‘Do right thing’ and wear mask
THE state government has defended its handling of the latest wave of Covid infections as doctors and health officials plead with the Tasmanian public to heed the call to wear masks.
The number of people in public hospitals with Covid jumped more than 10 per cent on Thursday as the state’s health boss described this stage of the pandemic as unlike anything seen previously.
AMA Tasmania vicepresident Annette Barratt said not enough people were following health advice.
“It needs to be the majority of the population wearing masks,” Dr Barratt said.
“The community need to do the right thing and the right thing is at the moment wearing a mask indoors anywhere where they’re going to be in close confines, [where] they can’t do social distancing or they’re not actively eating and drinking.
“We’re not calling for a mask mandate at the moment, but we’re close.
“If the population is not doing the right thing and not stepping up to protect each other, then I suspect that we will be calling for a mask mandate.”
Health Department secretary Kathrine Morgan-Wicks echoed the call.
“I’m here today asking for the community’s help, please help our health system, please follow those Covid-safe behaviours, which include mask wearing,” Ms Morgan-Wicks said. “It’s a very strong recommendation to please wear a mask indoors to protect not just yourself, but others in the community.”
She paid tribute to those working in the state’s hospitals, saying they were working to a plan for a winter surge in Covid and flu cases.
“We are absolutely doing everything we can, noting that no health professional in Tasmania has ever seen anything like this, no health professional in Australia has ever seen anything like this,” she said.
Acting Premier and Acting Health Minister Michael Ferguson defended the government’s handling of the latest wave of Covid, saying the health system was being managed appropriately despite unprecedented demand and soaring staff absences.
“The government and the Department of Health are constantly and closely managing the current situation in each hospital to ensure we meet demand,” Mr Ferguson said.
“We are taking action where required and have kept our leadership teams responsive and agile. The Tasmanian Health Service was prepared for and is managing the current BA.5 Omicron wave.
“Tasmania continues to have one of the lowest rates of ICU admission compared to other states and territories.”
Labor health spokeswoman Anita Dow was not impressed.
“The Premier has gone on leave and whilst he’s on leave, he’s left Michael Ferguson, the former failed health minister, in charge,” Ms Dow said.
“What confidence does that instil in Tasmanians that this government has the ability to manage what’s happening right now across Tasmania, particularly across our health system, which is at breaking point?”
Two more Tasmanians died of Covid-19, Thursday’s figures show: a woman in her late 60s passed away in the North and a woman in her late 50s in the South. Tasmania recorded 1684 new cases.
The number of active cases stands at 9561 and more than 210,000 Tasmanians have recovered from Covid-19.
There are currently 193 people in hospital with Covid, an increase of 20 people, or 12 per cent, in a single day.
Mr Ferguson urged people to take precautions to reduce the risk of transmission.
“We must continue to act to reduce the risk to ourselves and others,” he said.