Samantha Maiden: The nation, and even the Prime Minister, appear locked in some strange denial

Two recent decisions suggest that the “fresh approach” Covid verbiage is all talk, no action, writes Samantha Maiden.

Having dodged the virus for two and a half years you could say I was getting a little smug about the whole pandemic.

Could it be that I was immortal, immune to the virus?

It probably won’t shock you to learn this turned out not to be the case, as enjoyable as the fantasy was while it lasted.

The two clear lines on my Covid-19 test confirmed the sad end to my superhero status last week.

My teenage son was the patient zero in the household this time around, although he kept testing negative on RATs despite having symptoms. Stupidly, I didn’t initially test myself as a result, assuming he had a cold. It was a reminder how completely random the virus is.

My younger son had already contracted it a few months ago.

The first time around, we isolated him in a bedroom with an en suite, opened all the windows in the house and nobody else in the family got it.

This time around, the entire family went down although nobody seemed terribly unwell.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese receives his fourth dose of the COVID-19 vaccine at Adore Compounding Pharmacy in Rozelle. Picture: Dean Lewins/Getty Images

Fatigue and loss of appetite seemed to be my main symptoms. There was not much coughing and not even a sore throat.

None of which is to discount the fact that’s not the experience of everyone. Rising hospitalisation rates are testament to that.

Australia is currently recording upwards of 40,000 cases of Covid per day as Omicron sub variants continue to spread. But such is the lottery of Covid that healthy people can get very sick and people who you would think could be in strife can experience mild or no symptoms.

Regardless of the severity, what is clear is that cases are once again on the rise. What’s different this time around is the nation, and even the Prime Minister, appear locked in some strange denial about what is going on. Even Victoria admitted this week it had formal advice from health officials to mandate masks in schools and for retail workers that it was ignoring.

Vaccines remain the biggest protection and yet thousands of adults haven’t arranged a booster shot. Just months ago, Anthony Albanese won the election in part because of voter anger over the pandemic.

The failure to provide access to RATs when border closures were lifted was a significant factor. He promised a fresh approach to the virus, whatever that means, a promise that continues to appear in a bizarre list of daily talking points dished out to Labor MPs’ offices.

But two recent decisions suggest that the “fresh approach” verbiage is all talk, no action. The first strange decision, just as cases spike over winter, is to completely axe the free RATs for low income families and concession cardholders.

“Well, to be very clear, my government has not made this decision, this is a decision that was inherited from the former government and state governments,’’ the Prime Minister.

Poppycock is the word that comes to mind. The entire point of winning an election is that you’re in charge now. To suggest that he’s somehow impotent or incapable of changing that decision is ridiculous.

“Well, we inherited a range of positions from the former government and we also inherited a trillion dollars of debt,’’ he continued. “And I’d encourage concession cardholders to go and get the 10 free rapid antigen tests that they’re eligible for by the end of this month.”

In other words, get them while you can. This is the same mob that railed against a $7 co-payment to attend the GP. who are now suggesting pensioners should find three times that amount to buy a couple of RATs to ensure they don’t have a virus that could kill the immunosuppressed.

Federal Minister for Health and Aged Care. Picture: Mark Butler

Health Minister Mark Butler has confirmed that the free RAT scheme will also be closed within the next fortnight despite predictions there could soon be more than 5000 hospitalisations related to coronavirus.

“I think that expiry, I think, is about the right time,’’ Mr Butler told 3AW.

“Really?,’’ host Neil Mitchell responded.

“When that was introduced, we had a very ferocious debate, you might remember, at a time when RATs were incredibly hard to get,’’ the Health Minister said.

The broadcaster then interjected, “But hang on, we’re talking about a new wave and how bad it’s going to be, but pensioners will still now have to pay for their RATs? In a couple of weeks?”

“If you let me finish – the price has come down dramatically. They were running on average at sort of $24 – $25 per test if you could get them in January, to now down to about $8 a test,’’ he said.

Just a year ago, Mr Albanese was also making a big deal about the need for pandemic leave to allow casual workers to time off when infected.

“Nobody should be forced to choose between their livelihood and obeying health orders,’’ he said in a social media post.

But that was then and this is now and he’s axing the $750 pandemic pay for people who don’t have sick leave. Unions aren’t happy.

“It is extremely shortsighted to have removed the Disaster Leave Payment, which was critical to ensuring that all workers could comply with isolation orders and other directions without being out of pocket,” ACTU assistant secretary Liam O’Brien said.

For now the government is insisting it won’t be reinstating the pay. Let’s see how that goes.