Queensland's chief health officer won't recommend wearing masks in public despite a surge in COVID-19 cases, as an eighth wave of the virus sweeps across Australia.
John Gerrard said the health department must not overstate the risk of the COVID-19 wave due to high vaccination rates and a general level of immunity, but implored those aged 65 and over to receive a booster jab.
The average time between boosters for people over the age of 65 that have been admitted to hospital is 15 months, he said.
"We do have a wave there is no question, but these waves are getting milder," Dr Gerrard told reporters on Wednesday.
"The public health approach to this COVID now is very clear: our focus must be on those who are at greatest risk, which is principally those over the age of 65 and ensuring that they have received a booster of the vaccine this year.
There are 221 people in hospital with COVID-19 in Queensland, mostly over the age of 65, and two people in intensive care.
The number of cases recorded is roughly three times greater than the previous month.
Since the wave began four weeks ago, there have been no recorded deaths from the virus.
When comparing the current data to a 30-day period between December 2022 to January 2023 , it showed there were fewer COVID-19 hospitalisations.
There were on average 450 beds taken up by COVID-19 patients in that earlier period.
Dr Gerrard said issuing a general mask mandate in a wave of this nature would be disproportionate to the risk.
However, hospitals and health services can require visitors to wear masks at their own discretion.
"If people want to wear masks, they should feel free to do so in public," he said.
"They should not feel pressured or in any way intimidated because they choose to wear a mask. That's their right.
"Individual health facilities may ask you to wear masks and I ask you please to honour that."
In South Australia, there has been a nearly 50 per cent jump in infections in a week, with 2493 cases recorded as of Friday compared to 1691 the previous week.
That compares to 546 cases in the last week of August.
Hospitalisations are steady, with an average of 30 people a week admitted with COVID-19.
The most common variant reported in SA is XBB, a recombinant Omicron variant.
Less than five per cent of the circulating strains are BA.2.86, a relatively new Omicron variant commonly referred to as Pirola.
SA Chief Public Health Officer Nicola Spurrier said on Tuesday that South Australians had the tools to reduce the impact of the current wave, which include mask-wearing and avoiding contact with vulnerable people if infected.
