Doctors urge Queenslanders to wear mask, work from home during third Covid wave peak

Queenslanders have been urged to work from home where possible as the state today records the highest number of Covid-19 hospitalisations since the pandemic started, with federal authorities echoing the call amid huge national case numbers. VOTE IN OUR POLL

Overwhelmed doctors are urging Queenslanders to work from home where possible to help the health system cope with the coming peak of Covid-19 cases, with the call later being echoed by federal chief medical Officer Paul Kelly in the light of staggering new national case numbers.

Federal health experts renewed the call after hundreds of thousands of people caught Covid in the past week and more than 50,000 cases were recorded in the past 24 hours.

But the true case numbers are likely to be double the official 300,000 figure, Health Minister Mark Butler warned.

It comes as Queensland on Tuesday recorded its highest number of Covid-19 hospitalisations since the pandemic began.

Today there are 983 people in hospital, including 24 in ICU. This is up from 914 in hospital on Monday and is the most since 928 were in wards on January 25.

There are 9992 new Covid-19 cases and 18 deaths have been recorded in the past 24-hour period.

The Queensland chair of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners Bruce Willett said that without Covid-19 safety mandates, people must step up in this the worst wave the state has seen.

Exclusive analysis of pandemic data by The Courier-Mail revealed Covid-19 hospital admissions in the state had hit an average daily high of 886 on Monday, surpassing the average high of 878 patients during the initial Omicron wave.

Queensland chair of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners, Dr Bruce Willett. Picture: Tara Croser.

Dr Willett said that there were practical steps everyone in Queensland can take to limit the spread of the virus.

“In Queensland, we are experiencing high COVID-19 case numbers and I’m calling for people everywhere to do what they can to limit community transmission,” he said.

“Just because there aren’t laws in places mandating certain behaviours, that doesn’t mean we should take our foot off the pedal and pretend that this is a problem that will go away.

“It is vital that we look after one another because as a community we are all in this together.

“So, in addition to getting vaccinated and boosted, I urge all Australians to wear a mask indoors or where social distancing is difficult, such as at a sports games or crowded shopping centres.

“Have a conversation with your boss to see if working from home is an option while we get through this current surge in case numbers and do what you can to catch up with family and friends outside or try to ensure indoor gatherings happen in well-ventilated spaces.

“If you are feeling unwell, get tested and if your test is positive – isolate at home. We can all do small things to stop the spread of COVID-19, the flu, and other respiratory viruses by coughing and sneezing into your elbow and remembering to hand sanitise.

“This virus is not disappearing anytime soon and although the thought of returning to measures like mask wearing isn’t pleasant, at the end of the day it’s a relatively minor inconvenience.”

Health experts have renewed their call for Australians to resume working from home after hundreds of thousands of people caught Covid in the last week.

Federal chief medical officer Paul Kelly on Tuesday afternoon told reporters in Canberra the “threat” of the BA. 4 and BA. 5 Omicron sub variants required the increased alarm.

“The reason for that is because it’s much more infectious than earlier variants … and it’s also very good at escaping immunity,” he said.

Hospitals and healthcare workers are struggling under the strain of increased admissions during the ongoing wave.

Professor Kelly urged Australians to do everything in their power to stop the spread – including working from home.

“We have done this before and we can do this again,” he said.

“The Australian Health Protection Principal Committee has reiterated its advice on reinfection periods, testing and isolation, mask wearing, vaccine boosters and treatments and called on employers to allow work from home if feasible.”

But not enough people have been lining up to receive their third or fourth dose of the Covid vaccine, Mr Butler conceded.

Masks, which have become a lightning rod for disagreement in recent weeks, have been strongly encouraged but not mandated.

“I really very strongly suggest that you do wear masks … This will not be forever but for the next few weeks,” Professor Kelly said.

It comes as Australia‘s medical regulator has approved the use of Moderna’s coronavirus vaccine for children aged between six months and five years. The Therapeutic Goods Administration looked at a study from the US and Canada before making the decision the vaccine is safe for infants and young children, it said in a release on Tuesday.

There are about 368,000 children aged five or younger in Queensland according to the latest population data, though this includes infants younger than six months.

Queensland has the lowest take-up of the Covid-19 vaccine in the five- to 11-year-old age group nationally, with 31.8 per cent of the cohort receiving two doses as of Tuesday.

Originally published as Doctors urge Queenslanders to wear mask, work from home during third Covid wave peak