28,320 --> 00:08:30,720 Speaker 1: home with COVID. Now it's pretty hard to tell whether 164 00:08:30,760 --> 00:08:34,120 Speaker 1: we're going to see similar conditions be replicated this time round, 165 00:08:34,200 --> 00:08:36,160 Speaker 1: because of course now we don't have any of those 166 00:08:36,200 --> 00:08:39,800 Speaker 1: restrictions that we had in January, but it is clear 167 00:08:39,840 --> 00:08:42,040 Speaker 1: that case numbers are only going one way and that 168 00:08:42,160 --> 00:08:42,480 Speaker 1: is up. 169 00:08:42,760 --> 00:08:45,560 Speaker 2: It feels like this is never ending saga and we 170 00:08:45,600 --> 00:08:48,040 Speaker 2: don't know when the national peak will be yet for 171 00:08:48,160 --> 00:08:50,720 Speaker 2: this third wave of omicron. Thank you so much for 172 00:08:50,800 --> 00:08:53,680 Speaker 2: listening to this episode of The Daily Oz. If you 173 00:08:53,679 --> 00:08:56,200 Speaker 2: have time to leave us a review on Apple or 174 00:08:56,240 --> 00:09:00,079 Speaker 2: a rating on Spotify, that would be greatly appreciated. The 175 00:09:00,160 --> 00:09:03,120 Speaker 2: Daily Os is a small independent company and it really 176 00:09:03,120 --> 00:09:05,840 Speaker 2: helps us to grow. Thank you so much, and we 177 00:09:05,880 --> 00:09:09,600 Speaker 2: hope you stay healthy and happy for your Wednesday home day.