Catch up on all of Friday's news and updates on our blog below.
Live updates
By Bridget Judd
Cases, hospitalisations and deaths
If you don't see your state or territory yet, don't worry - these numbers are updated throughout the day.
For a detailed breakdown of cases across the country, check out Charting the Spread.
NSW: 31 deaths and 10,698 new cases; 2,494 people in hospital, including 160 in ICU
VIC: 36 deaths and 11,240 new cases; 707 people in hospital, including 79 in ICU
TAS: 0 deaths and 570 cases; 13 people in hospital, including 2 in ICU
SA: 3 deaths and 1,363 new cases; 223 people in hospital, including 15 in ICU
QLD: 13 deaths and 6,857 new cases; 732 people in hospital, including 50 in ICU
ACT: 1 death and 449 new cases; 65 people in hospital, including 1 in ICU
NT: 0 deaths and 1,306 new cases; 148 people in hospital, including 6 in ICU
WA: 0 deaths and 32 new cases.
By Michael Doyle
That's all for the blog today
My time with you was brief but rewarding.
We have been given our cue to close today's blog.
I want to thank everyone who joined us throughout the day.
Have a great weekend.
Until next time, stay safe and be well.
By Michael Doyle
ANALYSIS: Scott Morrison and Mark McGowan become unlikely WA border buddies in election lead-up
While WA Premier Mark McGowan has faced increasing criticism of his decision to keep the state's border shut, Prime Minister Scott Morrison has become an unlikely ally. It's a move surprising on face value, but which makes sense politically, writes James Carmody.
By Michael Doyle
What does a worldwide pandemic mean to a child?
It's back to school in Queensland and the state is still dealing with a peak in COVID-19 cases.
Research is only just starting to explore the long-term impacts COVID-19 could have on children's development.
So, what does a worldwide pandemic mean to a kid?
Even as an adult, it has been hard to adapt to the disruption it's caused.
If children thrive from routine and predictability, what does COVID-19 mean for them?
Report Hannah Walsh has written this piece to explain how COVID-19 is affecting children.
Read, Our kids and COVID: What's all the fuss about? here.
By Michael Doyle
SA: Daily figures confirmed by SA Health
The COVID-19 figures from SA Health have now been confirmed.
Yesterday there were:
- 1363 positive cases
- 17,199 active cases
- 223 in hospital
- 15 in ICU
- 5 ventilated
- 3 deaths
By Michael Doyle
WA: 32 new cases recorded in Western Australia
There have been 32 new cases recorded in WA, 18 are locally acquired while the remaining 14 are related to travel.
WA Health authorities say some of the positive cases were infectious in the community.
By Michael Doyle
Missed the NT press conference, you can watch it here
By Michael Doyle
Federal government begins handing RATS to the disability sector
The federal government has started handing out 1.2 million rapid antigen tests to the disability sector.
Minister for the National Disability Insurance Scheme, Linda Reynolds, says the free kits are being provided to high-risk residential disability care services.
The tests are being given to NDIS supported independent living facilities, to be distributed to residents and staff to manage and prevent outbreaks.
The government says the sector will be given five million free kits by June.
By Michael Doyle
Scott Morrison warns WA's economy could suffer from COVID-19 isolation rules
The Prime Minister has warned Western Australia risks shutting down its economy if it does not relax COVID-19 isolation rules.
WA is yet to reduce the isolation period for close contacts from 14 days to seven, saying it will wait until case numbers increase before doing so.
That's meant hundreds of school staff and students have been placed in isolation for two weeks after confirmed cases in WA schools.
Scott Morrison says he supports and understands WA's decision to keep its border closed but has urged the state to look at its isolation requirements.
"You do that in Omicron and you will shut your health system down, you will shut industry down, you will shut down mines and shut the economy. I have no doubt the Premier is trying to avoid that," he said.
By Michael Doyle
Hello everyone
Surprise. I'm on the blog now.
I will be guiding us on the final leg of the blog journey.
Let me know your thoughts in the comments section.
Let's go.
By Bridget Judd
Free rapid antigen tests to be delivered to high-risk residential disability care services
The federal government has started handing out 1.2 million rapid antigen tests to the disability sector.
Minister for the National Disability Insurance Scheme, Linda Reynolds, says the free kits are being provided to high-risk residential disability care services.
The tests are being given to NDIS supported independent living facilities, to be distributed to residents and staff to manage and prevent outbreaks.
The government says the sector will be given five million free kits by June.
By Bridget Judd
Qantas chief Alan Joyce takes aim at Mark McGowan over WA border opening backflip
Qantas chief executive Alan Joyce says Western Australia's strict border rules are "starting to look like North Korea".
WA Premier Mark McGowan scrapped a plan to reopen WA's borders from tomorrow, citing concerns over the Omicron variant.
Speaking on Nine Radio, Mr Joyce said he thought people should be outraged by the decision.
"We are supposed to be all Australians, you can't even travel around your own country," he said.
"And there is not a plan in Western Australia for when that is going to open up.
"It is starting to look like North Korea."
By Bridget Judd
'It's not a time to get complacent'
The New South Wales Education Minister says schools have been able to manage COVID-related staff vacancies at a local level.
617 staff from 438 state schools tested positive to COVID in the first week of school, with 2,417 students returning a positive rapid antigen test.
Sarah Mitchell says schools have not had to draw on departmental staff or final year teaching students to fill the gaps.
"I'm so pleased with how this first week has gone, obviously it's not a time to get complacent, we know that there may still be bumps along the way when it comes to our education system but having said that, I really couldn't have wished for a better start to the year."
By Bridget Judd
Queensland's Wellcamp COVID quarantine facility to take first arrivals this weekend
The first guests of Queensland's controversial Wellcamp quarantine facility will arrive tomorrow.
A small group of unvaccinated international travellers will be taken by bus to the site, just outside Toowoomba, from Brisbane Airport.
Queensland Quarantine Taskforce Commissioner Joanne Greenfield said the first intake would probably be fewer than 10 people to ensure "controlled entry" and the future "flow" would depend on flight schedules.
Deputy Premier Steven Miles said the first travellers would arrive on an Air New Zealand flight. He did not say where from, although two arrivals are scheduled from Auckland tomorrow.
"We will gradually expand the number of cabins in use [at Wellcamp]," he said.
"You'll recall all the debates about why it was important to phase out hotel quarantine and have a dedicated facility and I'm certainly pleased to have it now."
By Kate Ainsworth
That's it from me today — Bridget Judd will still be here to guide you through all the COVID news this afternoon.
By Bridget Judd
80,000 people 'languishing' on surgery lists, Victorian opposition says
Victoria’s opposition has criticised plans to gradually restart elective surgery, saying a “staggering” 80,000 Victorians are currently waiting on the state’s elective surgery list.
As we heard a short time ago, some elective surgery can resume from Monday, with Victoria’s private hospitals and day procedure centres able to operate at 50 per cent capacity.
Mr Foley says he'll then consider allowing further elective surgery to resume the week after, from February 14.
“That is very much a first step. But a return then to normal elective surgery continues to be our goal to be achieved as soon as possible. And as soon as it can be safely achieved across the entire system,” Mr Foley said.
He says a further resumption of elective surgery will depend on a continuing decline in the seven-day average of COVID patients in Victorian hospitals.
However, the state opposition’s Georgie Crozier says more elective surgery should resume sooner because of waiting list blow-outs.
Ms Crozier says more than 1,000 Victorians are being added to the wait lists each week since the last report.
She described 80,000 people “languishing” on surgery waiting lists as “staggering numbers”.
“And yet we remain in this Code Brown … it makes no sense,” she says.
“We need to be treating our patients, we need to be caring for them, there are too many Victorians languishing on these wait lists, waiting in pain their health deteriorating, their quality of life is just falling by the wayside."
Reporting by Freya Michie
By Kate Ainsworth
The Prime Minister is speaking in Melbourne
It's not a dedicated COVID-19 press conference, but he's announcing a skills and jobs recovery program — you can tune in on the ABC News channel.
By Kate Ainsworth
VIC: Some elective surgery to resume next week
The Victorian Government has announced some elective surgery can resume from Monday, with the state's private hospitals and day procedure centres able to operate at 50 per cent capacity.
But Health Minister Martin Foley says a date for full resumption of elective surgery has not yet been decided.
Mr Foley also announced a $1.4 billion funding package he says will be critical in helping the state's health system navigate its response to Omicron.
There will be $938 million allocated to public hospitals, $161 million will be invested in the state's PPE stockpile and more than $30 million will be used for critical medicines and equipment for patients.
"We're doing so because our health system continues to be the subject of unprecedented levels of demand from this Omicron wave," Mr Foley said.
"This investment is so critical in allowing our world class health system to get through this crisis, supporting our people, our infrastructure and our services," he said.
Mr Foley says $35 million will also support the state's stressed ambulance service to help bring forward the recruitment of a further 120 paramedics.
Reporting by Freya Michie.
By Kate Ainsworth
NT to pause elective surgeries with 1,306 COVID-19 cases recorded
The Northern Territory is pausing elective and day surgeries in hospitals to help ease the pressure on the health system, particularly on intensive care.
There are now 148 people being treated for COVID-19 in hospital in the territory, with 16 people receiving oxygen and 6 in intensive care.
1,306 new cases were announced by the NT government today, including 302 cases added to yesterday's tally.
There are now 7,094 active cases across the NT.
By Kate Ainsworth
The Northern Territory government is speaking now
We don't have a YouTube link but ABC Darwin is streaming the press conference live on its Facebook page.
