COVID CASE UPS ANTE FOR VACCINE
FINALLY, the moment many have been dreading has happened. We have the return of Covid-19 to the state. A 15-year-old boy tested positive after a routine test in Launceston on his arrival to the state from Melbourne on Friday.
Premier Peter Gutwein has been quick to reassure Tasmanians that the young man and his family have done nothing wrong. They had followed all the rules and our strict screening system means the case was detected quickly and all close contacts are now isolating.
It is clear there is no need to panic. A briefing on Sunday revealed that the teenager, who has mild symptoms, would be transferred to Hobart and spend his isolation period at the Fountainside medihotel.
The model, where a dedicated facility to cater for Covid-positive patients who do not have severe enough symptoms to be in hospital, has successfully been used interstate and overseas and makes perfect sense.
Hospitals in Victoria and NSW are reporting that Covid-positive patients are turning up to their emergency departments, even with mild symptoms. This puts their staff and other ED patients at greater risk. It also ties up valuable hospital resources. A medi-hotel or similar facility, such as Howard Springs in Darwin, allows patients to isolate away from family safely. It is likely such a facility will become increasingly needed in the months to come.
In a rare instance during Sunday’s update, Mr Gutwein used the phrase: “We will reach a point where we need to live with Covid.” To do that he re-emphasised the need to “take every step to protect Tasmanians”. Mr Gutwein doubled down on a 90 per cent vaccination target for Tasmanians aged 16 and older, saying the state was on track to reach that by December 1.
It’s an ambitious aim and to achieve that the government and Health Department will need to be particularly proactive. There will need to be more walk-in clinics. Mobile vaccine buses are also a good idea where a clinic could pull up at more isolated parts of the state to offer jabs.
Federal Labor Franklin MP Julie Collins is pushing for a $300 cash payment for everyone who is vaccinated – including those who already have received their jabs.
It would cost an estimated $6bn across the nation and about $180m in Tasmania. It is a plan pushed by federal Labor leader Anthony Albanese but not many have backed the idea.
The suggestion comes as a group of Aussie philanthropists is offering $1m to a lucky person who gets at least one dose before October 31 and their second by December 13. There will also be 100 vaxxed Australians who will win $1000 gift cards through October. Those who have already had their jab can also enter.
As the Premier points out, the threat of death or severe illness for yourself or your family should be incentive enough, but by and large Tasmanians have not experienced the tragedy of Covid, so such a threat will not convince those most hesitant.
Sometimes a carrot is more effective than a stick.