It will soon become evident to premiers “that mask mandates are required” to tackle surging Covid numbers, the president of the Australian Medical Association has said, as the number of people in hospital and health worker infections continue to rise.
Dr Omar Khorshid said the hospital numbers had become “pretty scary”, especially as thousands of health workers are furloughed due to infection. There were 821 Covid cases in Victorian hospitals as of Monday, a 99% increase since 22 June. In New South Wales, there were 2,205, while in Queensland, hospital admissions have exceeded modelling projections.
“I don’t know how far they [politicians] can let the numbers go while still saying we don’t need mask mandates,” Khorshid said.
“Everything we’ve heard from the federal government and various state health ministers and premiers is that they’re not about to introduce mandates.
“But governments are ultimately going to be held to account by the public for their failure to navigate this whole process. At some point, I think it’s quite likely we will have a period of mask mandates in certain states.”
On Tuesday the federal chief health officer, Paul Kelly, warned Australia was “at the start of this wave, not the end” as he urged employers to let employees work from home if feasible. Kelly and the federal health minister, Mark Butler, wore masks during their press conference, removing them only to speak.
“We know that wearing masks does reduce the spread … I really very strongly suggest that you do wear masks,” Kelly said.
“I am wearing a mask now. You will have noticed the minister is wearing a mask as well. This is our leadership role for the community. This will not be forever, but for the next few weeks this is the way we can actually influence the spread of the virus, protect vulnerable people in our community and also protect our healthcare systems which are already under strain.”
Kelly said it was also important vaccinations and protections were increased in aged care, that vulnerable people had access to antiviral treatments, and that people got their booster shots, with the hospital numbers not expected to peak until mid-August.
“It is a combined community effort that we need to put in place for the next few weeks and it will make a big difference in that number, whatever we get to,” he said.
Khorshid said in Western Australia, where he lives, hospital numbers reached a record 455 on Tuesday.
“Only a few days ago it was 350,” he said. “What I’ve heard from the frontline is that although the Covid and flu demand is significant, the biggest issue is the loss of staff.
“If we are going to try and protect hospitals, which obviously we believe should be a public priority, then we are going to have to slow down the spread of the disease in the community. Because the only alternative is to accept the fact that the healthcare system may not be able to look after you if you get sick.
“People’s care is already being harmed by the extraordinary pressure on hospitals.”
Victoria’s acting chief health officer, Ben Cowie, previously advised mask mandates should be reintroduced in schools, shopping centres and some hospitality settings, but his advice was rejected by the state’s health minister, Mary-Anne Thomas.
On Tuesday, a joint letter from Victorian public, independent and Catholic schools to parents asked that students aged eight and above wear masks in class. But Thomas said it was not a mandate.
Khorshid said “the schools are showing the leadership the health minister in Victoria failed to show”.
“That’s sad, but I’m glad the schools are stepping up and making the strong recommendations that need to be made. But it will soon become self-evident that we need to actually turn mask-wearing into a mandate.”
