Dr Norman Swan slams Aussie politicians for two Covid Omicron myths as virus wreaks havoc

Dr Norman Swan has slammed Australian politicians for pushing what he deemed ‘two Omicron myths’ – that the strain is mild and that it can prevent reinfection.

Australia is enduring its highest infections rates and deaths since the pandemic began, with more than 88,000 new cases and 84 deaths on Wednesday alone – prompting the US government to warn Americans against travelling Down Under.  

The ABC presenter cleared-up what he claimed were misconceptions perpetuated by politicians during an appearance on The Project on Wednesday.

Dr Swan said the new variant was not as mild as it was being made out to be, and that natural infection from Omicron does not provide as much protection as vaccination – meaning people can easily catch the virus again and again.

‘There is this myth that this is a mild virus. You hear it all the time from politicians. It is not a mild virus,’ the doctor told the panel. 

Dr Swan told panellists that although it was an unpopular opinion, the world was far from pulling the curtain on the Covid-19 pandemic (pictured, Sydneysiders on Christmas Eve)

‘Now, Delta was a virulent virus, yes, it is less virulent than Delta, but if you compare it to the Wuhan virus, it is just as virulent as that. That’s why we’re seeing deaths.’

He explained natural infection from Omicron ‘does not seem to provide anything like what an immunisation gives’, and would give little protection against future variants. 

Dr Swan told The Project that although it was an unpopular opinion, the world was far from pulling the curtain on the Covid-19 pandemic – and that Australia had been too slow to react, leaving it with no supplies of rapid tests.

He warned Australians not to celebrate as some politicians claim Covid will soon become endemic – meaning a virus that is relatively constant in a population, and has predictable infection patterns. 

Dr Norman Swan said the new variant was not as mild as it was being made out to be and that natural infection from Omicron does not provide as much protection as vaccination

Dr Norman Swan said the new variant was not as mild as it was being made out to be and that natural infection from Omicron does not provide as much protection as vaccination

‘Smallpox was endemic. Nobody says that’s a mild disease. Malaria is endemic in many countries. ‘Influenza is endemic and it is not a harmless disease,’ he said. 

‘Endemic does not mean it is harmless. This is an epidemic virus.’

He criticised politicians for simply ‘letting it rip’ and easing border controls and restrictions, saying it had actually hurt the economy by leading to thousands being stuck in isolation, as well as causing ‘unnecessary deaths’. 

Instead the top doctor said the country should have slowed things down in December to ensure hospitals were well-equipped for another variant. 

What is the difference between a pandemic, an endemic and an epidemic? 

What is an epidemic?

– An epidemic is an unexpected increase in the number of disease cases in a specific area of the world. 

– Notably, in an epidemic the disease does not have to be contagious and can refer to specific health-related behaviour, such as smoking. 

What is a pandemic?

– A pandemic is when the growth of the disease is exponential with soaring case numbers that grow with every day that passes. 

– It means the virus has crossed international borders to cover a wide area and affects multiple countries and populations. 

What is endemic?

– An endemic is a disease that is consistently present in a region or population, for example malaria, smallpox or influenza. 

– The rate and spread of the disease is therefore easier to predict.  

What is the difference between an epidemic and a pandemic?

– The difference between an endemic and a pandemic is the degree to which the disease has spread and how predictable it is

– While a pandemic has crossed international borders and is out of control, an epidemic, while still large is generally contained and more predictable. 

Source: Mailman School of Public Health 

He revealed the people who were dying with Covid were likely people aged 60 and over who had received two AstraZeneca doses in early 2021. 

The doctor said this group was vulnerable because that vaccine did less to protect against serious disease with Omicron, as well as offering diminishing protection over time, and said it was crucial to get a third jab. 

‘The booster shot just brings that immunity back,’ he said. ‘The most vulnerable people are the people aged over 60. 

‘So the very people who are most vulnerable got the vaccine which has got the least protection against severe disease.’

He said the recent move from NSW, Victoria, SA and the ACT to reduce the interval between second and third doses to three months would ramp-up booster rates.

Dr Swan, who has a doctorate in paediatrics and has been an ABC presenter for decades, also recently urged Australians to upgrade their face mask. 

Dr Swan said the recent move to reduce the interval between second and third doses to three months in several states would protect the most vulnerable (pictured, the QLD border)

Dr Swan said the recent move to reduce the interval between second and third doses to three months in several states would protect the most vulnerable (pictured, the QLD border)

The presenter said the familiar blue paper masks and simple cloth versions are not up to the task of preventing the spread of the more contagious Omicron strain and Australians need to upgrade to more heavy-duty protection.

He recommended Australians instead use N95 masks and check the fine print to make sure the masks are approved for medical use. 

‘As the virus becomes more infectious there’s less tolerance for aerosol escaping through the mask,’ he told the ABC. Cloth masks were pretty good against the Wuhan virus but it’s not good enough now.’ 

Meanwhile, American citizens are being warned to avoid all travel to Australia, declaring the risk of contracting Covid-19 is too ‘severe’.

Once having the unenviable title of most Covid-riddled place on earth, the US now has significantly lower infection rates than Australia, which is now 4th on the list behind only San Marino, the Seychelles and Denmark. 

NSW, Victoria, SA and the ACT recently moved to reduce the interval between second and third doses of the vaccine to three months (pictured, a woman is vaccinated in Sydney)

NSW, Victoria, SA and the ACT recently moved to reduce the interval between second and third doses of the vaccine to three months (pictured, a woman is vaccinated in Sydney)

NEW DESTINATIONS WITH ‘DO NOT TRAVEL’ BY THE US

Albania, Argentina, Australia, Bahamas, Bahrain, Bermuda, Bolivia, British Virgin Islands, Cape Verde, Egypt, Grenada, Guyana, Israel, Panama, Qatar, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, São Tomé and Príncipe, Sint Maarten, Suriname, Turks and Caicos, and Uruguay.

The US State Department and Centers for Disease and Prevention updated their travel advice on Wednesday, slapping Australia with a Level 4 ‘Do Not Travel’ rating – the same as war-torn nations including North Korea, Afghanistan and Syria.

The levels are determined by official statistics showing how many virus cases there are per 100,000 people in a country.

In Australia, that rate is 412 per 100,000, compared to 230 per 100,000 in the US and just 143 in the UK. 

Australia recorded an additional 80,000 Covid cases in the past 24 hours, with hospitalisation rates at record highs and supply chain disruption leaving supermarket shelves across the country bare.  

Even with the highest number of Covid cases in world since the pandemic began, the US administration warned Americans to avoid a trip Down Under, with countries such as China and Japan still considered Level 3.

Under the threat system Level 1 means there is low risk, Level 2 signifies a moderate threat, while Level 3 urges US residents to avoid unnecessary travel.

Travel advisory warnings take into account a destination’s political instability, the threat of terrorism or violent crimes as well as the potential for natural disasters.

During the pandemic, the marker for a nation to be given a Level 4 warning by the CDC is 500 new Covid cases per 100,000 people over the past 28 days.

With the Omicron strain wreaking havoc across the globe, 22 new nations surpassed that threshold this week.

‘Do not travel to Australia due to COVID-19-related travel restrictions,’ the travel advice stated. 

‘The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued a Level 4 Travel Health Notice for Australia due to COVID-19, indicating a very high level of COVID-19 in the country.

‘Your risk of contracting COVID-19 and developing severe symptoms may be lower if you are fully vaccinated with an FDA authorized vaccine.’

‘There are restrictions in place affecting U.S. citizen entry into Australia.’

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