Health experts everywhere are crying our for mask mandates and urging people to wear theirs as COVID-19 numbers climb and hospitals are, once again, overrun. Honestly how did fucking pieces of cloth get so politicised? Just put your mask on.
Hospitals are increasingly losing staff due to sick leave and 5239 were in hospital with COVID nationwide on Tuesday. In Victoria the number of hospitalisations due to COVID has doubled in less than a month. In Queensland it’s outpaced the worst predictions.
President of the Australian Medical Association Dr Omar Khorshid said on Tuesday the numbers were “pretty scary” and that it was obvious we needed mask mandates from state governments.
“I don’t know how far [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.”
Federal Chief Medical Officer Professor Paul Kelly has also urged people to wear masks as Australia’s third wave of COVID looks to be a whopper.
“We know that wearing masks do reduce the spread and protect yourself and protect others if you’re away from home and indoors in a crowded place, I really very strongly suggest that you do wear masks,’’ he said.
He said all evidence suggested case numbers would continue to rise over the next month and more measures were needed to protect people.
“We cannot stop this wave of infections but we can slow the spread and protect the vulnerable,” Kelly said.
“We have done this before and we can do it again. In fact, a range of measures and advice provided in the past two weeks gives us a clear, scientifically-based path to achieve these dual aims.”
Pretty much all premiers and health ministers have echoed this *strong recommendation*, but none have gone so far as to make a rule of it.
Health Minister Mark Butler has been warning of the third wave for weeks and said on Tuesday it would be “very, very significant”.
“There were 300,000 cases or thereabouts reported over the last seven days and I think the CMO and I are pretty confident that the real number is likely to be more than double that,” he said.
But while said he said he hoped people would follow his lead by wearing a mask, there would be no mandate.
NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet also said last week mask mandates were a thing of the past. Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews has asked all school students to wear masks, but otherwise ruled out mask mandates.
Andrews said on Wednesday the National Cabinet agreed on Saturday that Australians would not see mask mandates again.
“If you are asking me, is it my view that these rules are going to change? No,” he said.
“I’m not here to comment for other premiers, but I think it is fair to say, from a conversation that went around the [National Cabinet meeting] room, you’re not going to see mask mandates around the country, but you will see consistent advice from government that it is strongly recommended that people wear masks inside, people act on their symptoms, get tested, isolate.”
Victoria’s acting Chief Health Officer Ben Cowie advised earlier this month mask mandates should be reinstated in schools, shopping centres and some hospitality settings, but Victoria’s health minister Mary-Anne Thomas rejected the advice. Ummm….???
Obviously the enforcing of mask mandates can be evil when police or the literal army target people of minority groups on the street and slap them with fines just ‘cos. How about just handing them a free mask? We should at least try to find some middle ground because studies show mask wearing is much higher when there’s a mandate.
Kelly has also called on employers to support and encourage staff to work from home where possible to help stem the spread.
“Employers should review their occupational health and safety risks and mitigations, and their business continuity plans,” he said.
“They should consider the feasibility of some employees working from home, wearing masks in the workplace and support employees to take leave when sick.”
Please get your booster, please WFH ‘cos I don’t want to be near your germs and please, PLEASE wear a mask in crowded places.
