Australian Reports of the Virus Spread

[TheRealTMA]

Only reinforces the old joke “What time is it in Queensland right now?”

1930. ( or maybe c.1985 this case)

Sorry? Where is it that you live again?

 

[RAM]

Ok but as you aren’t actually in charge of this process I’m guessing you haven’t thought of the consequences of your idea.
Every year my hospital and many others in Australia rely on junior Drs coming out from the UK and Ireland etc to keep our rosters filled safely and our patients seen and treated safely.
No staff, no healthcare.
Thankfully you aren’t in charge of this process and we have been able to get some of them to come over to maintain our workforce

It may surprise but yes I have thought through this process.

What I have done is highlight that what the Fed Govt says and does are two separate & very different things.

The Federal Govt undertook to bring all 'vulnerable' Australians home by Xmas & then proceeded to effectively not address the problem.

There is a specific seaparate exemption for any medical related personnel (another of the 17 exemptions for foreign nationals arrving in Australia currently).

I was detailing two other exemptions which have a total of 700 occupations covered. Do you really think foreign national ex-flight attendants from XYZ should be allowed into Australia whilst 'vulnerable Australians' cannot get a seat home?

Do you support the exemption allowing foreign nationals who are learn to swim instructors, gardeners, cooks, international students (coming for a cooking course for example) - to come to Australia in front of Australians stranded overseas? I don't.

________________________________________​

Equally (though I never suggested closing the exemption for medical/health related personnel as you suggest) is it ethical for Australia to poach medical staff from other countries who themselves afre short of such personnel?

This has been an issue in Australia for decades - yet it persists. Just like a doctor aims to treat the illness not just the symptoms - it would be good if whatever colour is in power - they actually did something other than poach other countries' medical personnel. Such as break the 'closed shop' approach that a number of medical specialties operate, fully fund places for all Australian citizen medical graduates to work as interns vs the current approach of a limited number being allocated between foreign & local Australian educated students (as is the case in NSW).

 

[TheRealTMA]

Hit the 3 dots in the middle of the top bar.

To be fair, the joke dates from the Joh days .

Now when did Joh ever do that?

New interface is really a great enhancement on our productivity don't you think?

Who would have thought taking away the immediate option of smilies was a good idea, but what would we know. Even Joh would not have been game to do that!

 

[drron]

Only reinforces the old joke “What time is it in Queensland right now?”

1930. ( or maybe c.1985 this case)

And I have always thought that Tassie was 30 years behind the Mainland.Actually that's why I like working here.People are still friendly … even to a Queenslander!

 

[RAM]

Just to reinforce what Princess Fiona has said the hospital I am working at for the last 6 months has only been able to open it's ED from 0800 to 1800 each day for the last 6 months because junior doctors who had been hired and signed contracts couldn't get into Australia.So after hours emergencies had to be taken to hospitals 50 or 90 Km away then often transferred back to our wards the next day.
This month we have gone back to a 24 hour ED as they have been able to come in.

Which reinforces my exact point - why isn't the Federal Govt actually managing the limited available entry spots to achieve the best outcome for the community? Seven hundred occupations should not be competing with essential services nor 'vulnerable Australians' for entry to Australia!

Should locums etc get preference to gardeners? Well, as things stand today - they still don't.

Should 'vulnerable Australians' (DFAT terminology) get preference to cooking students?

In both cases a resounding yes from me. Pity that is not the Federal Govt's response though. Just wish that CV would have helped their focus on what really matters.

 

[RAM]

A worthwhile read for those still in the 'just like the flu' camp...

https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2020/12/09/canadian-woman-long-hauler-coronavirus

When Ashley Antonio contracted covid-19 in late March, the Canadian criminal lawyer fought against the common symptoms that come with most cases: fever, body aches, fatigue, headaches.

She would manage her symptoms at home and eventually overcome them, she assured herself. After all, she was a healthy 35-year-old with no underlying conditions who boxed and did strength training four times a week.

Except the symptoms never really went away — they intensified.

Now, 259 days later, Antonio is still suffering the repercussions of a virus that has upended almost every aspect of her life.

She has been in and out of the hospital four times in almost nine months. Her doctors have diagnosed Antonio with arthritis and a condition that causes her heartbeat to dramatically increase when she stands up. Both are long-term effects of the virus, they told her. They also don’t know if, and when, those symptoms will go away.

 

[drron]

RAM there are severe long term consequences of flu and other virus as well.People do die of those consequences after the infection is long gone.
Here again the story of Fiona Coote who was a healthy 14 year old in 1984 when a viral illness nearly ended her life.She was Australia's 4th heart transplant but is still alive today.

https://www.supportstvincents.com.au/about-us/our-stories/fiona-coote/

 

[Carrots]

Good news... SA to be allowed into WA from Christmas Day.

Yes, Christmas Day.

I guess there is an upside to the West not having daylight savings, leave at 9, be there at 10. Lunch at 12.

 

[jakeseven7]

Good news... SA to be allowed into WA from Christmas Day.

Yes, Christmas Day.

I guess there is an upside to the West not having daylight savings, leave at 9, be there at 10. Lunch at 12.

Seriously? They even couldn't do just one day earlier to allow more families to get across? Wow.....

Also gets WA out of the final national cabinet to stay well away from that leper SA Premier!

 

[N860CR]

RAM there are severe long term consequences of flu and other virus as well.People do die of those consequences after the infection is long gone.
Here again the story of Fiona Coote who was a healthy 14 year old in 1984 when a viral illness nearly ended her life.She was Australia's 4th heart transplant but is still alive today.
https://www.supportstvincents.com.au/about-us/our-stories/fiona-coote/

17 year old kid also died not too long ago from an infected toe nail. There’s a reason these examples always have a very specific name and story.

 

[drron]

17 year old kid also died not too long ago from an infected toe nail. There’s a reason these examples always have a very specific name and story.

Absolutely not.viral cardiomyopathy is relatively common.Up to 10% of those with influenza can be shown to have the virus in their heart muscle.And it is not the most common cause of a viral cardiomyopathy.Fortunately our treatment of heart failure now is way better than it was in 1984 so death and heart transplant aren't as common now but do stilloccur.

Human viral cardiomyopathy - PubMed

Viral infection of the heart is relatively common, usually asymptomatic and has a spontaneous and complete resolution. It can, however, in rare cases, lead to substantial cardiac damage, development of viral cardiomyopathy and congestive heart failure. Viral cardiomyopathy is defined as viral...

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Myocarditis associated with influenza infection in five children

Myocarditis is an inflammatory condition located mainly in the myocardium. It is caused by a variety of bacterial and viral infections. Influenza is o…

www.sciencedirect.com

 

[love_the_life]

Off topic sorry - should have been in medical thread. But linked to unknown effects of viruses on the heart (inc Covid)There is a little debate (well in the past) as to whether I had myocarditis or endocarditis as a toddler. Apparently quite lucky that the local country doctor sent me to the RCH in Melbourne and one of the medical professors there happened to see me as I arrived and said he would take me. Other staff at the local hospital/medical centre said to my mother it was nothing and they bet I would be back that night. I showed them! A long period on digitalis from what my mother said and I remember going back to the professor for check ups through my childhood.

 

[HappyFlyerFamily]

University of Queensland vaccine abandoned ...sigh

The Australian coronavirus vaccine - made by the University of Queensland- has been dealt a crushing blow after several trial participants returned false positive HIV test results.

The Sydney Morning Herald reports this morning that the billion-dollar deal for the Morrison government to buy more than 50 million doses has now been terminated after the bombshell revelation, and that UQ will abandon its current clinical trials.
It reports that the HIV detections picked up in past weeks were in fact false and the health of the participants has not been put at risk.
The vaccine uses what is called a protein and adjuvant platform, which contains the COVID-19 spike protein and a “molecular clamp”. A small part of this comes from the human immunodeficiency virus, known as HIV, that is not able to infect people or replicate.
The Herald spoke to a source involved in the trial who said although all participants had been told there was a remote possibility HIV markers could be found in tests during the trial, medical researchers had not expected it to occur.
Australia has entered into 5 separate agreements for the supply of COVID-19 vaccines, if they are proved to be safe and effective, including the UQ vaccine which is being developed in partnership with Australian global biotech company CSL.

UQ vaccine risk 'bigger than we thought'

Department of Health Secretary and former chief medical officer Brendan Murphy told reporters today that the risks of the University of Queensland's vaccine became "a bigger problem than anyone had anticipated".

www.news.com.au

 

[Pushka]

University of Queensland vaccine abandoned ...sigh

The Australian coronavirus vaccine - made by the University of Queensland- has been dealt a crushing blow after several trial participants returned false positive HIV test results.

The Sydney Morning Herald reports this morning that the billion-dollar deal for the Morrison government to buy more than 50 million doses has now been terminated after the bombshell revelation, and that UQ will abandon its current clinical trials.
It reports that the HIV detections picked up in past weeks were in fact false and the health of the participants has not been put at risk.
The vaccine uses what is called a protein and adjuvant platform, which contains the COVID-19 spike protein and a “molecular clamp”. A small part of this comes from the human immunodeficiency virus, known as HIV, that is not able to infect people or replicate.
The Herald spoke to a source involved in the trial who said although all participants had been told there was a remote possibility HIV markers could be found in tests during the trial, medical researchers had not expected it to occur.
Australia has entered into 5 separate agreements for the supply of COVID-19 vaccines, if they are proved to be safe and effective, including the UQ vaccine which is being developed in partnership with Australian global biotech company CSL.

UQ vaccine risk 'bigger than we thought'

Department of Health Secretary and former chief medical officer Brendan Murphy told reporters today that the risks of the University of Queensland's vaccine became "a bigger problem than anyone had anticipated".

www.news.com.au

CSL share price tanked yesterday but the announcement only comes out this morning to ASX. If that isn't insider trading then I don't know what is!

I think the Feds put in an ambit order but it was far behind the other two main ones. It was still only in Phase 1. It does appear to 'get rid' of Covid, but it messed around with the markers for HIV diagnosis. A shame. I was pinning my hopes on Oxford for so many logistical reasons but Pfizer as a back up. I think maybe that is why we are waiting a little longer to approve, hoping that Oxford one works out.

 

[Lynda2475]

One advantage in being at the bottom of the priority list for vaccination is that I hope to be able to choose which one I take. Health Workers, Elderly and immuno compromised will need to take what is available.

 

[HappyFlyerFamily]

One adbantage in being at the bottom of the priority list for vaccination is that I hope to be able to choose which one I take. Health Workers, Elderly and immuno compromised will need to take what is available.

Also you are more likely able to note any reported side effects, but Australia is only down to in reality 3 candidates - Oxford/AstraZeneca, Novavax, Pfizer - and whatever comprises Covax facility.

 

[DC3]

One adbantage in being at the bottom of the priority list for vaccination is that I hope to be able to choose which one I take. Health Workers, Elderly and immuno compromised will need to take what is available.

Our choice may well be either ‘Yes’ or No’.

 

[HappyFlyerFamily]

@RAM might like this stat from today’s post National Cabinet press conference

Premiers and PM speak on quarantine​

In a show of solidarity the state Premiers have thanked each other for their efforts in returning overseas Aussies.
Scott Morrison said more than 45,000 stranded Australians have returned home since September but there are still about 39,000 people on the waiting list.
Victorian premier Daniel Andrews thanked other premiers, particularly the NSW Premier, for taking international arrivals while Victoria stopped.
He said Victoria will increase its numbers in hotel quarantine and points out the need to bring in thousands of farm workers.
NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian says the NSW weekly cap of 3000 international arrivals won’t change soon.
She wants a conversation next year about lifting the number.

UQ vaccine risk 'bigger than we thought'

Department of Health Secretary and former chief medical officer Brendan Murphy told reporters today that the risks of the University of Queensland's vaccine became "a bigger problem than anyone had anticipated".

www.news.com.au

 

[RooFlyer]

@RAM might like this stat from today’s post National Cabinet press conference

Also that since September ( I think) Australia had repatriated about double the number of Australians and permanent residents who were registered to return, at that time. So much for non priority!!

 

[DC3]

... In a show of solidarity the state Premiers have thanked each other for their efforts in returning overseas Aussies.
Scott Morrison said more than 45,000 stranded Australians have returned home since September but there are still about 39,000 people on the waiting list.
Victorian premier Daniel Andrews thanked other premiers, particularly the NSW Premier, for taking international arrivals while Victoria stopped ...

I’m loving this puffery/fluffery.