Doctors call on Western Australia to close its borders to avoid coronavirus carriers from the eastern states putting residents at risk
- Doctors called for WA to close its borders to prevent ‘uncontrolled spread’
- Combined Medical Leads group warned they had ‘extremely’ limited supplies
- They suggested extending isolation restrictions to include ‘interstate travel’
- Premier Mark McGowan said he would raise the issue with the National Cabinet
- Coronavirus symptoms: what are they and should you see a doctor?
Doctors at some of Western Australia’s biggest hospitals are calling for the state to close its borders in an extreme measure to help stop the spread of COVID-19.
In a joint letter, medical practitioners from Fiona Stanley, Sir Charles Gairdner and Royal Perth hospitals urged the government to take action admitting there is an ‘extremely limited availability of testing infrastructure and supplies’ in the state.
‘This is a time-critical recommendation,’ the letter, obtained by The West Australian, states.
‘Particular attention should be paid to extending isolation restrictions to include all personal interstate travel.’
WA doctors have warned there are ‘extremely limited availability of testing infrastructure and supplies’ in the state. Pictured: People wait in line outside Royal Melbourne Hospital
Premier Mark McGowan said the decision to shut the states’ borders would have to be made by the national government
Three more cases of coronavirus were confirmed in WA on Tuesday, bringing the state total to 31.
None of the cases are believed of human-to-human transmission as of yet, but medical professionals fear the disease could soon spread uncontrollably.
Doctors from the Combined Medical Leads group warned WA is ‘currently at a different point in the exposure curve compared to the other states’ and ‘every mechanism’ to flatten it should be taken.
Rationing of supplies is currently in place and there is limited stock of disinfectant to protect the community, they said.
‘WA Health has an agreed plan to expand critical care capacity, but this remains finite and would be insufficient if uncontrolled/exponential spread was to occur,’ the letter states.
Premier Mark McGowan said the decision to shut the borders would have to be made by the national government.
In an open letter, doctors from the Combined Medical Leads group warned WA is ‘currently at a different point in the exposure curve compared to the other states’ and ‘every mechanism’ to flatten it should be taken
‘Obviously these are national decisions to be made by the National Cabinet, clearly I’ll raise that issue there but we are not at that point,’ he told reporters.
‘If you have states doing their own thing and creating panic in the community, it’s not going to help anyone.’
The West Australian government has gone so far as to launch job ads this week to recruit retired doctors and nurses into the coronavirus-fighting workforce.
In a bid to strengthen WA’s health workforce, job advertisements will run in the media starting on Wednesday.
Registered, clinical and enrolled nurses, nursing assistants, senior medical and general practitioners, junior doctors, medical scientists, and technical assistants with clinical laboratory experience are being sought in the first recruitment wave.
A second wave of recruitment will follow to attract other professions including allied health, patient support and critical hospital administration roles.