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Picture : Gary Ramage / NewsWire .
Covid boost
$ 1.4 billion dollars to help aged care homes and hospitals battle Covid .
By Elise Hartevelt
Federal Health Minister Mark Butler has announced the government will fork out an additional $ 1.4 billion over the next three months to help prevent Covid outbreaks in hospitals and aged care homes .
The government ’ s Covid package , which was due to expire in late September , will provide additional support until December 31st , with the bulk of funds earmarked for aged care .
“ Since the peak of that wave in late July , case numbers are down by about 85 per cent , hospitalisations are down by about 70 per cent ,” Butler said .
“ The number of aged care facilities who are experiencing outbreaks right now is down by more than three quarters , and the mortality rate is down by more than a half .
“ But there is still tragic loss of life being felt by about 45 families on average every single day because of Covid .
“ And there is still very real pressure on our health and our hospital system because of ongoing infections .”
Chief of health policy at Catholic Health Australia , Caitlin O ’ Dea , welcomed the financial aid as close to 7,000 Covid cases per day continue strain on hospitals across Australia .
“ Our hospitals are still well and truly in the thick of Covid and are reeling from the huge burden of costs of protecting patients and staff . We welcome the extra assistance ,” she said .
O ’ Dea was particularly pleased to see an extra $ 5 million for antivirals to be prescribed through telehealth .
“ Telehealth came into its own during the pandemic and we should continue to develop our telehealth capacity and utilise it where it makes sense ,” she said .
The package also includes over $ 142 million set aside for Medicare Benefits Schedule ( MBS ) items and rebates
“ The pandemic is not over . from October 1st to improve Covid testing . Another $ 48 million will see the expansion of 100 GP-led Respiratory Clinics and $ 5.5 million on rebates for face-to-face GP visits for patients with Covid .
The package plans to dedicate over $ 235 million to ensure frontline healthcare workers , aged care homes and primary care have enough rapid antigen tests and protective equipment .
RACGP president , adjunct professor Karen Price , said she believes the new measures will help make a difference .
“ GPs , practice managers , nurses , receptionists , and administrative workers are doing a tremendous job after a gruelling two-and-a-half years ,” she said .
“ I stress that the pandemic is not over , and we can ’ t be complacent .
“ I encourage everyone to help limit the spread of this virus and ease pressure on our entire health system . We all have a role to play , it ’ s as simple as that .” ■
4 agedcareinsite . com . au