Daily cases have dropped but the number of territorians in hospital with COVID-19 remains high.
There were 167 people with COVID-19 in hospital in the 24 hours to Saturday 8pm.
Of those, six patients are in the ICU and three are on ventilation.
The ACT has also recorded 956 new COVID-19 cases.
Of the new cases, one in four are in people aged between 25 and 39 years of age.
The ACT's COVID-19 death toll is 84.
Saturday's new cases by age group
- 0-4 years: 46
- 5-11 years: 65
- 12-17 years: 52
- 18-24 years: 86
- 25-39 years: 246
- 40-49 years: 147
- 50-64 years: 184
- 65+ years: 130
- Total: 957
ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr has said one of the key messages from Saturday's national cabinet was that this pandemic had a long way yet to play out.
"Today is a further reminder that COVID will be with us for years," he said.
"Elimination of the virus has proven to be impossible and new strains of the virus will continue to reach Australia."
Consensus was reached at the meeting that states and territories would work together in reducing the burden the pandemic was placing on sections of the community after emergency payments lapsed on June 30.
Canberrans are encouraged to:
- Keep up-to-date with vaccinations
- Get a booster if eligible
- Continue to test for COVID-19 if they have symptoms
- Follow isolation requirements if they return a positive test or are a close contact of a positive case
- Work from home if they have any COVID-19 symptoms or are a close contact of a positive case
- Vulnerable Canberrans should speak to their employers about working from home arrangements
- Masks are mandated in high risk settings and for high risk individuals outside their home
- While indoors in medium risk settings, Canberrans should also wear a mask
COVID-19 vaccinations
Medicare will cover long consultations by GPs to prescribe COVID-19 antivirals within days.
Health Minister Mark Butler says the new temporary MBS items will include a longer consultation by phone so antivirals can be issued safely and to as many people as possible.
Millions of Australians are now eligible for antiviral access via the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme but need to start taking them within five days of symptoms.
Following a COVID-19 positive diagnosis, they will be able from next week to have a telephone or video consultation with a doctor to obtain a prescription, Mr Butler says.
- Aged 5-11 years (1 dose): 80.6 per cent
- Aged 5-11 years (2 doses): 69.5 per cent
- Aged 5+ years (2 doses): 97.4 per cent
- Aged 16+ years (3 doses): 77.6 per cent
Around Australia
Treasurer Jim Chalmers has brushed off criticism the government was too slow to reinstate pandemic leave payments in the wake of rising COVID-19 cases.
The $750 isolation payment, which ended on June 30, was extended to the end of September following a national cabinet meeting on Saturday.
The government had previously ruled out bringing back the payments due to budget pressures.
While acting Opposition Leader Sussan Ley said the government had been dragged "kicking and screaming" to reinstate them, Dr Chalmers described the criticism as ridiculous.
NSW
- Deaths: 12
- New cases: 10,198
- Hospitalisations: 2057
- ICU: 63
Victoria
- Deaths: 16
- New cases: 9630
- Hospitalisations: 760
- ICU: 37
- Ventilation: 7
Queensland
- Deaths: 0
- New cases: 5989
- Hospitalisations: 876
- ICU: 20
Tasmania
- TBA
Northern Territory
- Deaths: N/A
- New cases: 463
- Hospitalisations: 42
- ICU: 1
Western Australia
- WA no longer publishes daily updates
South Australia
- SA no longer publishes daily updates
- With AAP
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