Australian Reports of the Virus Spread

[JohnM]

A good summary of mechanisms underlying Omicron inducing cross-immunity to Delta (but not the opposite), displacing Delta and the good news implications:

Of course, Marko with his 'crush and kill' mentality and general perverseness will undoubtedly continue to do his damndest to lock 'bad' Delta in and 'good' Omicron out of WA...

 

[sanne]

I have watched Dr John Campbell every day he’s made a video since January 2020. If only politicians had listened to his videos and taken his advice to be Proactive instead of Reactive I somehow think we would have handled this epidemic a lot better. He sure has been worth listening to.

 

[andye]

If there is a shortage of nurses locally, can't they recruit from overseas? I know that most hospitals in the Gulf countries are staffed by well qualified nurses and doctors from Asia (Phillippines, India mostly). Maybe these people would prefer to work in Australia if offered the chance?

There is a fair bit of recruitment (nurses are on skilled migration list) but it's dried up with border restrictions.
IMO, one of the problems with public healthcare in many countries is that (for financial reasons mostly) they try to manage capacity and staffing like a baked-bean factory with fixed expectations of thoughput. Healthcare admissions fluctuate day to day, week to week, let alone in a pandemic. There should always be spare capacity but empty beds and staff not working to their limit are seen as wasteful expenditure to be trimmed.
(The flip-side is that hospitals do seem to have an ability to fill newly-opened beds as there is often pent-up demand. One can argue if that is a good thing)

 

[nutwood]

The current stated rules on PCR tests pre-travel will change (it's not viable).

When has viability ever been a consideration?

 

[love_the_life]

I have a friend who is in ADL for a few days and has developed a sore throat so has gone to get tested - not overly complimentary on the level of information provided by SA Health.

And my friend is. now a guest at the Pullman for the next X days. Can return to ACT all being well on 11 January. He only went to SA for New Year so will be there a little longer than he anticipated. Did say the Pullman was very comfortable (though as he indicated diabetic, the food seems not to be what he ordered - is waiting to see what dinner holds). Happy with the treatment so far and is not unwell really - just feels like he has a cold.

 

[Pushka]

And my friend is. now a guest at the Pullman for the next X days. Can return to ACT all being well on 11 January. He only went to SA for New Year so will be there a little longer than he anticipated. Did say the Pullman was very comfortable (though as he indicated diabetic, the food seems not to be what he ordered - is waiting to see what dinner holds). Happy with the treatment so far and is not unwell really - just feels like he has a cold.

Oh dear. It was Covid after all. Hope he stays with the minor symptoms. Does he have an idea where he picked it up?

 

[Must...Fly!]

And my friend is. now a guest at the Pullman for the next X days. Can return to ACT all being well on 11 January. He only went to SA for New Year so will be there a little longer than he anticipated. Did say the Pullman was very comfortable (though as he indicated diabetic, the food seems not to be what he ordered - is waiting to see what dinner holds). Happy with the treatment so far and is not unwell really - just feels like he has a cold.

Put there by SA Health?

 

[jakeseven7]

Hotel Quarantine is still a thing?

 

[jrfsp]

Hotel Quarantine is still a thing?

Probably didnt have anywhere suitable to isolate?

Likely to be an issue for lots of people who test positive while away from home.

 

[jase05]

Hotel Quarantine is still a thing?

Positive cases still get sent to a hotel if they haven’t got suitable premises to self isolate

 

[RooFlyer]

To get a WA permit as a visitor, you had to say where you would quarantine, if required. I was tempted to put down the street address of Mr M McGowan.

 

[Must...Fly!]

To get a WA permit as a visitor, you had to say where you would quarantine, if required. I was tempted to put down the street address of Mr M McGowan.

"wherever i can get a bed, so certainly not one of your hospitals"

 

[DC3]

… Does he have an idea where he picked it up?

Henley Beach?

 

[Saab34]

Clinical Labs just pulled the plug in Sydney effective immediately no more testing until further notice. 30 sites gone.

Not sure what’s happened however there goes the testing system.

 

[Must...Fly!]

Clinical Labs just pulled the plug in Sydney effective immediately no more testing until further notice. 30 sites gone.

Not sure what’s happened however there goes the testing system.

Lab staff contracted COVID?

 

[Saab34]

I assume relationship with Government broken down/system unsustainable/staff shortage.

I’d be leaning toward the first two.

The testing system is beyond overrun. Scenes I have scene today are probably the worst. Lines cut off at 7am for the day. People driving interstate to get a test says it all.

Not sure what the solution here is however Canberra isn’t interested.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

If there is a shortage of nurses locally, can't they recruit from overseas? I know that most hospitals in the Gulf countries are staffed by well qualified nurses and doctors from Asia (Phillippines, India mostly). Maybe these people would prefer to work in Australia if offered the chance?

They already recruit medical staff from overseas including doctors and nurses.

This includes both now and in the past.

 

[jrfsp]

I assume relationship with Government broken down/system unsustainable/staff shortage.

I’d be leaning toward the first two.

The testing system is beyond overrun. Scenes I have scene today are probably the worst. Lines cut off at 7am for the day. People driving interstate to get a test says it all.

Not sure what the solution here is however Canberra isn’t interested.

Luckily there's no shortage of RAT tests to compensate, we have a huge national stockpile ready and waiting.......

 

[Quickstatus]

There are variations in hospital recommendations to their staff who are close contact

Some say
Close contact and asymptomatic
Self isolate
PCR day 6
Return to work day 8 if PCR on day 6 negative
Use N95 mask and daily RAT

Others say
Close contact and asymptomatic
No need to self isolate
Daily RAT and N95

 

[Quickstatus]

If there is a shortage of nurses locally, can't they recruit from overseas?

Wrong on so many levels
1) that would be depriving those countries of nurses during a pandemic?.
2) they have no experience with Australian nursing and medical practices, etc

A lot of our nurses are already from overseas - at my work, Phillipines, india, Africa.
I wonder why we can’t get home grown people to be nurses, that we have to deprive developing countries of skilled people. Surely they need them more than we need them here.

There are a lot of working age Australian nurses who have left the profession. If you really want to solve the nursing issue and not just temporarily - start there.