ATAGI is unlikely to change its COVID-19 vaccine booster recommendations despite predictions of a new wave of cases to hit within weeks, health officials say. 

Last week, the chief health officers of both NSW and Victoria said new subvariants called XBB and BQ.1 were causing a rise in COVID-19 case numbers, with Victoria reporting a 25% increase in cases in just one week.

It has led to calls for ATAGI to expand its vaccination criteria to allow patients under 30 without underlying health conditions to access a second booster shot from their GP. 

Infectious diseases expert Associate Professor Paul Griffin told The Age that ATAGI could give younger Australians the option to receive a fourth shot even if it did not actively promote it, given this was already the case for 30-49-year-olds.