Virus cases strain on health systems

As cases of the Omicron variant of COVID-19 continue to surge across the country, a combination of exhausted frontline workers and hospital staff shortages are pushing the healthcare system to breaking point. Ambulance Victoria experienced its second Code Red alert this week and South Australia is closing its testing sites due to scorching temperatures.

Source: AAP

Georgia Darcy is one of the many healthcare workers across the country who has been called back from leave as hospitals buckle suffer from staff shortages. She is just one of frontline workers across the country who are suffering burnout from the latest wave of the virus.  Australian Council of Trade Unions Secretary Sally McManus has written a letter to the Prime Minister calling for an emergency meeting with representatives of essential workers.  She says governments need to take immediate action. Many states are feeling the strain.  Ambulance Victoria was struck by its second “code red” alert in the past week in the early hours of Tuesday morning. By comparison, over the past decade, there has only been a code red five or six times.