Coronavirus: Defence medicos may be deployed to hospitals
High level discussions are looking at deploying the military as a last line of defence in the event of increasing outbreaks and rising social panic.
National
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Defence force medicos could be deployed into our public hospitals to help the health care system cope with an expected influx of those either with suspected or actual coronavirus.
It is understood high level discussions are looking at deploying the military as a last line of defence in the event or increasing outbreaks and equally worrisome, the social panic.
The move follows Spain which has now deployed its military to “contagion hot spots” just 24 hours after the country declared a state of emergency and ordered its citizens into lockdown.
Their military which only usually gets deployed domestically to fight fires, were ordered into “reconnaissance missions” to enforce movement restrictions with military doctors to help local communities.
The Australian military has already discussed implications for its troops if the government enforces the Bio Security Act 2015 which deputises troops as National Response Agency bio hazard officers, to help co-ordinate communities manage risk, quarantines and protection of assets including medical stockpiles.
But it is now looking at doing more.
Such is the seriousness, Defence has appointed a three-star general in Lieutenant-General John Frewen to head a military task force created specifically to analyse how it can respond, where and critically when.
Other national crisis including the recent Operation Bushfire Assist, floods and Pacific humanitarian airlifts have only ever had a two star general tasked.
General Frewen, currently the principal deputy director of spy group Australian Signals Directorate, is considered one of the most experienced officers in the ADF and a likely contender to become the next chief of army.
He is looking at co-ordinating health and welfare of the ADF’s personnel to prevent further spread of COVID-19 in the ranks, with three personnel already contracting it and acting as a liaison for federal government decisions.
Among those decisions being flagged is a State-by-State call-up of some of the ADF’s full-time and reservist military doctors and nurses to help the public health system.
Most of the reserves are already working as public or private medicos but some may have to be called back from long-term deployments or exercises.
General Frewen is also specifically looking at the globally spread of Australian Defence Force personnel in the event they are required domestically.
Already military exercises are looking to be cancelled or postponed due to coronavirus including the cancellation now of the 2020 Air Power Conference in Canberra that was to involve more than 1000 delegates from around the world next week.
The naval RIMPAC exercise, the largest warfare drill in the world involving 25,000 personnel due to be held about Hawaii is under review.
Middle East deployments, notably in Afghanistan and Iraq, are also being reviewed.
Originally published as Coronavirus: Defence medicos may be deployed to hospitals