Covid could kill more people this year than heart disease in Australia

Covid is set to become Australia’s number one killer in 2022, and experts are calling for mask mandates to stem the rapid spread of the virus. What do you think — TAKE OUR POLL.

As many as one in five people have Covid in some Sydney suburbs, with the disease on track to become the single biggest cause of death in Australia in 2022.

Up to 20,000 people are expected to die of Covid if current trends continue, surpassing the traditional single biggest killer, coronary heart disease, which is responsible for around 16,600 deaths a year.

Covid’s Omicron BA.4 and BA.5 sub-variants are at present killing 64 people a day, or 448 a week.

The variants are better at escaping vaccine-induced immunity, especially in those with only two doses, hence the call for boosters.

To date, almost 8400 lives have been lost this year, prompting federal chief medical officer Professor Paul Kelly to call for everyone to put their masks back on. “We know that masks work to decrease transmission — it protects yourself, it protects others and protects particularly vulnerable people,” he said.

Sarah Marschke and Ruby Rose Schofield are happy to wear masks again to stop the spread of Covid. Picture: Tim Hunter

There were almost 82,000 active cases in NSW this week and 2210 people in ­hospital.

Sydney intensive care specialist and president of Australian and New Zealand Intensive Care Society Dr Mark Nichols has personally returned to mask-wearing while in public as a simple measure to reduce trans­mission.

The Australian Medical Association has urged the reintroduction of mask mandates but politicians have been reluctant, instead opting to strongly encourage people to wear them.

Unfortunately, too few have heeded the message.

“It is the same message about flattening the curve and spreading the load, we need to flatten that peak. I’ve restarted wearing a mask when out and about, plus (Covid) is everywhere,” Dr Nichols said.

The highest transmission in the state is currently in the Hunters Hill local government area, where one in five people are currently infected with Covid. The Blacktown, Suth­erland, Canada Bay and Newcastle local government areas have more than one in 10 infected.

Professor Raina MacIntyre, head of the Biosecurity Program at the Kirby Institute, said vaccination on its own was not good enough to control BA.5, which is as contagious as measles.

“SARS CoV2 is airborne and spread primarily through inhaling contaminated air,” Prof MacIntyre said.

“Therefore, wearing a well-fitted mask that filters the air will reduce your risk of getting infected.”

Australian and New Zealand Intensive Care Society president Dr Mark Nichols. Picture: Sam Ruttyn

Epidemiologist Professor Adrian Esterman said the current statistics were “horrendous”.

“If it carries on it may well become our biggest cause of death this year, we’re only in July,” Prof Esterman said.

“On top of all of this you have all the thousands and thousands that will end up with long Covid.

“A new report estimates in the coming months 100,000 will have permanent severe disability caused by Covid. These are massive numbers and how our health system will cope is beyond me.”

Associate Professor Sabina Kleitman, from the University of Sydney Department of Psychology, has just comple­ted a study on mask-wearing and why people have dropped them so quickly.

“In January, 91 per cent said they were still wearing a mask indoors (always or often) and 45 per cent said they were wearing masks outside, now it is radically different. Now only 38 per cent said they were wearing masks ­inside and only 17 per cent were wearing masks outside,” she said

Prof Kleitman then looked at the psychological characteristics of those who did not wear masks properly.

“They had a psychological predisposition to self-interest, to pursuing self -interest, and the motivation to restore one’s freedom,” she said.

The current reluctance to take up masks was a combination of several factors, including the fact that people were just sick of hearing about it, Prof Kleitman said.

“Covid fatigue is a factor, and inconsistent messaging from the government,” she said.

Prof Esterman joined the AMA in calling for mask mandates in the short-term.

“Short-term, for heaven’s sake reintroduce mask mandates, it does not impact on business, it is the simplest thing we can do to reduce transmission,” he said.

Current Miss World Australia, Sarah Marschke said she knows first-hand how vulnerable some people are when it comes to Covid-19.

“I own a disability service so I know and have seen how important it is to protect those who are more susceptible to Covid,” the 23-year-old said.

“And it’s not just Covid, there are so many illnesses around at the moment that can be deadly for the elderly, sick or pregnant.

“I don’t see any harm in wearing a mask to protect yourself and others.”

SCHOOL WARNING ON CASES IGNORED

The state’s top doctor warned those working in schools that wearing masks was their best protection against Covid-19 — before education officials stopped short of mandating the measure.

The NSW Education Department unveiled a raft of “Covid Smart” measures at the start of term three on Monday, including increasing its supply of free rapid antigen tests and boosting cleaning measures.

But for staff and students, except those in special education settings, wearing masks indoors was only “strongly recommended”.

The NSW Teachers Federation has now revealed chief health officer Dr Kerry Chant recommended mask wearing when it met with her during the school holidays.

The NSW Teachers Federation wants masks mandated for students and teachers in classrooms.

“The advice she gave us was that all teachers and ­students should be wearing masks,” federation senior vice-president Amber Flohm said.

“She said that was really ­optimum to reduce the risk of spread.”

The department promised a “four-week blitz” of Covid measures to kick off term three.

“The settings are similar to last term, but we are being extra vigilant to get the term off to the best start,” NSW Education secretary Georgina Harrisson said this week.

Ms Flohm said there were “mixed views” about whether a mandate was necessary to ­ensure masks were worn in school settings.

“The federation has always been of the view, and it’s been confirmed by Dr Chant, that mask-wearing for all students and teachers indoors is the best situation for reducing risk and transmission,” she said.

High school students or staff who are asymptomatic household contacts and taking daily rapid antigen tests must still wear a face mask indoors, according to the department website.

Masks are also mandatory on public transport for those aged 12 and older.

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