AMA urging for more in the fight against COVID

AMA President Dr Omar Khorshid and AMA Vice-President Dr Chris Moy used their voices across Australia’s media this week to urge Australians to keep up the battle against COVID and complacency and criticised mixed-messaging from the federal government.

The AMA’s spokespeople have been prominent in Australia’s mainstream media outlets this week urging Australians and their governments to avoid complacency this winter as COVID cases predicted to further overwhelm our embattled hospitals.

AMA President Dr Omar Khorshid told The Age the federal government was sending “mixed signals” in its pandemic response as telehealth services were reduced and pandemic-related isolation payments cut.

Dr Khorshid told Weekend Sunrise hospitals are “really, really struggling” as already stretched hospitals are pushed past capacity with the surge in COVID patients. He urged Australians to get their booster doses and consider mask wearing to help reduce the pressure on hospitals.

The Guardian quoted Dr Khorshid and AMA Vice-President Dr Chris Moy as Dr Khorshid reiterated the need for Australians to get booster doses, while Dr Moy too criticised the government’s mixed messaging: “On the one hand, the public is hearing from government Covid is serious and we need to get boosters. On the other hand people are hearing, it’s not serious enough for mask mandates.

“The entire Covid battle is being fought with only two weapons; expanded eligibility of vaccines and antivirals. It’s ridiculous,” said Dr Moy.

Dr Moy appeared on television several times this week to continue to urge Australians to take up eligible booster doses. Dr Moy told ABC News Breakfast “what we need really at the moment is for people out in the community to understand. Get your shots; get tested so you can get antivirals if you're eligible; and wear a mask if you can. And in terms of behind the scenes, we've just got to get our government to do the right thing at the moment”.

Dr Moy told Sunrise and Sky News that hospitals are already at breaking point and Australians should do what they can to avoid adding further pressure as new COVID variants appear to be spreading more rapidly. 

Dr Moy spoke to Chanel 10’s The Project “we need really clear messaging from the government about what people need to do” and urged Australians to get boosted, to wear masks where possible, and to get a PCR test if they have symptoms. “We’re in winter now and we’re in a much more vulnerable position as far as our hospitals getting overrun at the moment”.