Omicron is an unstoppable force, but when it comes to health advice, Morrison is an immoveable object | Hugh Riminton

On Friday, daily infection rates in New South Wales hit a new record for any state, at any time during this pandemic at 2,213. The NSW health minister Brad Hazzard is predicting 25,000 new cases a day by the end of January.

Omicron is an unstoppable force.

But when it comes to lockdowns, the prime minister and NSW premier are immoveable objects.

But what are those precautions?

Booster shots are needed both to protect against infection and serious illness and death.

But by his own account, that means Australia is in trouble.

The shortfall will grow steeply if the regulator Atagi approves a reduced interval before the third shot from five months to four. Its previous decision to reduce the interval from six months to five means in Victoria alone there are 442,716 people now overdue for their booster.

As of Thursday 985,598 Australians have received a third shot. In round figures, 20m more shots will be needed to deliver a booster to everyone over 16 who is already double vaccinated.

The UK administered many of their vaccines months before Australia, but Omicron is not yet sparking an equivalent anxiety here.

How we feel about that could be the political story of 2022.