Key Points
- The Australian Medical Association has criticised the "complete lack of leadership" from politicians.
- Dr Moy said there should be a greater focus on mask mandates and working from home.
The Australian Medical Association (AMA) has criticised the "complete lack of leadership" from politicians as COVID-19 hospitalisations set a new record high around the country.
Australia's winter wave of COVID-19 is placing pressure on health systems, with hospitalisations reaching 5,433 cases on Monday and then 5,544 cases on Tuesday, breaking the record set on 25 January of 5,390 people, show.
Hospitalisations in NSW and Victoria were lower than at their peak in January but other states and territories are seeing higher numbers.
AMA vice president Dr Chris Moy said the high number of hospitalisations reflected the predictions that Omicron subvariants BA.4 and particularly BA.5 would be more infectious than previous COVID strains.
The one "glimmer of hope" was the number of people in intensive care was much lower, with 172 people in ICU on Tuesday, compared to 424 on 19 January.
Dr Moy said this reflected the general characteristics of Omicron, increased levels of vaccinations that prevent severe disease and better treatments including the use of antivirals.
"But this doesn't get away from the fact that it's an utter disaster for hospitals," he told SBS News.
He said the health system was starting from a worse position than during the January wave, as winter was already a busier time for hospitals.
"Hospitals are packed to the rafters and there's going to be some delay in care given the current circumstances," he said. "We want far greater leadership."
Dr Chris Moy. Source: SBS News
"What my colleagues are going through is not being reflected in the leadership we require at both the federal and state level," he said.
"There was a far better emphasis on the public health response in January, in both words and deeds, and we are now in a far worse position."
Australia's chief medical officer Professor Paul Kelly said the advice of Australia's top health group, the AHPPC, was clear. This included that people should wear a mask in crowded, indoor environments including on public transport.
"I have been strong in outlining the advice in my own national statement and numerous media engagements," Mr Kelly said a statement to SBS News.
"It is important to note that Australia does mandate masks in a range of high risk settings such as aged care, hospitals, public transport and airplanes.
"We know indoor mask use works. People should take this message seriously, as they have done so before, as part of a number of steps we can take as a community to slow the spread."
Chief Medical Officer Professor Paul Kelly says health advice is clear. Source: AAP
Striking the right balance
Deakin University epidemiologist Professor Catherine Bennett said COVID-19 measures were not that different to the rules in place in January, but thought authorities did become "too quiet".
"I don't think you can move out of rules and then have nothing," she told SBS News.
Professor Bennett believes people should be given more accurate information about infection rates and how this impacts them so they can make more informed decisions.
"I think that's much more likely to get people practising safe behaviours, including wearing masks, than simply putting a rule back in place," she said.
"We do need good leadership and good information though to make that happen."
However, Dr Moy believes there should be a greater focus on mask mandates and working from home, and also wants a better explanation to the population of how serious the situation is.
"We believe that what's happened, is that governments for whatever reason, made the decision that they don't want to head down this line," he said.
"I suspect there is pressure from businesses and a feeling that we 'don't want to go back' but for whatever reason, it's very strange," he said.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has said businesses should decide if employees can work from home and that he was working to strike the right balance between health and the economy.
"Businesses will continue to make those decisions, they need to make them on the basis of safety. But also for some people we need to recognise that they can't work from home," Mr Albanese said last week.
Professor Kelly warned last week Australia was experiencing a significant increase in cases of BA.4 and BA.5, and businesses should consider whether to allow employers to work from home, and encouraged people to wear masks when in crowded, indoor environments.
He said forecasts suggest cases will continue to rise over the coming month.
When asked whether masks should be mandated, Health Minister Mark Butler told reporters "that is not the advice that was issued by the chief health officers".
But Dr Moy said it was hard to trust health advisers were giving their unadulterated opinion, given politicians had quickly ruled out re-introducing mask mandates.
"There is a complete lack of leadership given the seriousness of the situation at the moment," he said.
Public urged to adopt COVID measures
In Victoria, there was hope hospitalisations were slowing but the trend was not yet clear.
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews told reporters on Tuesday the state's Better at Home program was also helping to free up hospital beds.
As part of the program, patients can receive hospital-level care, with check-ups from healthcare staff, in their own home. Around 200 beds had been freed up across Victoria since the program started in July last year.
Mr Andrews said the rules were really clear.
"Please do what's smart," he said, about wearing a mask, adding that people should act on their symptoms and get vaccinated.
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews says people should get vaccinated. Source: AAP
"Frontline health staff are well versed in managing COVID, as well as winter illnesses, in their hospitals," she said.
"All hospitals with emergency departments have processes to appropriately manage COVID-positive patients."
Queensland acting chief health officer Dr Peter Aitken told reporters on the weekend it was up to everyone to prove the modelling wrong by getting vaccinated, wearing masks, social distancing and staying home when sick.
"We can change the impact in our hospitals," he said.
Acting Queensland chief health officer Peter Aitken says people can change case numbers by doing things like wearing a mask. Source: AAP
He also pointed out the majority of people who died from COVID were older and weren't up to date with their booster doses.
"In the last five weeks, over 97 per cent of our deaths and people aged 65 plus, and two-thirds of those aren't current with their boosters," he said.
"So we'd particularly asked those groups who are more vulnerable if you haven't had your booster, please go out and get it."
SBS News has also contacted other federal and state health departments for comment.
On Tuesday, 26,406 COVID-19 cases were recorded across Australia, much lower than the 150,702 cases on 13 January, although this is likely due to lower amounts of testing.
Deaths continue to hover around the same levels, with 93 recorded on 26 July, compared to 347 recorded on 1 April, and 134 deaths on 28 January.
COVID Live data is "collected from media releases and verified against state and federal health departments".
