June 1, 2022 • 21 mins
Dr Julie Graham, Deputy Director of Public Health
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Tasmania Talks with Mike Olcklin weekday mornings from nine as
much as well we we like it to be. The
COVID nineteen pandemic really is far from over, and seeing
as we averaged a death a day from the virus
for much of last month, we wanted to check in
(00:20):
with public health and make sure we're all doing everything
we can to keep our community safe. Doctor Julie Graham's
the Deputy director of Public Health here in Tasmania. It
joins me live in the line now, Julie, good morning,
thanks for your time this morning.
Speaker 2 (00:33):
Good morning, my good morning listeners.
Speaker 1 (00:36):
So what's the last with our COVID numbers if I
may so today?
Speaker 2 (00:41):
So we'll be reporting in another seven hundred and sixty
five cases today and that when we're looking at that,
if we look at what the average number of cases
over the last seven day period, we're having about seven
hundred and sixty two cases per day reported in Tasmania.
Speaker 3 (00:57):
And that is on.
Speaker 2 (00:58):
A it's on a slope path down. I think we
found when we after we opened the borders last year
on the fifteenth of December, and then when our omicron
waves struck in early January, we saw quite a quick
rise in our number of cases, and what we're going
to see is a fairly slow tail lost in those numbers,
(01:18):
and we might expect to get down to sitting between
sort of two hundred and five hundred cases a day,
and that we may expect to see that through the
winter period.
Speaker 1 (01:28):
So this week's COVID surveillance report I believe comes out today.
I mean, what can we expect to see there with
those facts and figures? I was going through last week's
very interesting, So what about today?
Speaker 2 (01:39):
Yeah, Look, I think that's the important thing for viewers,
for listeners to be aware of that they can get
access to all our current surveillance data on the report
on our Coronavirus website. It does provide for some of
us who are into our data some interesting reading. We
are seeing a reduction in.
Speaker 3 (01:58):
Cases, which is good. We are slowly.
Speaker 2 (02:01):
Seeing that we are continuing to see unfortunately a death
per generally per day or every second day.
Speaker 3 (02:11):
Now that has slightly dropped off.
Speaker 2 (02:12):
We're still seeing a number of people in hospital being
related to COVID. So we currently have twenty people in
hospital who are being managed specifically for COVID, with one
of those unfortunately in ICU and being ventilated. However, I
think we need to reflect on some of the good
(02:32):
points that we are seeing, and if we look at
both the Australian.
Speaker 3 (02:36):
Data and the world data.
Speaker 2 (02:38):
In a sense, Tasmanians done incredibly well in protecting Tasmanians.
Although we have lost seventy four deaths since the COVID
or lost seventy four lives since the COVID pandemic started,
our death rate remains one of the lowest in Australia
but also in the world, and I think Tasmanians need
(02:58):
to be very proud of the job that they've done
to keep Kasmanians themselves the community safe over the last
couple of years.
Speaker 1 (03:06):
Look and certainly very good points, but I noticed when
you're looking at it, we sort of peak in cases
in mid January after borders reopened, which you mentioned. Cases
then decline from there, but then peaked again even higher
early April. They've been on the decline since then with
this with winter. Are you expecting another peak to come?
Speaker 2 (03:26):
Well, quite we expect coming. And I think the thing
with COVID that we're saying right through is that we're
constantly seeing the virus evolving, We're seeing different variants emerge,
and certainly that peak we saw after the first borders
(03:47):
when the borders open was related to delta. In January,
our rise in cases was really related to the omicron variant,
which is certainly still the circulating variant in Pasmania and
in Australia. And look, that's part of our job is
to keep an eye a review and we test some
(04:09):
of the cases coming through. We're looking for new variants
coming into the state. We're looking and certainly in Australia
looking for new variants, and we're constantly keeping our finger
on the pulses to what's happening in relation to COVID
and we need to continue to do that. Hopefully what
we will see and what we expect to see is
(04:30):
really low grade waves, so maybe an increase in cases
in the middle of winter that will then decline off
again slowly. But if there was to be a new
variant emerged, then we might see a spike in cases again.
Speaker 1 (04:42):
So it's kind of like a wave, isn't it. Is
there concern about omicron like B five it seems to
be the first omicron. Then at omicron, what was a
B one, B two right, I think we're up to
B five, Is that correct? Something on that?
Speaker 2 (04:55):
Yeah, we had we do have B four and five
emergeriance the moment.
Speaker 3 (05:01):
The good news with.
Speaker 2 (05:02):
Sort of well, we're still watching and waiting, but we
have seen and certainly.
Speaker 3 (05:09):
Tasmania.
Speaker 2 (05:09):
We're a bit lucky. We tend to see what's happening
on the mainland.
Speaker 3 (05:12):
Before we see.
Speaker 2 (05:15):
Before it comes to Tasmania, so we get an idea
of what we might be in for and what we
might need to plan for. At the moment, B four
and B five cases have been picked up in Tasmania,
and there's certainly cases picked up on the mainland, but
they don't seem to be replacing or becoming dominant compared.
Speaker 3 (05:34):
To the B two which we currently have circulating.
Speaker 1 (05:37):
Fair enough and our testing rates where they need to be.
Speaker 2 (05:42):
Yeah, Look, Tasmanians have been great at coming out and
being tested. I think when we're looking at testing, what
we are really asking the people of Tasmania to do
is to continue to be tested if you have symptoms,
and really focusing on on those people who are at
risk of severe disease. So that's our population over sixty five,
(06:05):
our population with any forms of iminosuppression. That's an immune
system that's not working as well as it could be
due to a number of reasons. Those people who have
chronic diseases, who may be at risk of more severe disease,
they're the people that it's very important that they come
and they be tested as soon as they have symptoms,
because there are treatments available and that's going to help
(06:29):
reduce the severity of the illness and help protect them.
We do know also that we're starting to see flue
into Tasmania, we're seeing it into Australia, and those people
are also at risk of severe flu illness. And again
there are treatments available, So if you have symptoms, please
get tested now.
Speaker 1 (06:50):
I heard from a number of people on this program
who have said they hadn't bothered to register their positive result.
They've still isolated but just not reported their result. Also,
kids that are sick while their parents have COVID, I
know some parents not bothering to test their kids because
they're isolating anyway, Do you think the real number of
cases will be much higher than they were really what
(07:11):
we're seeing reported.
Speaker 2 (07:13):
Yeah, Look, I think we do realize and that's for
a number of reasons not just people not reporting.
Speaker 3 (07:19):
We also know people.
Speaker 2 (07:20):
Have quite mild disease in some instances who don't test
or who may actually be and needs are sort of
the minority may not actually have any symptoms, and so
we do know that there are more cases of COVID
out there. Certainly the message is and certainly related to
flu coming in as well. If you are symptomatic, police
(07:42):
stay at time. You know you're still required from a
positive COVID test to remain isolated for seven.
Speaker 3 (07:50):
Days, but that's to protect.
Speaker 2 (07:54):
Protect others in the community from your risk of spreading
it to them. The same applies with flue. If you
have symptoms, please stay at home and protect those around you.
Speaker 1 (08:03):
Listen a question though, I mean with cases may be
going down, but we're still seen quite a number of
deaths which we speak of very sadly. And if my
mass are correct, you've touched on it. But we've had
sixty two COVID related deaths since borders reopened. I think
that's correct, Is that right? Sixty two since the borders
have reopened.
Speaker 2 (08:20):
No sixty four, So we reported to yesterday which brought
it up to sixty three, and or Buber reporting one today,
So that's sixty four and.
Speaker 1 (08:28):
We've averaged around a death to day since mid April. Really,
I mean, tell us a little bit about these deaths,
because the majority of deaths seem to be Looking at
the stats in older Tasmanians and did they all have
these We always hear the words underlying conditions.
Speaker 3 (08:44):
Look, I think.
Speaker 2 (08:47):
I personally when we're looking at these deaths, every death
is sad. Whether people have underlying conditions or don't have
underlying conditions, I think it's actually, that's not the important bit.
The important bit is about doing the most that the
community community can do to help protect those that are vulnerable,
and that is around being vaccinated, staying away from vulnerable
(09:11):
people when you are unbelt when you're unwell, using masks
when you can't socially distance.
Speaker 3 (09:17):
These are a really easy.
Speaker 2 (09:19):
And effective way of preventing transmission of COVID symptoms, So
wearing a mask. All deaths are regrettable and we just
need to continue to do all the practices that help
keep us safe.
Speaker 1 (09:32):
Sometimes you hear that people with underlying conditions live to
be one hundred and they're still an underlying conditions. That's
why I sort of sometimes think well, hang on, what
are some of the underlying conditions that are most affected.
Speaker 2 (09:44):
Look, we do know, and this is why we're asking
those people who are in those vulnerable groups. We do
know age makes you more.
Speaker 3 (09:54):
Susceptible to severe disease.
Speaker 2 (09:57):
We do know having underlying chronic conditions that might be diabetes,
lung disease, heart disease, anything that reduces your immune system,
whether that be from types of cancers or medications that
you're using, these will put you in a group that
make you much more vulnerable to severe disease.
Speaker 3 (10:15):
And these are the groups that it's.
Speaker 2 (10:17):
Really important a to be vaccinated because we know that
vaccine protects you from severe outcomes. We also know that
there are treatments available. Having said that, there are you know,
there are some people that just despite having the vaccine,
having the treatment that whether it's related to their other
(10:39):
medical conditions or whether they're directly related to COVID day,
we are unfortunately seeing death.
Speaker 1 (10:46):
You know, we see I know whether yourself doctor, but
we certainly get receive a lot of emails from those
that suggest that this doctor here, or doctor Google there,
or doctor Nufty suggests that you could possibly die due
to the vaccine, and we've got some quite incredible and
I don't reply to them, don't bother with them much.
But has anyone died due to the vaccine itself for COVID?
Speaker 2 (11:10):
Look, I think if you remember early on when we
started the vaccination program back last year and certainly in
Australia and in Tasmania, there were some reported deaths associated
with the vaccine, and again any death is regrettable. I
think what we need to what we in public health
(11:32):
look at is weighing up the impacts and those that
are saved from the vaccine. So, although yes, there has
been some deaths, the vaccine has protected a lot of
people from becoming unwell. And I think one of the
statistics that I was looking at the other day, as
I said, I loved statistics. Our death rate in Australia
(11:56):
from COVID has been around forty four deaths to huntred
thousand in the population. In Tasmania ours has been fourteen,
so considerably lower, and that represents the hard work that
Tasmanians have done. In places like the United States, the
(12:16):
death rate from COVID fits between three and four hundred
per hundred thousand, so a significant increase in death rates
in other areas of the world, and that's reflected.
Speaker 3 (12:27):
In other countries.
Speaker 2 (12:28):
So Australia has done an amazing job in protecting its
population and its vulnerable population, and that's been related to
the measures that we had in place to protect the
virus coming in, but also the incredible effort we've done
in vaccinating the population.
Speaker 1 (12:45):
Yeah. I guess that in itself is very accurate. In
the vaccination and how many you've been able to get vaccinated,
I think is incredible. But we don't often hear about
with the COVID deaths, how many of these people were
actually vaccinated or they were unvacied.
Speaker 2 (13:01):
Yeah. Look, I think at this stage there is that
information in our surveillance report, so people can get online
and have a look at that. In relation to the
number of people who, as I said it unfortunately passed
away and their vaccination, what we do know is that
there is a much higher rate of death in those
(13:22):
that are not vaccinated.
Speaker 1 (13:24):
Yeah, from correct now, I just turned to the page.
It says from fifteen December twenty one to twenty one
May twenty two, the case fatality rating reported cases who
were unvaccinated was more than double than the case fatality
rating reported cases who had just received two or more
doses of the vaccine. So yeah, it's I think the vaccines.
(13:44):
We know that it obviously works, but we know also
our hospitals doctor are really struggling to keep up the LGAH.
In particular, how many cases are we seeing actually being
admitted to hospital now?
Speaker 2 (13:56):
Well, at the moment, we're currently across the state have
forty two cases in hospital who have been diagnosed with
COVID nineteen.
Speaker 3 (14:05):
We do know that.
Speaker 2 (14:07):
Only twenty of those are actually being treated for their
symptoms related to COVID and the rest are in hospital
for other reasons, but in testing have been picked up
as having COVID, and that could be someone who's in
there for a broken bone who has COVID. Now that
obviously has impacts. Because the hospitals have amazing and just
(14:28):
done a great job with infection prevention in control, we
need to prevent COVID spreading in our hospitals.
Speaker 3 (14:34):
Which they are doing, so identifying.
Speaker 2 (14:35):
All those cases is really important. So we still do
have twenty people in hospital being treated and one of
those is in ICU and currently ventilated.
Speaker 1 (14:45):
I know we often read about it. It must be difficult,
doesn't to actually prevent the spread between patients in hospital
and also the hospital workers. We've had of a few
and that must be very difficult with a very strained
health system to have some of these particular health workers
go down with COVID.
Speaker 2 (15:01):
Look, I think we know from the information we have
and the contact tracing we've done in the past. Excuse me,
most of our healthcare workers who have contracted COVID have
contracted it at home and that's the most commonplace or
community events. The actual transmission in hospital has been incredibly low,
(15:23):
and I think we need to, you know, take our
hats off to the work that the healthcare workers in
our hospitals have been doing in the polt line, working
in ppe all the time to help protect themselves but
also to help protect the patients that they're dealing with.
Speaker 1 (15:39):
I'm saying with doctor Jullie Graham, Wit, Director of Public Health,
and doctor are some regions seeing more cases than others
and more deaths.
Speaker 2 (15:48):
Look at the moment, things have in a sense evened out.
We did see back in January higher case rates in
the northwest of the state, and that is where we
actually saw the introduction of the B two omicron variant,
and then we saw that move down through the north
and down to the south. But at the moment we're
(16:09):
seeing a fairly even case rates across all of the states.
Speaker 1 (16:14):
So restrictions, i mean, let's face of all but pretty
well have been removed. Is this the best move considering
the number of Tasmanians actually dying from the virus? You're
happy with that obviously, with the rates lying, of course,
and we are still wearing masks though in some situations.
Speaker 2 (16:29):
Look, we've still got masks, especially where there are vulnerable populations,
so that's our healthcare facilities, our age care facilities, and
certainly in our airports where there's a lot of people
moving and mixing and traveling. We're constantly reviewing the remaining
(16:50):
restrictions that we have in place. I think the fact
that we are seeing the case numbers dropping. We often
see our death rates two to four weeks sort of
behind our peak number of cases. So we should start
to see our death our numbers of people dying with
(17:10):
COVID reducing over the coming days to weeks, and that
allows us to continue to remove those restrictions. I would
point out though, and I think this is really important
for Tasmanians to really consider and reflect on what we
do as individuals helps protect our community. And I think
(17:30):
we've seen that from the vaccination, but also the simple
things that hopefully and I'm hopeful have become.
Speaker 3 (17:38):
Second nature to people.
Speaker 2 (17:39):
And that's you know, covering your cross and kneezes, wearing
a mask when you can't socially distance or if you
are out of the house.
Speaker 3 (17:47):
You know, if you're a close contact.
Speaker 2 (17:48):
Now we ask you to wear a mask when you're
out and about and have a daily test. But masks
are a really simple way of protecting yourself and others,
and so wearing those where you can't distanced, also making
sure you're staying home when you're unwell.
Speaker 3 (18:04):
These are all important things that we.
Speaker 2 (18:07):
As individuals and as we learn to live with COVID,
we've learned to live with influenza in the past. It
now becomes the community and not you know, regulations by
public health that become important. And so this is where
we're moving to, and this is why we feel confident
to remove the public health emergency at the end of June,
(18:28):
and that we have transferred and the population, workplaces have
all taken on their responsibility of managing COVID in the community,
and that's really pleasing to see.
Speaker 1 (18:39):
Well soon, doctor, how are our VACS rates? I mean looking,
I mean there are enough people getting their boosters for example, Yeah,
they are.
Speaker 2 (18:46):
I think our concentration at the moment is trying to
get the population vaccinated with influenza. And I can't urge
people enough to consider that.
Speaker 3 (18:57):
And I think we.
Speaker 2 (18:58):
Haven't seen influenza on our shores for a couple of years.
It's been keeping a low profile while we've had all
our other restrictions in place. But we're going to see
it this year. We're starting to see a rise in cases.
We've certainly had two hundred and thirty four cases diagnosed
already in Tasmania and we're likely to see more of
(19:18):
those in the coming weeks to months.
Speaker 1 (19:20):
That's a lot, isn't it two thirty four already for
But so you really pushing get the flu jab But
initially I mean when to go and get it? Earlier
it was twenty dollars. But now we're doing some free
clinics by believe offering the flu jabs. Where are these
We can probably give that a bit of a push
if you don't mind.
Speaker 2 (19:36):
Yeah, Look, I think there's a couple of important things.
Flu vacciness always been free to those that have highest risk,
and we're really urging. I think our target group, well
I don't think. I know. Our target group this year
is those who are six months to five years old.
They need to get vaccine. They we know there are
risk population for severe infection and may end up in hospital.
(20:00):
And they're the groups that have never been or potentially
never been exposed to influenza because we haven't had it
in our communities, and we do know unfortunately only a
small percentage, about twelve percent of our in that age
group have been vaccinated so far, and so to try
and boost those numbers, there's vaccine available through your GP,
(20:22):
there's vaccine available through pharmacies for those over ten years
of age, and there's vaccine available through the state run clinics.
And there will be advice around these on the Coronavirus
website in relation to where these are in particular regions.
They'll be pop up clinics happening and really promoting the
(20:44):
flu vaccine in these vulnerable groups.
Speaker 1 (20:46):
Gone of the days, aren't they really of going to
work while sick and pushing through it.
Speaker 2 (20:51):
Oh. I think we all remember the soldier on as
cold and flu tablets, and I think we really do
need to consider that we we have to stay home
when we're unwell. What we are doing is putting our
work colleagues at risk, whether it be from COVID, whether
it be from influenza. If you have symptoms, please stay home.
Speaker 1 (21:13):
Good call. Doctor Julie Graham, the Deputy Director of Public Health,
thank you so much for your time this morning. I
do appreciate. I know you're very busy, and we urge
everyone to look after themselves in particular with the flu
influenza exactly.
Speaker 2 (21:28):
And as I said, you know, I think Tasmanian's done
amazing job in getting us through this pandemic. And we'll
just continue to do an amazing job. Get vaccinated, practice
all those COVID safe behaviors which are now flu safe behaviors,
and stay well.
Speaker 1 (21:44):
Yeah, we'll try our very best. And I appreciate your
time doctor this morning. Thank you so much, Thanks Mike.
Doctor Julie Graham, the Deputy Director of Public Health with
Tasmania Talk As Media Talks with Mic Laughlin weekday mornings
from nine
Tasmania Talks with Mike Olcklin weekday mornings from nine as
much as well we we like it to be. The
COVID nineteen pandemic really is far from over, and seeing
as we averaged a death a day from the virus
for much of last month, we wanted to check in
(00:20):
with public health and make sure we're all doing everything
we can to keep our community safe. Doctor Julie Graham's
the Deputy director of Public Health here in Tasmania. It
joins me live in the line now, Julie, good morning,
thanks for your time this morning.
Speaker 2 (00:33):
Good morning, my good morning listeners.
Speaker 1 (00:36):
So what's the last with our COVID numbers if I
may so today?
Speaker 2 (00:41):
So we'll be reporting in another seven hundred and sixty
five cases today and that when we're looking at that,
if we look at what the average number of cases
over the last seven day period, we're having about seven
hundred and sixty two cases per day reported in Tasmania.
Speaker 3 (00:57):
And that is on.
Speaker 2 (00:58):
A it's on a slope path down. I think we
found when we after we opened the borders last year
on the fifteenth of December, and then when our omicron
waves struck in early January, we saw quite a quick
rise in our number of cases, and what we're going
to see is a fairly slow tail lost in those numbers,
(01:18):
and we might expect to get down to sitting between
sort of two hundred and five hundred cases a day,
and that we may expect to see that through the
winter period.
Speaker 1 (01:28):
So this week's COVID surveillance report I believe comes out today.
I mean, what can we expect to see there with
those facts and figures? I was going through last week's
very interesting, So what about today?
Speaker 2 (01:39):
Yeah, Look, I think that's the important thing for viewers,
for listeners to be aware of that they can get
access to all our current surveillance data on the report
on our Coronavirus website. It does provide for some of
us who are into our data some interesting reading. We
are seeing a reduction in.
Speaker 3 (01:58):
Cases, which is good. We are slowly.
Speaker 2 (02:01):
Seeing that we are continuing to see unfortunately a death
per generally per day or every second day.
Speaker 3 (02:11):
Now that has slightly dropped off.
Speaker 2 (02:12):
We're still seeing a number of people in hospital being
related to COVID. So we currently have twenty people in
hospital who are being managed specifically for COVID, with one
of those unfortunately in ICU and being ventilated. However, I
think we need to reflect on some of the good
(02:32):
points that we are seeing, and if we look at
both the Australian.
Speaker 3 (02:36):
Data and the world data.
Speaker 2 (02:38):
In a sense, Tasmanians done incredibly well in protecting Tasmanians.
Although we have lost seventy four deaths since the COVID
or lost seventy four lives since the COVID pandemic started,
our death rate remains one of the lowest in Australia
but also in the world, and I think Tasmanians need
(02:58):
to be very proud of the job that they've done
to keep Kasmanians themselves the community safe over the last
couple of years.
Speaker 1 (03:06):
Look and certainly very good points, but I noticed when
you're looking at it, we sort of peak in cases
in mid January after borders reopened, which you mentioned. Cases
then decline from there, but then peaked again even higher
early April. They've been on the decline since then with
this with winter. Are you expecting another peak to come?
Speaker 2 (03:26):
Well, quite we expect coming. And I think the thing
with COVID that we're saying right through is that we're
constantly seeing the virus evolving, We're seeing different variants emerge,
and certainly that peak we saw after the first borders
(03:47):
when the borders open was related to delta. In January,
our rise in cases was really related to the omicron variant,
which is certainly still the circulating variant in Pasmania and
in Australia. And look, that's part of our job is
to keep an eye a review and we test some
(04:09):
of the cases coming through. We're looking for new variants
coming into the state. We're looking and certainly in Australia
looking for new variants, and we're constantly keeping our finger
on the pulses to what's happening in relation to COVID
and we need to continue to do that. Hopefully what
we will see and what we expect to see is
(04:30):
really low grade waves, so maybe an increase in cases
in the middle of winter that will then decline off
again slowly. But if there was to be a new
variant emerged, then we might see a spike in cases again.
Speaker 1 (04:42):
So it's kind of like a wave, isn't it. Is
there concern about omicron like B five it seems to
be the first omicron. Then at omicron, what was a
B one, B two right, I think we're up to
B five, Is that correct? Something on that?
Speaker 2 (04:55):
Yeah, we had we do have B four and five
emergeriance the moment.
Speaker 3 (05:01):
The good news with.
Speaker 2 (05:02):
Sort of well, we're still watching and waiting, but we
have seen and certainly.
Speaker 3 (05:09):
Tasmania.
Speaker 2 (05:09):
We're a bit lucky. We tend to see what's happening
on the mainland.
Speaker 3 (05:12):
Before we see.
Speaker 2 (05:15):
Before it comes to Tasmania, so we get an idea
of what we might be in for and what we
might need to plan for. At the moment, B four
and B five cases have been picked up in Tasmania,
and there's certainly cases picked up on the mainland, but
they don't seem to be replacing or becoming dominant compared.
Speaker 3 (05:34):
To the B two which we currently have circulating.
Speaker 1 (05:37):
Fair enough and our testing rates where they need to be.
Speaker 2 (05:42):
Yeah, Look, Tasmanians have been great at coming out and
being tested. I think when we're looking at testing, what
we are really asking the people of Tasmania to do
is to continue to be tested if you have symptoms,
and really focusing on on those people who are at
risk of severe disease. So that's our population over sixty five,
(06:05):
our population with any forms of iminosuppression. That's an immune
system that's not working as well as it could be
due to a number of reasons. Those people who have
chronic diseases, who may be at risk of more severe disease,
they're the people that it's very important that they come
and they be tested as soon as they have symptoms,
because there are treatments available and that's going to help
(06:29):
reduce the severity of the illness and help protect them.
We do know also that we're starting to see flue
into Tasmania, we're seeing it into Australia, and those people
are also at risk of severe flu illness. And again
there are treatments available, So if you have symptoms, please
get tested now.
Speaker 1 (06:50):
I heard from a number of people on this program
who have said they hadn't bothered to register their positive result.
They've still isolated but just not reported their result. Also,
kids that are sick while their parents have COVID, I
know some parents not bothering to test their kids because
they're isolating anyway, Do you think the real number of
cases will be much higher than they were really what
(07:11):
we're seeing reported.
Speaker 2 (07:13):
Yeah, Look, I think we do realize and that's for
a number of reasons not just people not reporting.
Speaker 3 (07:19):
We also know people.
Speaker 2 (07:20):
Have quite mild disease in some instances who don't test
or who may actually be and needs are sort of
the minority may not actually have any symptoms, and so
we do know that there are more cases of COVID
out there. Certainly the message is and certainly related to
flu coming in as well. If you are symptomatic, police
(07:42):
stay at time. You know you're still required from a
positive COVID test to remain isolated for seven.
Speaker 3 (07:50):
Days, but that's to protect.
Speaker 2 (07:54):
Protect others in the community from your risk of spreading
it to them. The same applies with flue. If you
have symptoms, please stay at home and protect those around you.
Speaker 1 (08:03):
Listen a question though, I mean with cases may be
going down, but we're still seen quite a number of
deaths which we speak of very sadly. And if my
mass are correct, you've touched on it. But we've had
sixty two COVID related deaths since borders reopened. I think
that's correct, Is that right? Sixty two since the borders
have reopened.
Speaker 2 (08:20):
No sixty four, So we reported to yesterday which brought
it up to sixty three, and or Buber reporting one today,
So that's sixty four and.
Speaker 1 (08:28):
We've averaged around a death to day since mid April. Really,
I mean, tell us a little bit about these deaths,
because the majority of deaths seem to be Looking at
the stats in older Tasmanians and did they all have
these We always hear the words underlying conditions.
Speaker 3 (08:44):
Look, I think.
Speaker 2 (08:47):
I personally when we're looking at these deaths, every death
is sad. Whether people have underlying conditions or don't have
underlying conditions, I think it's actually, that's not the important bit.
The important bit is about doing the most that the
community community can do to help protect those that are vulnerable,
and that is around being vaccinated, staying away from vulnerable
(09:11):
people when you are unbelt when you're unwell, using masks
when you can't socially distance.
Speaker 3 (09:17):
These are a really easy.
Speaker 2 (09:19):
And effective way of preventing transmission of COVID symptoms, So
wearing a mask. All deaths are regrettable and we just
need to continue to do all the practices that help
keep us safe.
Speaker 1 (09:32):
Sometimes you hear that people with underlying conditions live to
be one hundred and they're still an underlying conditions. That's
why I sort of sometimes think well, hang on, what
are some of the underlying conditions that are most affected.
Speaker 2 (09:44):
Look, we do know, and this is why we're asking
those people who are in those vulnerable groups. We do
know age makes you more.
Speaker 3 (09:54):
Susceptible to severe disease.
Speaker 2 (09:57):
We do know having underlying chronic conditions that might be diabetes,
lung disease, heart disease, anything that reduces your immune system,
whether that be from types of cancers or medications that
you're using, these will put you in a group that
make you much more vulnerable to severe disease.
Speaker 3 (10:15):
And these are the groups that it's.
Speaker 2 (10:17):
Really important a to be vaccinated because we know that
vaccine protects you from severe outcomes. We also know that
there are treatments available. Having said that, there are you know,
there are some people that just despite having the vaccine,
having the treatment that whether it's related to their other
(10:39):
medical conditions or whether they're directly related to COVID day,
we are unfortunately seeing death.
Speaker 1 (10:46):
You know, we see I know whether yourself doctor, but
we certainly get receive a lot of emails from those
that suggest that this doctor here, or doctor Google there,
or doctor Nufty suggests that you could possibly die due
to the vaccine, and we've got some quite incredible and
I don't reply to them, don't bother with them much.
But has anyone died due to the vaccine itself for COVID?
Speaker 2 (11:10):
Look, I think if you remember early on when we
started the vaccination program back last year and certainly in
Australia and in Tasmania, there were some reported deaths associated
with the vaccine, and again any death is regrettable. I
think what we need to what we in public health
(11:32):
look at is weighing up the impacts and those that
are saved from the vaccine. So, although yes, there has
been some deaths, the vaccine has protected a lot of
people from becoming unwell. And I think one of the
statistics that I was looking at the other day, as
I said, I loved statistics. Our death rate in Australia
(11:56):
from COVID has been around forty four deaths to huntred
thousand in the population. In Tasmania ours has been fourteen,
so considerably lower, and that represents the hard work that
Tasmanians have done. In places like the United States, the
(12:16):
death rate from COVID fits between three and four hundred
per hundred thousand, so a significant increase in death rates
in other areas of the world, and that's reflected.
Speaker 3 (12:27):
In other countries.
Speaker 2 (12:28):
So Australia has done an amazing job in protecting its
population and its vulnerable population, and that's been related to
the measures that we had in place to protect the
virus coming in, but also the incredible effort we've done
in vaccinating the population.
Speaker 1 (12:45):
Yeah. I guess that in itself is very accurate. In
the vaccination and how many you've been able to get vaccinated,
I think is incredible. But we don't often hear about
with the COVID deaths, how many of these people were
actually vaccinated or they were unvacied.
Speaker 2 (13:01):
Yeah. Look, I think at this stage there is that
information in our surveillance report, so people can get online
and have a look at that. In relation to the
number of people who, as I said it unfortunately passed
away and their vaccination, what we do know is that
there is a much higher rate of death in those
(13:22):
that are not vaccinated.
Speaker 1 (13:24):
Yeah, from correct now, I just turned to the page.
It says from fifteen December twenty one to twenty one
May twenty two, the case fatality rating reported cases who
were unvaccinated was more than double than the case fatality
rating reported cases who had just received two or more
doses of the vaccine. So yeah, it's I think the vaccines.
(13:44):
We know that it obviously works, but we know also
our hospitals doctor are really struggling to keep up the LGAH.
In particular, how many cases are we seeing actually being
admitted to hospital now?
Speaker 2 (13:56):
Well, at the moment, we're currently across the state have
forty two cases in hospital who have been diagnosed with
COVID nineteen.
Speaker 3 (14:05):
We do know that.
Speaker 2 (14:07):
Only twenty of those are actually being treated for their
symptoms related to COVID and the rest are in hospital
for other reasons, but in testing have been picked up
as having COVID, and that could be someone who's in
there for a broken bone who has COVID. Now that
obviously has impacts. Because the hospitals have amazing and just
(14:28):
done a great job with infection prevention in control, we
need to prevent COVID spreading in our hospitals.
Speaker 3 (14:34):
Which they are doing, so identifying.
Speaker 2 (14:35):
All those cases is really important. So we still do
have twenty people in hospital being treated and one of
those is in ICU and currently ventilated.
Speaker 1 (14:45):
I know we often read about it. It must be difficult,
doesn't to actually prevent the spread between patients in hospital
and also the hospital workers. We've had of a few
and that must be very difficult with a very strained
health system to have some of these particular health workers
go down with COVID.
Speaker 2 (15:01):
Look, I think we know from the information we have
and the contact tracing we've done in the past. Excuse me,
most of our healthcare workers who have contracted COVID have
contracted it at home and that's the most commonplace or
community events. The actual transmission in hospital has been incredibly low,
(15:23):
and I think we need to, you know, take our
hats off to the work that the healthcare workers in
our hospitals have been doing in the polt line, working
in ppe all the time to help protect themselves but
also to help protect the patients that they're dealing with.
Speaker 1 (15:39):
I'm saying with doctor Jullie Graham, Wit, Director of Public Health,
and doctor are some regions seeing more cases than others
and more deaths.
Speaker 2 (15:48):
Look at the moment, things have in a sense evened out.
We did see back in January higher case rates in
the northwest of the state, and that is where we
actually saw the introduction of the B two omicron variant,
and then we saw that move down through the north
and down to the south. But at the moment we're
(16:09):
seeing a fairly even case rates across all of the states.
Speaker 1 (16:14):
So restrictions, i mean, let's face of all but pretty
well have been removed. Is this the best move considering
the number of Tasmanians actually dying from the virus? You're
happy with that obviously, with the rates lying, of course,
and we are still wearing masks though in some situations.
Speaker 2 (16:29):
Look, we've still got masks, especially where there are vulnerable populations,
so that's our healthcare facilities, our age care facilities, and
certainly in our airports where there's a lot of people
moving and mixing and traveling. We're constantly reviewing the remaining
(16:50):
restrictions that we have in place. I think the fact
that we are seeing the case numbers dropping. We often
see our death rates two to four weeks sort of
behind our peak number of cases. So we should start
to see our death our numbers of people dying with
(17:10):
COVID reducing over the coming days to weeks, and that
allows us to continue to remove those restrictions. I would
point out though, and I think this is really important
for Tasmanians to really consider and reflect on what we
do as individuals helps protect our community. And I think
(17:30):
we've seen that from the vaccination, but also the simple
things that hopefully and I'm hopeful have become.
Speaker 3 (17:38):
Second nature to people.
Speaker 2 (17:39):
And that's you know, covering your cross and kneezes, wearing
a mask when you can't socially distance or if you
are out of the house.
Speaker 3 (17:47):
You know, if you're a close contact.
Speaker 2 (17:48):
Now we ask you to wear a mask when you're
out and about and have a daily test. But masks
are a really simple way of protecting yourself and others,
and so wearing those where you can't distanced, also making
sure you're staying home when you're unwell.
Speaker 3 (18:04):
These are all important things that we.
Speaker 2 (18:07):
As individuals and as we learn to live with COVID,
we've learned to live with influenza in the past. It
now becomes the community and not you know, regulations by
public health that become important. And so this is where
we're moving to, and this is why we feel confident
to remove the public health emergency at the end of June,
(18:28):
and that we have transferred and the population, workplaces have
all taken on their responsibility of managing COVID in the community,
and that's really pleasing to see.
Speaker 1 (18:39):
Well soon, doctor, how are our VACS rates? I mean looking,
I mean there are enough people getting their boosters for example, Yeah,
they are.
Speaker 2 (18:46):
I think our concentration at the moment is trying to
get the population vaccinated with influenza. And I can't urge
people enough to consider that.
Speaker 3 (18:57):
And I think we.
Speaker 2 (18:58):
Haven't seen influenza on our shores for a couple of years.
It's been keeping a low profile while we've had all
our other restrictions in place. But we're going to see
it this year. We're starting to see a rise in cases.
We've certainly had two hundred and thirty four cases diagnosed
already in Tasmania and we're likely to see more of
(19:18):
those in the coming weeks to months.
Speaker 1 (19:20):
That's a lot, isn't it two thirty four already for
But so you really pushing get the flu jab But
initially I mean when to go and get it? Earlier
it was twenty dollars. But now we're doing some free
clinics by believe offering the flu jabs. Where are these
We can probably give that a bit of a push
if you don't mind.
Speaker 2 (19:36):
Yeah, Look, I think there's a couple of important things.
Flu vacciness always been free to those that have highest risk,
and we're really urging. I think our target group, well
I don't think. I know. Our target group this year
is those who are six months to five years old.
They need to get vaccine. They we know there are
risk population for severe infection and may end up in hospital.
(20:00):
And they're the groups that have never been or potentially
never been exposed to influenza because we haven't had it
in our communities, and we do know unfortunately only a
small percentage, about twelve percent of our in that age
group have been vaccinated so far, and so to try
and boost those numbers, there's vaccine available through your GP,
(20:22):
there's vaccine available through pharmacies for those over ten years
of age, and there's vaccine available through the state run clinics.
And there will be advice around these on the Coronavirus
website in relation to where these are in particular regions.
They'll be pop up clinics happening and really promoting the
(20:44):
flu vaccine in these vulnerable groups.
Speaker 1 (20:46):
Gone of the days, aren't they really of going to
work while sick and pushing through it.
Speaker 2 (20:51):
Oh. I think we all remember the soldier on as
cold and flu tablets, and I think we really do
need to consider that we we have to stay home
when we're unwell. What we are doing is putting our
work colleagues at risk, whether it be from COVID, whether
it be from influenza. If you have symptoms, please stay home.
Speaker 1 (21:13):
Good call. Doctor Julie Graham, the Deputy Director of Public Health,
thank you so much for your time this morning. I
do appreciate. I know you're very busy, and we urge
everyone to look after themselves in particular with the flu
influenza exactly.
Speaker 2 (21:28):
And as I said, you know, I think Tasmanian's done
amazing job in getting us through this pandemic. And we'll
just continue to do an amazing job. Get vaccinated, practice
all those COVID safe behaviors which are now flu safe behaviors,
and stay well.
Speaker 1 (21:44):
Yeah, we'll try our very best. And I appreciate your
time doctor this morning. Thank you so much, Thanks Mike.
Doctor Julie Graham, the Deputy Director of Public Health with
Tasmania Talk As Media Talks with Mic Laughlin weekday mornings
from nine
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