Last night’s Q&A heard from a panel of healthcare experts who are tackling COVID-19 from the front line.
The doctors and nurses described a serious shortage of protective equipment, and provided observations that could only be made by those who have experienced COVID-19 up close.
Dr Lucy Morgan, a respiratory physician at Nepean Hospital, said being very ill with COVID-19 would be a “lonely” experience for patients and for many, such as the cruise ship victims, would have been “terrifying”.
She described the progression of the most serious cases of COVID-19, from increasing breathlessness until the point the patient’s breathing has to be taken over by a ventilator and the body starts to shut down.
“The implications are very real when people get very sick from COVID infection,” Dr Morgan said.
Those who become seriously unwell with COVID-19 are not allowed visitors.
“In COVID-19, your family often can’t be with you,” Dr Morgan said.
“It can be a lonely death,” host Hamish McDonald suggested.
“That’s an absolutely devastating part of this illness… (With a) progressive illness (you are) very much alone, separated from most of your family and friends… People who are in hospital have very, very small numbers of visitors, and very small numbers of their family can come. So, yes, it’s a very lonely way to be very sick,” Dr Morgan said.
A questioner asked if by restricting visitors to seriously ill patients are we “stripping life of humanity when we need it most?”
“It’s an awful thing to contemplate,” said disaster management Danielle Austin, who runs a pop-up testing clinic.
“We do all sorts of things to facilitate great palliative care… we’re now in a situation, in order to protect people… that there will be people in our ICUs that don’t have their loved ones with them.”
The panel agreed there is a serious shortage of protective equipment.
Emergency doctor and former AMA vice-president, Dr Stephen Barnis, said doctors around the country are “very worried” about the provision of personal protective equipment.
“I’ve seen department directors going to Bunnings” looking to purchase PPE, he said. “It’s probably the number-one concern for health workers around the country at the moment.”
Liberal MP and former paediatrician, Katie Allen, said there is “very good evidence” the curve is flattening, but did not provide detail on how the tight social restrictions in place at the moment will be wound back.
Ms Allen commended Australians for accepting significant disruptions to their lives in the battle against COVID-19.
“I cannot believe in such a short period of time that people are doing such extraordinarily different things… in their daily lives,” Ms Allen said. “To get that sort of level of change right across the population is amazing, remarkable, and all Australians should be congratulated.”
Shadow Health Minister, Chris Bowen, also appeared on the program, with some criticising Q&A for giving politicians air time rather than hearing more from those on the front line of Australia’s COVID-19 response.
The doctor describing the reality of coronavirus was mild in her description but still made people very aware of its danger. I have watched a much more graphic version with a description that if seen by most people would make sure that they followed the guidelines that are being urged for us to follow.