The country has fared better than others – but those on the frontline are still wrestling with the agony of the coronavirus pandemic
But many health workers, including epidemiologists, clinicians and nurses who worked through the pandemic, say the numbers need to be put into the context of the global experience.
In countries that reopened before vaccines were widely rolled out, deaths are not only higher and continuing to rise, but are occurring in different demographics. In the US, Covid deaths have exceeded 1 million. As Omicron spreads, and rates of both vaccinations and booster shots remain low in many states,“I think if we learn anything from our 10,000, it must be the advantage of our strategy which has been essential for minimising the impact and burden of death,” McVernon says.
“What would be the impact of variants on that hybrid immunity?” she asks. “How do we plan for that? We are now trying to do some of this forward thinking. We are also trying to train people globally to have the skills to ask these questions and prepare. We are working to take evidence and turn it into knowledge to guide infectious disease policy and preparedness.”“Covid is appropriately moving from centre stage to backdrop.
“There was one lady with dementia and she didn’t have Covid but she was so confused and distressed, all of her routine was gone and I was trying to stop her from wandering into the infectious areas of the home. And she loved music. So sometimes to distract her, I would put on music and just dance with her to stop her from wandering away.
The death toll from Covid in Australia may seem enviable to other countries with deaths in the millions.
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