One health expert says Australia might need to reinstate routine PCR testing for COVID-19 to ensure new concerning variants aren’t emerging.
spreading in China“There have been strong calls for China to be much more transparent about what’s going on,” the epidemiologist told ABC TV.Getty
She said PCR tests were used to sequence COVID-19 strains as Australia monitors the number of severe infections and hospitalisations to assess the impact the virus is having during the holidays.“It may be we have to reinstate more routine testing here to ensure that any incoming variants aren’t completely different,” she said.
The Royal Hobart Hospital has had to reallocate staff, call on casual and part-timers and ask staff to work overtime to address the “significant” demand for services and COVID-related absences straining resources. Because of a major surge in demand for hospital and ambulance services in southern Tasmania, state health commander Kathrine Morgan-Wicks said the department would “reluctantly” have to keep recalling staff.As cities and towns across Australia prepare to celebrate New Year’s Eve without COVID restrictions for the first time in two years, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese urged people to look after their health.“Don’t relax. COVID is still around,” he said.
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