Cairns Covid cases escalate while booster jab numbers dwindle
Covid cases across the Far North are dramatically escalating with health authorities urging people to get booster shots now, as they reveal when the region will likely hit its peak.
Cairns
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ONLY 25 per cent of Far Northerners eligible for a Covid booster shot have come forward, with people urged to get the jab with the virus expected to peak in coming weeks.
Cairns and Hinterland Hospital and Health Service chief executive Tina Chinery said Covid would peak at the end of January and start of February.
There have been a total of 13,500 Covid cases in the region to date – with 1500 new cases overnight.
There are 82 people in hospital with Covid including four in intensive care – two of whom have had two jabs and two of whom are unvaccinated.
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“Cases are increasing rapidly in our community … it is critically important to come forward and get vaccinated to support us and to support you and your loved ones,” Ms Chinery said.
“We know it makes a difference, we are seeing people who are unvaccinated come through and be much, much sicker.”
She said only 500 people came for jabs on Wednesday whereas previous numbers were around 1200.
Announcing a rapid access clinic at Cairns Hospital to treat people presenting with Covid and take the pressure off the emergency department, director of emergency medicine Richard Stone said one in five patients presenting at emergency tested positive to Covid.
“We are seeing quite a stark difference, vaccinated patients are generally mild and unvaccinated have a higher risk of hospitalisation,” Dr Stone said.
“Most common symptoms are respiratory, a cough, shortness of breath, fever and in the unvaccinated it can be more significant respiratory disease and require oxygen, and they might need intensive care,” he said.
“If you are due for a booster, then don’t delay.”
The rapid access clinic will operate from 7.30am to 11pm.
Torres and Cape Hospital and Health Service chief executive Beverley Hamerton said unvaccinated people were 24 times more likely to end up in intensive care.
“If you are unvaccinated, you are nine times more likely to end up in hospital than if you were vaccinated and had received your booster shot,” she said.
As of Wednesday evening there were 243 active Covid cases within the Torres and Cape Hospital and Health Service region.
“To date the Torres and Cape HHS has recorded 640 cases of Covid across the region,” she said.
Two patients, from Bamaga and Cooktown, have been admitted to Cairns Hospital.
Ms Hamerton said testing was available at all TCHHS health facilities through a combination of Rapid Antigen Tests and Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) tests.
“There is no issue with availability of RAT tests at any of our facilities,” she said.
“Currently, 78 per cent of the eligible population aged 12 years and over in the TCHHS region is now fully vaccinated with two doses of vaccine and 91 per cent have had at least one dose.
“We have also delivered about 3725 booster vaccinations across the region and 640 children
aged 5-11 have received their first dose of vaccine.”
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Originally published as Cairns Covid cases escalate while booster jab numbers dwindle
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