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       reality checks from Gold Coast covid wards
By Keith Woods
6 
In her first interview since being appointed Gold Coast Health’s Director of Infectious Diseases, Dr Kylie Alcorn who is leading the fight againstOmicron on the Gold Coast, reveals what it's really like inside our Covid wards. 
While most people recovered at home, Covid was resulting in serious issues for some patients, Dr Alcorn said, causing them to seek help at Gold Coast hospitals.
NOT EVERY CASE IS MILD
1
“A good portion of our patients are coming in because of the Covid pneumonia,” she said. “They’re short of breath, really fatigued because they don’t have enough oxygen."
Other reasons for presentation include:
Severe fatigue
Myocarditis, inflammation of the heart and chest pains.
Gastrointestinal upsets causing severe dehydration and kidney impairment.
To the point where people can't even walk to the toilet.
Heart complaints
Gastro issues
Few patients in hospital had received a booster, which is now considered part of the primary course of vaccination needed to protect  from severe disease.
BOOSTERS MATTER
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While some vaccinated people have become quite sick, on Gold Coast wards the unvaccinated were "well and truly over-represented here.”
UNVAXXED ARE OVERREPRESENTED
3
Yet becoming ill with Covid was not enough to change many unvaccinated patients’ opinion with some still believing they don't have Covid or it's a hoax.
DR KYLIE ALCORN
“”
Getting Covid does not seem to change their opinion on vaccination or Covid. But they are very very happy for therapy which is wonderful, because we obviously want to offer all patients access to medications if we can.
Contrary to claims on social media, health staff were seeing little or no cases presenting as a result of side effects from receiving a vaccine.
VACCINE SIDE EFFECTS
4
Dr Alcorn took issue with claims that because Covid did not cause fatal illness in the majority of people without underlying health conditions, vaccines weren't necessary.
COMORBIDITY MYTHS
5
"If an anti-vaxxer were to say, ‘I don’t have comorbidities, I’m going to be fine’, my problem with that is, you are increasing the chance of it spreading to someone who does have comorbidities."
DR KYLIE ALCORN
“”
But further, even if you don’t die, you can be unvaccinated, perfectly well, and still end up in ICU without any medical problems. Yes you may not die, you may pull through.
Health staff are working long and exhausting shifts, fatigue and stress are serious issues. But Dr Alcorn said workers were supporting each other and morale remained “pretty good”.
BURNOUT IS REAL
6
Producer: Gillian McNally

Original URL: https://www.goldcoastbulletin.com.au/web-stories/free/gold-coast-bulletin/6-reality-checks-from-inside-gold-coasts-covid-wards