WARNING AS NEW WAVE OF COVID SPREADS
WARWICK’S top medical experts have weighed in on the new wave of Covid sweeping across the region and much of the state, saying residents’ best chance of protecting themselves and the community is a return to now forgotten basics.
The latest Queensland Health data reveals the Southern Downs region has now recorded 2309 cases of the virus since the pandemic began, with the number nearly doubling that of 1214 reported near the end of February.
More than 200 of those were reported between June 1 and July 5 alone, including 220 in Warwick and its surrounds and another 40 in the Stanthorpe area.
Queensland recorded 6768 new Covid cases within 24 hours earlier this week, bringing the state’s active case total to 43,047, with 860 people currently being treated in hospital and 12 in intensive care.
Condamine Medical Centre coowner Doctor Lynton Hudson said the major Warwick clinic had seen a marked increase in Covid patients in recent weeks, with many people suffering a chronic cough and fatigue for weeks after their other symptoms had passed.
He said this year’s flu season also being among the worst recorded in Queensland was no coincidence.
“It was basically because we were ‘flu-naive’ – because there was a lack of exposure to the flu virus last year, basically it’s become more virulent towards us,” Dr Hudson said.
“It’s certainly an issue from the community’s perspective.”
With a fourth Covid vaccine now available to all Australians aged 30 and above amid predictions the new wave will not peak before August, Dr Hudson encouraged any eligible Warwick residents to roll up their sleeves as soon as possible.
“The third is really important because it improves your baseline immunity, whereas this fourth one gives you more of a kick as a temporary thing, which is really useful,” he said.
“What happens with the fourth shot is you get a temporary increase in your antibodies that lasts a while, so it’s a situation where you have more antibodies while there’s more risk from the virus.
“Then with the flu shot, it’s really important to get that as well, because it’s not great if you get both (illnesses). It’s getting a flu shot and getting a Covid shot, because that’s putting yourself in a good place.”
The current explosion of the virus has already pushed Covid-related hospitalisations to the state’s highest rate since the omicron outbreak in February.
Dr Hudson said antiviral drugs were now available in Warwick for those eligible and at risk of severe Covid infections, and had so far proven effective in protecting the community’s most vulnerable so long as regular testing caught the virus early.
“The other thing we’ve got to remember is that even though all these restrictions have been loosened, the basics do work.
“I think it’s like everything, it’s just a structured approach – hand hygiene, masks where you think you might be at risk, get your Covid and flu shots, and if you’re at risk or have health issues, let us know.”
The State Government’s free flu vaccination scheme ends on Sunday, July 17.