The latest weekly COVID-19 numbers show deaths and reported cases in Queensland are holding steady, as the southern states prepare for another wave.
On Monday, Chief Health Officer John Gerrard said "it is quite possible" Queensland would experience a wave "in the coming weeks", due to growing cases interstate where two new variants are doing the rounds.
However, he said any such wave was yet to be detected.
In fact, Queensland was the only state or territory where cases of the virus did not grow last week.
Queensland has recorded 4,427 cases in the week to Wednesday and another 14 virus related deaths.
There are 105 people in hospital, which is the same number as last week.
Queensland hospitals were treating 1,123 COVID-19 patients at the peak of the last wave in late July.
Federal government data from November 2 shows just 65.2 per cent of eligible Queenslanders have had a third dose of a vaccine and 44.7 per cent have had four doses.
Dr Gerrard said the new variants symptoms were "no worse than the current variants we are seeing".
With that in mind, what do we know?
What are the new strains?
The new strains are known as BQ.1 and XBB.
These are Omicron subvariants.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) is closely monitoring them and late last month said XBB had been detected in 35 countries, while BQ.1 had been reported in 65 countries.
Dr Gerrard said the new strains were still in "relatively small numbers" in Queensland.
However, the Victorian Health department reported "rapid growth" last week and New South Wales is also reporting a rise.
Should we be worried?
BQ.1 and XBB have not been nominated as "variants of concern".
The WHO said there was no data to suggest an increase in disease severity.
"There is, however, early evidence pointing at a higher reinfection risk, as compared to other circulating Omicron sublineages," the WHO's Technical Advisory Group said in a statement on October 27.
Dr Gerrard said if you have had Omicron before, that offers some protection.
"It is reasonable to assume that at least two thirds to three quarters of Queenslanders have now had COVID-19 with the Omicron strain, which will certainly provide some protection against these new strains," he said.
A new wave?
Both Victoria and New South Wales health authorities are reporting increased cases.
Victoria recorded 10,226 new cases, up from last week's total of 8,537.
New South Wales jumped from 10,050 to 12,450, with 809 patients in hospital.
They believe they are entering the next COVID-19 wave.
"If they're experiencing a wave in Victoria and New South Wales, Queensland usually follows a few weeks later," Dr Gerrard said.
Chief Health Officers are urging people to be up-to-date with their vaccinations and stay home if they have cold or flu-like symptoms.
What should people be doing?
Dr Gerrard pointed to the traffic-light system recently introduced by the Queensland government, which gives people an indication of the level of care required to avoid COVID-19, and currently sits at green.
"Certainly people should still be going to Christmas parties and spending time with their families," he said.
The CHO also reinforced the recommendation for people to get two boosters of a COVID-19 vaccine.
"The evidence is for two boosters. Two boosters provides significant protection," Dr Gerrard said.
"If I had one concern at the moment, it's the number of people over the age of 50 who are not up to date with their vaccinations.
"And particularly the number of people over the age of 70.
"Because we know that being up to date with vaccinations protects you from hospitalisation and death."
