Thursday 7 July 2022 11:21 PM Covid Australia: NSW, Victoria, Queensland, ATAGI health chiefs want MASKS and ... trends now

Thursday 7 July 2022 11:21 PM Covid Australia: NSW, Victoria, Queensland, ATAGI health chiefs want MASKS and ... trends now
Thursday 7 July 2022 11:21 PM Covid Australia: NSW, Victoria, Queensland, ATAGI health chiefs want MASKS and ... trends now

Thursday 7 July 2022 11:21 PM Covid Australia: NSW, Victoria, Queensland, ATAGI health chiefs want MASKS and ... trends now

Mandatory masks and stay at home orders could be back within weeks and some elective surgeries halted as Australia braces for a devastating new Covid wave which is already packing out ICU wards.

The Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI), backed by some of the architects of Australia's past lockdowns, is pushing for the return of restrictive laws to stop the new and highly contagious Omicron BA.4 and BA.5 subvariants.

Australia is already battling a potentially lethal 'multi-demic' cocktail of respiratory viruses, including the flu, RSV, para-influenza, adenovirus and HMPV, which are spreading like wildfire through a population with immune systems weakened by two years of lockdown restrictions.

The rapid spread of the multi-demic bugs is also being fuelled by cold and damp weather, and comes as more than 4,000 people are hospitalised with Covid and ICU cases surge by 40 per cent across the country.

Several Queensland hospitals have paused all of their elective surgeries as the health system comes under increasing pressure from the influx of cases including the state's largest hospital and health service Metro North Health.

Royal Brisbane Hospital, Prince Charles Hospital, Caboolture Hospital, Redcliffe Hospital, Kilocy Hospital has suspended all elective surgery while Gold Coast HHS has paused non-urgent surgery at its hospitals.  

On Thursday, the Federal government signed off on a fourth Covid booster shot for anyone over 30, with those over 50 told to get jabbed urgently.

The move was recommended by ATAGI, but hidden in the small print was a recommendation for further public health measures.

Mandatory masks and working from home could be back within weeks as the nation braces for a devastating new Covid wave which is already packing out intensive care units

Mandatory masks and working from home could be back within weeks as the nation braces for a devastating new Covid wave which is already packing out intensive care units

The move was recommended by the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation, but hidden in the small print was a warning of further measures

The move was recommended by the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation, but hidden in the small print was a warning of further measures

'The impact of this expanded vaccine booster recommendation alone is expected to be limited,' the ATAGI statement admitted.

'ATAGI advises other public health and social measures, in addition to vaccination, will have the greatest impact against the Omicron BA.4 and BA.5 surge in infections. 

'This includes increased use of masks.'

Victoria has already flagged the return of Covid restrictions after Premier Dan Andrews extended the state's pandemic declaration for another three months.

'There continues to be a serious risk to public health which requires continued public health measures to reduce the risk of transmission and hospitalisation,' he warned as he confirmed the extension.

Victoria has already flagged the return of Covid restrictions after Premier Dan Andrews extended the state's pandemic declaration for another three months

Victoria has already flagged the return of Covid restrictions after Premier Dan Andrews extended the state's pandemic declaration for another three months

The move was slammed by Victorian Liberals leader Matthew Guy who blasted the premier's 'lust for power and control'.

Mr Guy added: 'It's time to end the state of emergency.

'It's time to end mandates outside of health and aged care sector. Victorians deserve to have control of their lives handed back.

'The threat of mandates, lockdowns and restrictions remain, which overshadows efforts for us to recover...but they play second to a premier with a lust for power and control.'

New Victorian health minister Mary-Anne Thomas admitted the decision on the return of masks and working from home was imminent.

'The pandemic declaration allows me to make that decision and I haven't yet made it,' she said on Thursday.

'The public health team are looking at modelling and they're consulting with their colleagues and various ideas are floated but no decisions have been taken.'

New Victorian health minister Mary-Anne Thomas admitted the decision on the return of masks and working from home was imminent

New Victorian health minister Mary-Anne Thomas admitted the decision on the return of masks and working from home was imminent

Symptoms of new BA4 and BA5 subvariants 

Runny nose

Sneezing

Fatigue 

Sore throat

Dry cough 

Loss of taste

Loss of smell

Muscle aches and pains

Headache

Red or irritated eyes

Vomiting

Diarrhoea

Skin rash

Discolouration of fingers or toes

Advertisement

Queensland's health chief John Gerrard revealed the return of mask mandates was already under discussion among state health chiefs. 

'I can say that nationally, there is increasing pressure, there is a school of thought that we should be mandating masks again,' he told 4BC radio on Saturday.

'We are continually reviewing all aspects of our pandemic response including the potential need for mask mandates in different settings.'

The virulent new strains have the highest rate of transmission of any of the major mutant variations since the disease first spread worldwide in 2020.

BA.4 and BA.5 have a basic reproduction number (R0) rate of 18.6, meaning, without any restrictions, every infected patient would likely infect 18 or 19 people.

That compares to the original 2020 Wuhan Covid strain's R0 of 3.3, Delta's 5.1  and the Omicron BA.1 strain's 9.5, which sparked the widespread outbreak that has smashed Australia since January, killing 7000 in seven months.

The latest subvariants are also feared to have evolved to be much more resistant to existing vaccines and acquired immunity from previous infections.

Now health chiefs are delivering grim warnings about the BA.4 and BA.5 wave about to sweep through families across the country.

On Thursday, there were 3,921 people with Covid in hospitals across the country, less than the 5,000-plus peak around Australia Day, but up 24 per cent since mid-May.

Federal health minister Mark Butler has warned of the devastating Covid wave about to hit Australia as he signed off a fourth Covid jab for anyone over 30

Federal health minister Mark Butler has warned of the devastating Covid wave about to hit Australia as he signed off a fourth Covid jab for anyone over 30

ELECTIVE SURGERIES AT RISK 

Some elective surgeries may be suspended again in Queensland as the state government pleads with residents to get their booster jabs amid a third COVID-19 wave.

Just under 700 public and private hospital patients have the virus and 7.6 per cent of Queensland Health workers are off on some form of sick leave.

'I have over 2000 staff that are furloughed just because of COVID,' Health Minister Yvette D'Ath said on Thursday.

Some hospitals are likely to suspend lower-category elective surgeries depending on where staffing pressures are impacting the most.

'There's no decision to have any statewide suspension. We're allowing the local hospitals to manage that based on their own demands and pressures,' Ms D'Ath said.

With the current virus wave yet to hit its peak, the situation is likely to get worse before it gets better.

'The modelling says that we should expect that it will get worse leading up to the end of the month,' Ms D'Ath said.

Her comments came as the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) expanded the criteria for who can get a second COVID-19 booster.

From July 11, people over 50 will be recommended to receive a fourth vaccine dose, or second booster shot.

Those between 30 and 49 will from Monday be able to have a fourth dose if they choose to do so.

But there are concerns about vaccine levels for Queenslanders who are already eligible.

Less than half of those who fit the existing criteria have come forward for their fourth vaccine dose, or second booster.

'The latest data shows that if you are over 65 and you have not received your fourth booster, you are four more times likely to get the new (Omicron) variants,' Ms D'Ath said.

Just 63 per cent of eligible people have had their third booster, while more than 94 per cent of the eligible population have had at least one vaccination.

'There's no reason why our third dose and our fourth dose should not be at those same levels,' Ms D'Ath said.

Expanding eligibility for a second booster to include healthcare workers should also be considered, the Australian Medical Association said.

'We're ... asking for ATAGI to consider healthcare workers. They are at the front line,' AMA Queensland president Maria Boulton told ABC radio on Thursday.

'We need to keep those healthcare workers at work. We need to protect them with everything we have.'

The state recorded just under 6,000 new COVID-19 cases on Thursday and 17 more deaths.

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