A top infectious diseases expert has revealed Covid-19 is causing fewer hospitalisations than a bad flu season in Australia.
Professor Peter Collignon said it was important to have perspective when looking at hospitalisation and ICU numbers during an appearance on the Today Show.
The expert revealed the number of people in hospitals with the virus was less than the number of patients admitted with influenza during a recent winter.
'We're seeing a lot of people in hospital and a lot of people in ICU but we need to keep it in perspective,' he said on Wednesday.
Top infectious diseases expert Peter Collignon revealed the number of people in hospital with Covid-19 was less than the number of patients admitted with influenza during a recent winter
'It's still less than what we often see in winter with influenza, for instance, a number of years ago, and it seems to be less of an issue than even six months ago with the proportion of infected people going into hospital.'
Mr Collignon said the high level of vaccination across Australia meant a smaller proportion of people were requiring care in hospital, or dying.
'So much so, that if you're vaccinated your risk is probably similar to a season of influenza, it's the one or two million unvaccinated adults we still have who are disproportionately in hospital and disproportionately in ICU.'
The expert reminded people worried about being infected with the virus that Australians didn't have access to vaccines a year ago.
He said those who were fully vaccinated with a booster shot had a 'much, much lower chance of coming into serious grief than a year ago'.
The top infectious diseases expert said it was important to have perspective when looking at hospitalisation and ICU numbers (pictured, shoppers walk in Melbourne)
'A lot of us are going to get Covid over the next year or two, but the consequences now for serious disease - which is what matters - is so much less than a year ago, we need to come to terms with that,' he said.
He said it was important to get more staff on the ground, decrease the fear level in society and ensure those vulnerable were at 'the front of the queue' for care.
Mr Collingnon was asked when he predicted Australia would
