New COVID-Wave Scare-Campaign: A Massive Flop...

A new Covid scare campaign is underway in Australia, focusing on the Omicron subvariant NB.1.8.1, which is being reported as highly contagious. Health authorities and media are emphasizing the number of cases, with reports that the variant is sweeping the nation. However, the case counts and hospitalizations are within the normal range, and no one has been admitted to ICU with Covid for months in Western Australia. The narrative is being driven by the need for people to get their Covid booster jab, with experts urging people to vaccinate despite the fact that only 6.6% of adults have received a Covid vaccine in the past six months. The Australian government is pushing for more vaccinations, with Health Minister Mark Butler encouraging people to get a booster, but current guidelines only recommend boosters for certain age groups and severely immunocompromised individuals. Experts admit that vaccinating against a fast-mutating coronavirus is not very effective, and the reason for the push for more boosters is that the virus is evolving to evade antibodies. The general public response to the scare campaign has been apathy, with an online poll indicating that three-quarters of readers are not interested. The failure of this scare campaign is unlikely to stop future campaigns, as the government has investments and purchase commitments driving its decision-making. The media will likely continue to report on new variants and push for vaccinations, with the next installment expected in time for the summer Covid wave. The Australian government's approach to Covid has been criticized for being driven by the need to sell vaccines rather than a genuine concern for public health.