00:01This new strain is called NB1.8.1 and it was first detected back in January.
00:08Now it's being monitored closely by the World Health Organisation
00:12because it says infections are growing rapidly.
00:15Now here in Brisbane at Griffith University
00:17they say that they're starting to see this strain
00:20accounting for a significant proportion of infections nationwide,
00:24as many as 40% in Victoria.
00:27It's also accounting for around 10% of cases overseas
00:31and has actually become the dominant strain in both China and Hong Kong.
00:36Now the issue with any new variant is that our existing antibodies
00:40don't work as well because our vaccines are tailored to those older strains.
00:45So that means we start to see more disease in the community
00:48and when people are diseased and symptomatic
00:51they're more likely to pass that virus on.
00:54In some good news, Griffith University says that this strain
00:58appears to be related to the Omicron sub-variants
01:01and so our existing vaccines will still offer some protection.
01:05And Lorna, any protection can stave off serious disease.
01:09Now even, sorry I should say it's been around five years since the pandemic began.
01:14More concerningly for public health officials than perhaps the emergence of a new strain
01:20is the fact that we're just not seeing as many people get vaccinated as what we're used to
01:25unless people are getting their booster shot ahead of winter.
01:29We're already seeing infections climb here in Queensland and also in New South Wales
01:33but that's being mirrored right across the country.
01:36And so Lorna, we're really encouraging people to get out there and get their booster
01:39before winter hits this weekend.
01:44Part 2
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