South Australia has recorded two COVID-linked deaths, one of which will be referred to the state's coroner, the Premier says.
The two fatal cases are a woman in her 40s and a man who was a resident of an aged care home.
"A woman in her 40s — I understand this will be referred to the coroner — and a man in his 70s," Premier Steven Marshall said.
The state recorded 2,009 cases in the most recent 24-hour reporting period, compared to 2,062 reported yesterday and the 2,193 reported on Friday.
Mr Marshall said the current downward trend was "very good news".
"This is certainly the lowest we've seen for a very long period of time," he said.
"We're really reducing the active cases by thousands and thousands each week.
"In fact, at the moment, we're down to 27,991 active cases in our state."
The latest two deaths take the state's total since the start of the pandemic to 69, including 65 since borders reopened on November 23, but SA Health said data around what proportion of those had Omicron was unavailable.
A total of 294 people are in hospital — an increase by 16 on yesterday's figure — and 29 are in intensive care, with six on ventilators.
"The first is a gentle and gradual return to working starting on the 27th, where 25 per cent of people who have previously been working from home will return to their offices and their workplaces — that's going to increase mobility.
"The second one is, of course, the students returning to school."
The government said it was also increasingly turning its attention to easing social distancing measures introduced in response to the Omicron outbreak.
"What I've asked for is modelling that give us some options," the Premier said.
"We can't remove all restrictions at the same time — that would lead to a second damaging wave in South Australia.
"We'll also be looking at elective surgery — not to remove the ban completely, but looking at the pathways back."
The Premier said the Novavax vaccine would become available in February, in line with the national rollout announced today after it was approved by the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) for people aged 18 and over.
Government defends return-to-school plan ahead of strike ballot
The SA government is facing strike action by teachers over aspects of its return-to-schools program, and the Australian Education Union is holding a ballot today.
Education Minister John Gardner defended the government's approach, saying a staggered start to the school year aimed to mitigate the likelihood of COVID spread.
"The purpose of the staggered start is to ensure the spread … doesn't see those extra 20,000 or 30,000 cases," he said.
"As we pass that peak of Omicron transmission we will be able to do our bit to suppress the spread."
Mr Gardner also defended the decision not to introduce COVID surveillance testing for teachers using rapid antigen tests (RATs), saying that was not in line with advice from Chief Public Health Officer Nicola Spurrier.
"Twice weekly surveillance testing would actually have more negative consequences," he told ABC Radio Adelaide.
"People would come to rely too heavily on those negative results."
The state government has previously knocked back calls by the SA branch of the education union to delay the start of the school term by two weeks
"I hope that whatever the result of the ballot may be that the union executive, who I understand are meeting tomorrow morning, will take into account that very constructive level of discussion we've had in recent days," Mr Gardner said today.
"I hope they'll take the opportunity to listen to Professor Spurrier explain to them why she's given us the health advice she has."
