As vaccination rates increase and restrictions ease, plenty of us are starting to make plans for the Christmas and New Year breaks.

But in most of Australia, restrictions aren't easing for everyone. For many people who aren't vaccinated, restrictions are staying or even getting harsher.

So is this fair? Is it an effective way of getting the vaccination rate up? And how do you navigate tricky conversations with loved ones who don't feel the same way as you about the vax?

GUEST:Professor Julie Leask, a social scientist and professor in the Susan Wakil School of Nursing and Midwifery, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney.

With the news that NSW has hit 90 percent double vaccination in 16+, with other parts of the country to follow soon, you could be forgiven for thinking that the pandemic is finally over.

But like it or not, we're still living through a pandemic and it's likely in the coming months there'll continue to be outbreaks and waves of COVID-19.

It's not all bad news though. New drugs are likely to come online soon giving doctors even more tools to treat infections and prevent deaths.

So what else could be in store for us in 2022? On today's Coronacast, we pull out the crystal ball for some blatant speculation.

When the Doherty model was released a few months ago, it set Australia on a path to reopening at various stages of vaccination.

Now that the country has hit 80 per cent double dose for 16+, experts from Doherty, Burnet and other organisations have released new models on what we can expect a little further down the line.

One of the big ones is how schools can remain open - even when positive cases are detected - so long as students are tested regularly via rapid antigen testing.

And the new Doherty modelling has possible ways forward for international arrivals, and vulnerable remote Indigenous communities.

Also on today's show:

* Why is a booster necessary? After having been double vaccinated, even if the antibody level has waned, shouldn't the memory cells of the immune system kick into action?

The largest age group of active COVID cases in Victoria at the moment are kids, under 9 years old.

While hard to compare directly, it's a similar story in NSW.

Kids are currently unable to be vaccinated, leaving them vulnerable to infection as more COVID circulates through the community - though thankfully, disease is often very mild in children.

But on today's Coronacast, overseas experiences tell us that as more and more kids get COVID, we'll see more rare, but serious events popup.

Also on today's show:

* Are any of the rapid antigen tests approved/suitable for young children?

* Do we have another COVID treatment with that new Pfizer anti-viral drug?

The world passed a grim milestone a few days ago: 5 million deaths from COVID-19 and counting.

But the reality is, that the actual deaths from the pandemic are much, much higher.

Estimating how high is hard, but researchers can use data around excess deaths - ie, an increase beyond the normal number of people who die on average year to year - as a guide.

So on today's Coronacast, why reported COVID deaths are probably grossly underestimated.

Also on today's show:

* Australia's vaccination rate starts to slow

* Who are we missing in relation to vaccination?

A program to vaccinate children in the United States has come closer to reality, after the CDC endorseds the use of COVID-19 shots in kids from 5 to 11.

Australian health authorities and regulators have yet to decide if it should happen here, but it is expected to happen in the next couple of months.

There has been some debate about whether kids should be vaccinated, with some questioning the very small risks versus the rewards.

So on today's Coronacast, what do we know about health problems in children from the vaccine compared to getting COVID-19 itself?

Also on today's show:

* More on rapid antigen tests

* A new COVID treatment?

The rules for fully vaccinated people in NSW are changing for the better next week, with a bunch of restrictions being lifted early thanks to high vaccination rates.

But the unvaccinated will have to wait with restrictions longer, as the state aims for even higher levels of vaccination across the population.

NSW, Victoria and the ACT are showing that it's possible to get to 95 per cent 12+ vaccination, which is resulting in case numbers falling.

So on today's Coronacast, at the rate we're going, when might we run out of arms to stick needles into?

Also on today's show:

* More on finding which rapid-antigen test is best

* If we vaccinated everyone in the world, would SARS-CoV-2 die off?

It was in early May when the Delta variant was officially listed as a variant of concern.

Delta turned out to be far more contagious than previous variants, and challenged Australia's public health response.

But since then, there haven't been any new variants of concern listed by the World Health Organisation, though there have been a couple of new variants of interest.

So why not? And what do we know about the AY4.2 variant that's causing some concern in the UK?

Also on today's show:

* Should I go overseas on holiday?

* My friends believe that the only benefit of being vaccinated to prevent oneself from severe disease. Is this true?

From today, you can buy rapid antigen tests from the shop and use them on yourself to see if you've got COVID-19 or not.

Previously, the home, general-public use of antigen tests wasn't available for purchase by the general public.

So with a bunch of them on the market for the first time, what should you keep in mind and how do they differ from the usual PCR test we're so used to?

That's on today's Coronacast.

GUEST:

Dr Ian Norton, Managing Director, Respond Global

Australians over 18 years of age who've waited six months from their second COVID vaccine will be given the chance to grab a booster shot if they want one.

While the focus will be on aged care and healthcare workers to start, yesterday, the expert panel on vaccinations approved the use of Pfizer booster doses.

And - at the moment - it's being sold as a boost, not a requirement to be considered "fully vaccinated"

So on today's Coronacast, how did ATAGI come to its recommendation and what can we expect in the months ahead?

Also on today's show:

* Only Pfizer is approved at the moment, but I want Moderna. Should I wait?

* What about mixing vaccines?

* Is Norman back at the gym?