Cairns Covid-19: Far North doctor says Cairns hospital can’t cope with Delta outbreak

There are fears a premature lifting of border restrictions could cripple an already stressed Far North health system amid fresh concerns the region is unprepared for a Delta outbreak.

A SENIOR doctor and health union member fears a premature lifting of border restrictions could cripple an already stressed Far North health system amid fresh concerns the region is unprepared for a Delta outbreak.

Cairns-based Together Union vice-president Dr Sandy Donald said a “code yellow” capacity alarm for the Cairns Hospital on Tuesday was evidence “letting Covid rip” could have dire consequences.

It comes as Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison continues to apply pressure on Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk’s to soften her hard line stance on interstate travel.

There are concerns the Cairns Hospital would not be able to cope if the Far North had a serious Covid outbreak. Picture: Brendan Radke

“When we have a health system that is getting to code yellow in normal circumstances with effectively no Covid, it’s going to get a hell of a lot worse if we get an outbreak,” he said.

“We know we have a lot of remote and very vulnerable people in this region, many of which are struggling with vaccine hesitancy.

“So there is a huge risk if Covid gets into those communities that there will be large numbers of people getting sick.”

The Cairns, Townsville, Mackay and Mt Isa all declared code yellow alarms on Tuesday, something the Australian College for Emergency Medicine president John Bonning called “unprecedented”.

Kate Veach, Dr Sandy Donald and Trish Berrill at a rally for better health services at the Cairns Hospital last week. Picture: Emily Barker

CHHHS chief executive Tina Chinery said the hospital had been experiencing a sustained period of peak demand, with up to 60 extra patients presenting at the emergency department every day.

“Typically, we see an average of 220-240 people,” she said.

“In the past few days, we have been seeing closer to 280 presentations per day.”

Ms Chinery said issuing the alarm allowed resources to be shifted where they were most needed.

It is the 15th capacity related code yellow activated since the start of 2020.

Dr Donald said the approach from the federal government to expect Cairns and the rest of the state “to just open up” to Delta ravaged Victoria and New South Wales, once their 80 per cent vaccination targets were reached, was “utterly ridiculous.”

Wayne Costelloe at the rally. Picture: Emily Barker

“It’s just so irresponsible to have an open slather approach when your health system is already under terrible strain, and you have a large number of people who are not vaccinated,” he said.

“The idea of letting Covid rip is utterly ridiculous and completely irresponsible.”

It comes as Cairns health care staff and unions rallied outside the hospital last week demanding more beds and better services.

Dr Donald said a survey conducted by staff found almost 70 per cent felt the hospital was unsafe for patients and workers.

“We urgently need a longer term plan for an extra 300 beds or so,” he said.

“We know a major upgrade to a major building is going to take time.

“But what Cairns and the Far North need is an actual plan to start building beds immediately, and a lot more than 70.”

Originally published as Cairns Covid-19: Far North doctor says Cairns hospital can’t cope with Delta outbreak