Covid Tasmania: Australian Medical Association warns authorities to prepare to scale up vaccine efforts

Tasmania’s Covid case numbers have taken an interesting turn, as doctors call on authorities not to drop the ball on the virus leading in to winter. LATEST >>

A health worker prepares a dose of Pfizer COVID-19 coronavirus vaccine. (Photo by BAY ISMOYO / AFP)

DOCTORS are calling on authorities not to drop the ball on Covid leading in to winter, amid a lull in reported cases.

According to the latest data from Public Health, reported Covid case numbers are now at the lowest level recorded since Tasmania’s borders reopened in December 2021.

However during Public Accounts Committee hearings held in Hobart on Thursday, the Australian Medical Association warned authorites to prepare to scale up efforts on vaccines, case reporting and mask-wearing as winter approached.

AMA state president John Saul said the virus continued to circulate and cause concern.

“Winter is coming. Whether we like it or not, Covid is still out there. We are still certainly seeing significant amounts of disease. We need to be prepared and we need to be ready,” he said.

Vice-president Annette Barratt said it would be helpful if authorities would again conduct public awareness around cases numbers.

Currently Tasmanian case numbers are reported weekly on the Health Department’s website.

“The public, unless they are basically hit in the face with them, ignore them,” she said.

“We would like to see how many Covid cases there are, how many people have died, how many people are in hospital. We know it’s there but you have to go digging for it.”

“Having it reported just reminds people that it’s there. If they think there are not cases happening in the community why would they wear a mask?”

The latest Covid statistics for Tasmania showed there were 465 cases reported statewide in the last reporting week to February 11.

There were 18 reported Covid cases admitted to hospital, five of whom were admitted to hospital due to Covid Three cases were admitted to ICU and one case died where Covid was a cause or contributor to death.

The report said that from December 24 to the week ending February 2, the number of cases per 1000 people decreased in all three regions of Tasmania to the lowest level recorded since

community transmission was established in Tasmania in December 2021.

In terms of vaccines, just under 70 per cent of people over 16 have had three doses.

There are 39.1 per cent of people over 30 to have had a fourth dose.

There have been 285,529 cases reported since bordered reopened.

Originally published as Covid Tasmania: Australian Medical Association warns authorities to prepare to scale up vaccine efforts