Relaxed, not fatigued

THREE people died from Covid complications on Tuesday, taking the region’s death toll to 83 as case numbers continue to spike.

Darling Downs Health confirmed the latest deaths contributed to the state’s toll of 15 over a 24-hour period earlier this week.

Seventy-six active cases of Covid-19 are currently under DDH care, with 64 being treated at the region’s hospitals.

Two people remain in the ICU receiving treatment for the virus.

Almost 57,000 active cases were yesterday confirmed across the sunshine state.

Despite calls by officials to wear masks and socially distance, a majority of residents are failing to take additional measures for protection.

While many say they are tired of hearing about Covid-19 and don’t mind if they catch it, a UQ Professor said it was more about individual choice and being more informed than March 2020.

“Many of us have had Covid by now, and many of us are still immune even now,” Professor Jolanda Jetten said.

“We’re looking at our leaders to tell us what is the appropriate response.

“If our leaders are only saying, it's a good idea to wear a mask but are not going in with the same force as before, than it becomes more of an individual choice.

“If it would be mandated, I think we would see different levels of compliance with that,” she said.

While Prof Jetten would not say it was Covid fatigue, she said some people were more relaxed when it came to the virus and taking risks.

“Once you understand it, you’ve had it and you’ve survived, it gives people a greater sense of confidence, and you don’t feel as vulnerable as you did two years ago,” she said.

“We know what to do, we’ve assessed our own situations and we’ve developed our own strategies to deal with it.

“I know many people who haven’t changed their behaviours (from two years ago) … but we are much more informed.

“We are much better at knowing how to navigate a situation, and we’re not so much in the dark as we were years ago.”

Prof Jetten said while the relaxed mindset of Queenslanders was more common, if mandates were put back in place, residents would feel more comfortable compared to their first introductions.

“It’s incredibly easy to mobilise people, and we know that we can change our behaviour as a nation overnight if we see that is what it is required and our leaders say it’s what’s needed,” she said.