Australian Reports of the Virus Spread

[Must...Fly!]

Lots of anecdotal reports of sick patients not being documented as they are not having PCR tests, just rapid antigen testing - which isn't included in the official numbers.

So the virus is spreading like wildfire in the community, official numbers are high but nowhere near the true level and hospitals are not colapsing.

I think there is a LOT to be optimistic about. The next 4 weeks are going to be a challenge but I think everything will be OK.

Suspect positivity rate from PCR results will continue to rise/plateau for the next 2-3 weeks then start to drop off.

 

[Lynda2475]

On the downside the unvaxxed in Australia will be exposed more than at any time so far in the pandemic.

Zero sympathy, the choice not to get vaxed is dumb. Their right of course but stupid.

We should only be concerned with the breakthrough cases resulting in hospitalisation and ICU, and those there because of covid not there for other reasons with covid.

There is a massive difference between dying from covid vs with covid.

 

[antycbr]

Lots of patients on the waiting list for elective procedures are about to get a rude shock.
Am I the only pessimist on this forum?

I guess you live up to your online forum username Scaredycat…

I agree about the elective surgery and I expect us to start dipping into this capacity fairly soon from the staffing side.

However the system is there to be used, this is a 1 in 100 year event hopefully so it is not realistic to expect there to be no impact to healthcare.

 

[Spongbob]

[...] this is a 1 in 100 year event hopefully so it is not realistic to expect there to be no impact to healthcare.

Which is now into its third year?
So a 1 in 33.333 year event?

 

[Quickstatus]

[Moderator hat]

Note - the symptoms mentioned in this post are caused by Fractured ribs, not COVID.​

[/Moderator hat]

Now dealing with 2 under 40yrs with:
Inability to breathe
Low oxygen levels needing high flow oxygen/air mix @ 40L/min up the nose
Collapsed lung
Going to ICU now.

 

[Must...Fly!]

Now dealing with 2 under 40yrs with:
Inability to breathe
Low oxygen levels needing high flow oxygen/air mix @ 40L/min up the nose
Collapsed lung
Going to ICU now.

Sad.

Were they vaccinated.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

Zero sympathy, the choice not to get vaxed is dumb. Their right of course but stupid.

We should only be concerned with the breakthrough cases resulting in hospitalisation and ICU, and those there because of covid not there for other reasons with covid.

There is a massive difference between dying from covid vs with covid.

Sympathy is irrelevant.

What I was referring to is the very practical matter of dealing with the sick, including managing the health workforce. Not just those from covid, but the normal background load of everything else which also suffers.

This is why the covid measures that counts now is hospitalisations, ICU, ventilations and deaths.

Since we we moved to living with Covid our politicians (ignore WA) have indicated that what will decide things is the ability of the health system to cope, and again that is in its ability to service all illnesses.

The next few weeks will reveal if we have adequate capacity or not for Omicron plus all other illnesses. Hopefully we will.

Cases as a measure was always not that accurate, and is less so now as many are not getting tested for a variety of reasons from testing capacity, lag in test results, to desire to be tested, to testing rules changing.

 

[RooFlyer]

I think some are missing some of the points being made above. The effect on the hospital system from widespread community infection isn't just about hospitalising covid cases, but also the effects in depleting hospital workforce and then to surgery etc. Here in Tas it will only take a couple of surgeons or Anesthesiologists etc to get covid and have to isolate themselves or get well to have major impacts on life saving ( not elective) surgery.

I'm not saying there was much alternative to opening up ( and I'm in favour of what's being done here) but there are severe possible consequences in other health care settings.

 

[Quickstatus]

Sad.

Were they vaccinated.

why?

 

[N860CR]

I think some are missing some of the points being made above. The effect on the hospital system from widespread community infection isn't just about hospitalising covid cases, but also the effects in depleting hospital workforce and then to surgery etc. Here in Tas it will only take a couple of surgeons or Anesthesiologists etc to get covid and have to isolate themselves or get well to have major impacts on life saving ( not elective) surgery.

I'm not saying there was much alternative to opening up ( and I'm in favour of what's being done here) but there are severe possible consequences in other health care settings.

True. But again, the virus isn’t doing this, it’s policy. Should said healthcare workers not actually be sick, they shouldn’t be isolating.

 

[Must...Fly!]

why?

Why am I asking if they were vaccinated?

I doubt that needs explanation.

 

[Quickstatus]

Going to ICU now.

Fractured ribs.
Non covid

 

[Milboo]

A vast and overwhelming majority of people are going to be treated at home with some Panadol and a rest with some remote monitoring as required by Primary Care.

One of our workers in Sydney had it last week. 5 days and felt normal. ‘Like an annoying cold but I’ve had worse’ (double vaxxed).

Omicron conversion rate to ICU is 6x less than Delta from data overseas.

Two of my team had it Xmas week. One reported no symptoms at all (only tested due to being a contact). Other reported feeling tired for a couple of days and sore/itchy eyes. A friend also reported no symptoms bar feeling a little run down (but also had come off a hell week at work - their busiest week in a year).

 

[Must...Fly!]

Fractured ribs.
Non covid

Ah. I wondered if that was the angle you were going for.

Humans tend to have medical issues of all sorts...

 

[oz_mark]

Given the latest exposure sites in WA someones has been on a tour. Bunbury, Busselton, Dunsborough, Eagle Bay, Cowamarup, etc...

 

[jakeseven7]

Given the latest exposure sites in WA someones has been on a tour. Bunbury, Busselton, Dunsborough, Eagle Bay, Cowamarup, etc...

Delta loves a walkabout! Going to bubble along now in WA I suspect, probably undetected given the low rates of testing and all the close contacts (by the old def) not getting tested

 

[oznflfan]

So the virus is spreading like wildfire in the community, official numbers are high but nowhere near the true level and hospitals are not colapsing.

I think there is a LOT to be optimistic about. The next 4 weeks are going to be a challenge but I think everything will be OK.

Suspect positivity rate from PCR results will continue to rise/plateau for the next 2-3 weeks then start to drop off.

Getting pretty desperate for an escape from my current life, has to be oversea's though, domestic won't achieve this. Closer I get to ability to leave the itchier feet I get. Not restricted by timing.

Thinking of waiting to early-mid Feb to see how the world is tracking, then flying to France (specifically Normandie) say mid March. Huge case numbers over there now, but I'm triple vaxxed and we will all get COVID in 2022 so willing to roll the dice.

 

[Quickstatus]

 

[RooFlyer]

True. But again, the virus isn’t doing this, it’s policy. Should said healthcare workers not actually be sick, they shouldn’t be isolating.

No, it is the virus that will impact elective and other surgery. If you are a surgeon and know you have covid ( or the cold, or the flu) even if asymptomatic, you can't operate. Off line for 10-14 days. If you can't assemble a theatre crowd, same thing. It's not just hospitalions in general, or policy. Thinly staffed hospital systems, throughout Australia are vulnerable to covid infections.

 

[jb747]

Do you mean that all of those health bureaucrats can't do the operations, or run the theatres? Who'd have thought....