Queensland has raised its COVID advice level to amber, with Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk warning that a 4th wave could be here. It means face masks are once again recommended for healthcare facilities, crowded indoor settings, on public transport – you know the drill… COVID hospitalisations have doubled there in the past week as NSW recorded a nearly 40% increase in cases. Queensland’s Chief Health Officer John Gerrard says a “soup of variants” is spreading, including Omicron off-shoots BQ.1 and XBB. Yesterday, officials from the Federal Health Department said a 5th dose of the COVID vaccine has not yet been recommended by the experts, but the arrival of antiviral drugs is an important development. Overall, the World Health Organisation has reported a 90% drop in coronavirus deaths since February. Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus says while this is “cause for optimism”, we must remain vigilant.