National Coronavirus Helpline shut down as case numbers continue to concern experts

The federal government has shut down its National Coronavirus Helpline just before Christmas, as concern grows from experts about the lack of reliable case number reporting.

Australia’s National Coronavirus Helpline has closed as the federal government takes another step away from its Covid pandemic response.

The helpline was reportedly closed on December 4 according to media reports. Attempts to contact the number led to a recorded message.

“The National Coronavirus Helpline is no longer in service,” it said.

“If you feel unwell, or you need Covid advice for someone in your care, you can talk to a nurse by calling 1800 022 222.”

The Department of Health and Aged Care has released data showing a decline in the number of calls to the service. For the period January to June the service took an average of 18,395 calls each month. This number fell to an average of 3921 calls each month between July and November.

Older Australians are being particularly hard-hit by this Covid wave.

Dr Rebekah Hoffman, NSW and ACT chair of the Royal Australian College of GPs, told the Sydney Morning Herald the college was not given notice the helpline would close.

“It was a fabulous source of getting clear and accurate info,” she said.

“As long as the healthdirect line has been set up with the same availability and the same info, and as long as the patients know about it, there’s no problem. But GPs weren’t told about the change: ideally we are told before so we can inform patients.”

The news comes as experts express concern that cases appear to be rising around the country despite the lack of concrete data. States and territories no longer have mandatory reporting, meaning data collection is almost non-existent, and the lack of reliable data has experts concerned.

In Victoria last week, RMIT Adjunct Associate Professor Dr Stephen Alomes said now was the time for the Allan government to end its minimalist Covid public reporting approach, as “official silence costs lives”.

“It must end now,” he told the Herald Sun.

“We need a return to weekly reporting. The argument is simple. Information about infection cases and death tolls influences public behaviour regarding protection and vaccination, which may reduce the current wave. Therefore Victoria should return to weekly (public) reporting.”

The federal Department of Health and Aged Care provides regular Covid updates on a dedicated part of its website, including vaccination data, information about treatments, data on the number of hospitalisations, impact on aged care facility residents and staff and Covid-associated deaths. However accurate national case number data is not available.

Healthdirect also still has a dedicated Covid-19 webpage offering information about symptoms, testing, treatment, vaccination and long Covid.