The threat of an Easter COVID-19 wave in WA could have subsided after a dramatic rise in hospitalisations and infections slowed in the past week.
New COVID cases rose six per cent to almost 3500, and hospital admission for the virus jumped 10 per cent to 112.
It was a significant decrease from the previous week when COVID-linked hospitalisations doubled and infections jumped sharply.
The slowing caseload, however, comes as wastewater surveillance indicated a significant rise in COVID-19 across WA with massive underreporting of positive cases likely.
WA Health told The Sunday Times wastewater monitoring gave a “more stable estimate of COVID-19 in the community”.
WA AMA President Mark Duncan-Smith warned COVID remains in the community “like a smouldering ember ready to take off”.
Prominent Perth GP Dr Sean Stevens warned West Aussies not to be complacent and urged people to change their view when getting a COVID vaccine from ticking off their third or fourth dose to getting a “winter booster” — similar to seasonal flu shots.
“We need to get away from the terminology and just get our winter booster, not just leaving it up to the recommended number of doses.
“The prediction is that there will be a wave in winter, which is why the health department has advised people to get a winter booster.
“I think this year we will see a lot of people taking up the COVID vaccine for winter.”
Dr Stevens said the wider availability of Moderna’s pre-filled syringes was a game changer for clinics to offer the shots to more patients and on more of an opportunistic basis.
The single-shot syringes were approved in mid-February and began to be available to most Perth GPs in mid-March, according to Dr Stevens.
They mean doctors don’t have to draw shots from a six-dose vial, which staff are more hesitant to give out without surety they can administer the remaining five jabs before the vaccine expires.
Flu and COVID-19 vaccinations can be administered on the same day as there is no waiting period required between the two jabs.
The advancement comes as AstraZeneca vaccine was discontinued in Australia after being superseded by newer COVID-19 vaccines.
Influenza season is typically from June to September, however, under the national immunisation program flu vaccines are available for April.
WA has recorded almost 1.3 million COVID infections since the pandemic began in early 2020.
Up to 4pm on Thursday, there were two West Australians in intensive care with COVID-19.
Three people were reported to have died of the virus in the latest report, some of which dated back to March 24 and aged between 75 and 89 years old.
Dr Duncan-Smith warned that the proportion of people with respiratory symptoms who get tested for COVID-19 has decreased and urged them to be vigilant.
There were 3082 positive rapid antigen tests reported in the last week to WA Health and 4159 PCR tests were undertaken, of which 364 were negative.
Anyone experiencing symptoms is strongly encouraged to stay home if they’re unwell, and until symptoms have resolved.
Vaccination is strongly encouraged for people most at-risk, including children aged six months to less than five years, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, people with certain medical conditions, pregnant women, and people aged 65 years and older.
Stay connected with us on social media platform for instant update click here to join our Twitter, & Facebook
We are now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel (@TechiUpdate) and stay updated with the latest Technology headlines.
For all the latest Business News Click Here
