New South Wales hospitals to bring back some Covid measures as BA5 cases spread

A spike in cases has led to fears that hospitals could eventually become overwhelmed, and Anthony Albanese has called an emergency meeting.

Hospitals in New South Wales are reintroducing some Covid measures to combat the spread of new strains that have led to a fresh surge of cases.

A spike in cases in recent weeks has led to fears that hospitals could eventually become overwhelmed, and Anthony Albanese has called an emergency national cabinet meeting for Monday.

States are yet to bring back mask mandates or limits on social gatherings, but that hasn’t stopped hospitals from taking measures to slow the spread of the virus.

Some health authorities in NSW will cap the number of visitors allowed in to wards, as well as increasing surveillance testing at hospitals, the Daily Telegraph reported.

Staff will also be forced to wear N95 masks and goggles, although most medical staff are already routinely wearing masks as part of their job.

Meanwhile in Victoria, some elective operations are being delayed because of the new outbreak.

Some hospitals are reintroducing Covid measures

Wollongong surgeon Dr Bruce Ashford told the Telegraph that doctors would not wait for politicians to make decisions on measures that may be required.

“We don’t care about guidelines if we feel they don’t meet the situation. We are the ones who understand the problem. Guidelines are just guidelines,” he said.

“We’ve increased our use of N95 in all our wards … We are decreasing our visitors, increasing testing on patients.”

The South Eastern Sydney health district is limiting visitors to patients to two at a time.

Central Coast health district is mandating P2/N95 masks and goggles for staff in its emergency and inpatient wards.

NSW Health only advises those masks to be worn dealing with Covid patients and close contacts.

Those people - as well as recent international travellers and people with Covid symptoms - are not allowed to visit hospitals.

Visitors to The Alfred Hospital in Melbourne will also have to wear N95 masks from Friday.

A letter sent to staff, seen by 3AW, informs workers that elective surgeries will be delayed because of Covid.

Chief executive Andrew Way writes that the hospital will “start reinstating the principles and plan that guided our Covid response across the health service during the last wave”.

“This means elective surgery will, again, be deferred. It means that we will, again, limit outpatient appointments,” the letter adds .

“I know you are exhausted and ‘over’ being asked for more. I know this pandemic has asked too much. I know that words of thank you, don’t change the reality of your day. But I am grateful and will put in as many useful supports for you as we can.”

A nurse is seen adjusting her protective face mask. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gaye Gerard

Mr Albanese will hold a national cabinet meeting on Monday with state premiers.

It comes amid a furore over the government’s decision to axe pandemic payments and free RAT tests for concessions card holders.

Health Minister Mark Butler has admitted that the decision to axe the $750 pandemic payment for casual workers to isolate if they don’t have sick leave was not based on health advice.

There are around 4,300 people in hospital with Covid at the moment, and federal modelling indicates that figure and case numbers are only going to continue to grow over the next four to six weeks, Mr Butler said earlier this week.

“We’re going to continue to see case numbers rise, we’re going to continue to see increased pressure on our hospitals,” he told 3AW.

Around 300 people are dying of Covid every week, but Mr Butler said he did not have an official prediction of how many people would lose their lives over the course of the wave.

The BA. 4 and BA. 5 Omicron subvariants comprise the bulk of new Covid-19 infections in Australia.

They are particularly contagious as they can sometimes avoid the protection offered by vaccines and prior infection.