‘Vaccines are not the only answer’: experts call for more public health measures to curb Omicron

Leading academics want return of both indoor mask mandates in NSW and density limits for indoor venues

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Epidemiologist Prof. Mary-Louise McLaws has spent the past week dialling in to meetings of the World Health Organization's [WHO] infection prevention and control group, and said: I don't know of any outbreak manager who would not support wearing masks at the very minimum" in cities where Covid-19 cases are rising.

WHO keeps reminding the world that vaccines are not the only answer because this virus keeps changing," McLaws said. Vaccines certainly reduce the risk of death and severe infection. But you do need other measures, like physical distancing, and masks."

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