Covid Qld: Disease expert’s warning ahead of Christmas

As Covid cases continue to climb and threaten family Christmas celebrations, there are some recommended precautions to protect the vulnerable.

Queenslanders hosting Christmas gatherings in the coming week are being told to exercise caution as Covid-19 cases continue to steeply climb.

Queensland has recorded 16,600 Covid-19 cases in the past seven days, 515 hospitalisations and 33 deaths, as the fourth wave of infection sweeps the state.

Mater Health Services director of infectious diseases Paul Griffin said as cases increased, the peak of the fourth wave could still be some time away.

“Our case numbers are such a poor representation of the true situation at the moment, so we can’t really predict with any accuracy when that peak will be,” Dr Griffin said.

“Case numbers have climbed quite significantly, hospitalisations are also up, and so we can’t really assume it is going to peak this week, it could be some time until we see that.”

Dr Griffin said there were a number of practical steps to take over the festive season to prevent a Christmas gathering from becoming a super spreader.

“If someone is potentially unwell, then the best thing to do is isolate and encourage them to stay home until they are no longer infectious,” Dr Griffin said.

“If you are having a large gathering this Christmas, particularly if it includes vulnerable people, really consider hosting that outdoors or focus on getting good ventilation into the space.”

When it came to visiting the elderly, Dr Griffin highly recommended wearing a face mask.

He also said taking some extra precautions in the lead-up to the big day can ensure celebrations are uninterrupted.

“If you are taking public transport or flying somewhere to catch up with family, consider wearing a mask on that journey. Now is also a great time to check you are up-to-date with vaccines,” Dr Griffin said.

Dr Griffin said Covid-19 waves were expected to continue into the new year, and not necessarily just in the cooler months.

Chief Health Officer Dr John Gerrard on Friday warned Queenslanders to stay away from elderly relatives if they were under the weather.

Originally published as Covid Qld: Disease expert’s warning ahead of Christmas