The head of the Royal Australian College of GPs is calling on the federal government to urgently open the national medical mask stockpile as GP clinics around the country prepare for possible surge of coronavirus infections.
That shortage has sparked a warning from a leading biosecurity expert that Australia is not prepared for the coming threat."The thing we need most as GPs is some masks," said Dr Harry Nespolon, president of the college.
“I don’t believe GPs surgeries are at all well prepared. At the moment we have a shortage of masks. If you walk into a chemist you won’t be able to get one.”“Look, we don’t have hazmat suits. But having said that neither does China. I don’t think anyone is sort of completely prepared for this to start off.
"Healthcare workers collecting specimens from these patients should wear P2 masks, but these specimens are usually collected at hospitals after referral from GPs. If GP surgeries are unable to obtain standard surgical masks through their normal suppliers, the Commonwealth will undertake to discuss this issue with the College and assist where we can."
"This has the characteristic of something that is likely to be well controllable, but maybe not as easily as SARS. We have to wait and see," said Professor McCaw.Genetic studies suggest the virus has come from bats, not snakes, said Associate Professor Ian Mackay, an infectious disease expert at the University of Queensland.
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