MEDICUS May 2022

SETTING THE AGENDA NOT JUST A NUMBERS GAME THUMBS UP FOR MASKS STAYING ON I n an interview with the ABC Online published 17 April, AMA (WA) President Dr Mark Duncan-Smith shared his views on a range of aspects about the State’s ongoing pandemic response. WA’s peak medical body says we are likely to see daily COVID numbers remain in the thousands for another month despite the Omicron outbreak peak appearing to have passed. WA saw a rolling seven-day average of about 8,500 daily recorded cases to March 31. In the week beginning 11 April, that average was down to around 6,700 cases per day. Australian Medical Association WA President Dr Duncan-Smith said the state was now likely looking at a prolonged plateau. “We’re going to see case numbers on a rolling three-day-average somewhere between 5,000 and 8,000 cases a day for up to even a month, before we start to see it tail off again,” he said… Dr Duncan-Smith warned while the Omicron outbreak's peak appeared to have passed, a big swathe of WA’s population had not yet contracted COVID and people could not afford to relax just yet. He also warned that another peak was possible. Two months into the outbreak, only around 10 per cent of the state’s population — about 280,000 people — have tested positive to the virus. Dr Duncan-Smith said even though the number of cases could be higher than what was recorded due to those in the community who remained undiagnosed, there were still a large number of people left… “I’d certainly urge people out there not to be complacent about boosters, also to look at that second shot for their children, to continue with personal hygiene and keep up with those restrictions.” T he mood was understandably buoyant when most public health measures were removed on 29 April, especially at pubs, clubs, restaurants and stadia. However, AMA (WA) President Dr Mark Duncan-Smith was still keen to promote a message of safety first amid the cheers for masks being taken off in most settings. “Rather than being given a cold shoulder, people that continue to wear masks indoors should be given a thumbs up by the rest of society,” he said. Channel Nine News, 29 April 2022 Masks need to stay, AMA says In the same interview, Dr Duncan-Smith reiterated the role of masks as an important public health measure, especially as cases plateaued. “Masks are a simple and really effective way to curtail the spread of COVID. “The concept that not wearing masks is all of a sudden going to bring millions of people back into the CBD is just ludicrous. “Australia has had a quantum change in the way that we do office work, and all businesses will be returning to a hybrid model. “Not wearing masks is not going to bring those people back into the CBD.” ■ ABC Online, 17 April 2022 abc.net.au/news/2022-04-17/wa-coronavirus-update-daily- case-numbers-plateau/10099559 38 M E D I C U S M AY 2 0 2 2 A M A I N T H E M E D I A