Gold Coast medical experts fear complacency and lack social of distancing may set coronavirus ‘bomb off’

Medical experts fear a second wave of coronavirus is coming to the Gold Coast unless ‘we’re incredibly lucky and everyone does the right thing’.

MEDICAL experts fear a COVID-19 wave will hit the Gold Coast due to “complacency” as restrictions ease unless “we’re incredibly lucky and everyone does the right thing”.

Gold Coast Primary Health Network chair and GP Dr Roger Halliwell said he’d had talks with Gold Coast Health staff at the frontline and “everyone is concerned”.

“I’m forever a pessimist because complacency is a big danger right now, especially as restrictions ease and everyone wants to get back to normal.

“The person I spoke to said ‘the second wave is coming’ and it absolutely will unless we are incredibly lucky and people do the right thing.

Medics are the Gold Coast fear if people don’t continue to social distance a second wave of COVID-19 is imminent. Photo by Finnbarr Webster/Getty Images.

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“I share this person’s concerns increased complacency will end up setting a bomb off.”

His warning comes as NZ reports two cases of the coronavirus, both related to recent travellers from the UK, ending a 24-day streak of no new infections in the country. The pair travelled from Brisbane to Auckland on an Air NZ flight on June 7.

Queensland Health said it would not “facilitate” a request to interview a Gold Coast Public Health expert saying the “Chief Health Officer has spoken on this at just about every press conference”.

There are four respiratory clinics across the Gold Coast, including one at Burleigh, freeing up GPs for people to get their regular checks. Picture: Tertius Pickard

Robina GP Lisa Beecham said she’d noticed a lack of social distancing at shopping centres, with locals flouting the 1.5-metre social distance rule.

“It’s been that bad I’ve actually wanted to say something to a few people,” she said. “We’re seeing overseas second waves are occurring and we are definitely at risk of a second wave as we ease restrictions.

“People are a bit sick of being at home and in lockdown and are excited to be out but they’re forgetting we are still in a pandemic, this pandemic is not finished and won’t be until we declare it is.”

Robina GP Dr Lisa Beecham says a second COVID-19 wave is likely on the Gold Coast. Picture Glenn Hampson

She’s advocating all Gold Coasters download the COVID safe app, wash hands regularly, maintain 1.5m distancing, stay home if sick and get tested if respiratory symptoms appear.

“We’ll probably see another wave because we haven’t got a vaccine and we haven’t got enough community immunity yet,” she said.

Queensland has had 1065 coronavirus cases, with only five active. The Gold Coast has had 196 with two active. There are 567 active self-quarantine notices on the Gold Coast and statewide 254,554 people have been tested.