Hospitals have become a strange new battleground in the fight against COVID, with doctors and public health experts concerned that too many patients are catching the virus — and an alarming number are dying — as a result of inadequate infection control.
Steve Irons' older brother Jim was only supposed to be in hospital for a short while. A retired stockman from Maryborough, Queensland, Jim was diagnosed with leukaemia just before Christmas in 2022. He was flown to Brisbane for testing, then back to Maryborough Hospital, where doctors were putting together a plan for him to be treated at home.
Health departments insist the risk of catching COVID cannot be eliminated completely, and that hospitals maintain stringent measures to prevent infections and manage outbreaks.
COVID is too often being treated by hospitals as a common cold when it should be treated as seriously as tuberculosis, Dr Andrew Miller says.For Andrew Miller, a Perth-based anaesthetist and chair of OzSAGE, an independent advisory group of experts in epidemiology, health and economics, a major problem is that COVID is too often being treated by hospitals as a "common cold" when it should be treated as seriously as.
They do, however, prevent a lot of transmission. Studies from before and during the pandemic suggest masking among healthcare workers can reduce hospital-acquired respiratory viral infectionswhen both an infectious person and a susceptible person wear them. Yet many hospitals have scaled back masking requirements, even during COVID surges over summer, with staff allowed to wear surgical masks in clinical areas or no respiratory protection at all.And patients are watching closely.
A St Vincent's spokesperson told ABC News the hospital has "strict infection prevention and control measures in place" and that their PPE guidelines were based on a clinical risk assessment . "St Vincent's apologises to Mr Crane and recognises that his experience prior to attending his appointment did not meet expectations," they said. "We strive to provide personalised care and value patient feedback so that we can continuously improve our services.
Australia Latest News, Australia Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Australian Professor Breaks His Own COVID Rule and Contracts the VirusProfessor Brendan Crabb, director and chief executive of the Burnet Institute, admits to breaking his own COVID rule and contracting the virus. Thousands of Australians are facing a similar situation as COVID surges again.
Read more »
JN.1 Variant of COVID Spreads Widely, Driving Biggest COVID WaveSince it was detected in August 2023, the JN.1 variant of COVID has spread widely. It has become dominant in Australia and around the world, driving the biggest COVID wave seen in many jurisdictions for at least the past year.
Read more »
Australian Grocery Prices Cause Frustration as Farmers StruggleLivestock producers in Australia are frustrated with the high grocery prices compared to what they receive for their products. The issue has become a major concern in Australian politics.
Read more »
Australian Open: Adam Walton knocked out, Barbora Krejčíková fights backAustralian wildcard Adam Walton has been knocked out of the Australian Open, losing to Matteo Arnaldi. Meanwhile, Barbora Krejčíková fights back after being at risk of an upset.
Read more »
Australian MP calls for ban on funding Israeli settlementsAustralian citizens should be banned from funding Israeli settlements in the West Bank, Labor MP Julian Hill has suggested, calling on his own government to take a stronger stance against settler activity.
Read more »