A global outbreaks expert has called on Queensland to “set a date” to reopen our borders which would help accelerate the uptake of vaccinations which is currently among the lowest in the country.
Dr Ian Norton, an ex-WHO emergency specialist based in Noosa, said marking a date to open up Queensland would motivate people to get the jab so we could quickly reach 80 per cent full coverage.
“We need to set a date. It’s the only way to concentrate people’s minds (on getting vaccinated),” Dr Norton said.
“At the moment we’re being held back because there’s not as much demand from the public and that worries me.
“Keeping the borders closed forever is not an option. People should understand the facts and make a decision (on getting vaccinated).
“If you choose not to that’s your choice but we have to reopen the borders and become part of the rest of Australia.”
Queensland has among the lowest vaccination rates in Australia and the Premier this week raised concern about slower uptake in some regions, including the Sunshine Coast, which is at about 57 per cent double dosed.
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Dr Norton also warned Queensland could no longer continue its policy of hospitalising every patient who tested positive for COVID once the borders reopened.
He said Queensland was the only state admitting all COVID infections to hospital, even if they were not particularly unwell.
He warned that having beds taken up by people who were not seriously ill would not be sustainable when we started living with Delta because it would clog up the health system.
Dr Norton said a ‘code yellow’ crisis across some major north Queensland hospitals this week was nothing new but a “chronic issue” that highlighted how the state’s health system was already struggling, even without an outbreak.
Once the virus was loose in the community, Dr Norton warned the Sunshine Coast University Hospital (SCUH) would face enormous strain, especially if beds were being taken up by COVID patients who didn’t need to be there.
“Once we get a real outbreak, 80 to 90 per cent (of people infected with COVID) will not need to be admitted and we need to change that,” said Dr Norton.
“This is the new future — how to divert people away from hospital as much as possible.”
Dr Norton’s comments come as doctors warn Sunshine Coast University Hospital (SCUH) is already under pressure and faces a real threat in the “inevitable” case of a Delta outbreak.
Doctors say long surgery waiting lists at SCUH and “ramping” problems caused by bottlenecks in the Emergency Department will only get worse with COVID circulating in the community.
They are also concerned about the impact of not picking up diseases like cancer and diabetes early because non-COVID patients could not be seen.
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Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said Queensland’s plan for reopening still hinged on the Doherty Institute modelling alongside the national plan, but no date had been set.
The Doherty report predicts 385,983 infections and 1,457 deaths over six months if Australia opens up at 70 per cent full vaccination.
But the report says with optimal public health measures (and no lockdowns), this could be significantly reduced to 2,737 infections and 13 deaths.
The Sunshine State’s population is only at at 48.89 per cent full vaccination compared to NSW which is preparing to loosen restrictions on October 11 when the state hits 70 per cent double dose vaccinations.
However, there is a growing push for higher vaccination rates of 90 per cent or more to reduce infections and deaths even further.
Meanwhile, in a joint letter to their federal equivalent Greg Hunt, eight state and territory health ministers have requested immediate additional Commonwealth funding to alleviate the ongoing pressure on health systems.
“That is why we are putting a lot of effort into preparing our hospitals, and now is the time for greater co-operation between the Commonwealth and the states, and that’s exactly what the health ministers have done by writing that letter,” Ms Palaszczuk said on Wednesday.
“You’re seeing great pressures across a lot of hospitals across the nation.
“This is not a unique problem to Queensland. Nearly every other premier raises this as well at national cabinet.
“This is an issue of national concern.”
Queensland opposition leader David Crisafulli said ramping was “soaring” on the Sunshine Coast, with more than 50 per cent of patients now spending more than 30 minutes in loading bays waiting to be admitted for treatment at SCUH.
“At Nambour it’s no better, with almost half of all patients left waiting in ambulances outside the hospital,” he said.
“The Queensland Health Crisis is now driving our biggest question, has the State Government prepared our hospitals for the future?” Mr Crisafulli said.
“The State Government has had 18 months to prepare, but when Queenslanders see numbers like this it’s not surprising that they’re all asking, what on earth has this government been doing?
“The Queensland Health Crisis is now fuelling uncertainty well beyond our hospitals. We need to know, are our hospitals ready for the future?”
-with AAP
