Top doctor Nick Coatsworth delivers a brutal reality check for Aussies who still wear face masks

One of Australia’s top doctors has stepped up his efforts to dismiss renewed calls for a return of Covid masks by calling the advice “extreme” and believes it would make no difference.

Australia is in the midst of its eighth Covid wave, with 6,550 cases reported across the country in the past week.

The rise has prompted some health officials, including Australian Medical Association Queensland president Maria Boulton, to call for a return to mask mandates in high-risk environments like on airplanes, in large crowds and in restaurants. medical institutions.

Australia’s former deputy chief health officer, Dr Nick Coatsworth, doesn’t think we should be overly concerned about the recent rise.

“The Australian Medical Association cited 245 COVID-19 hospitalizations with this (current) surge in Queensland, but there are more than a million admissions to Queensland hospitals each year,” he said. he declares.

“The suggestion that this is a wave is probably incorrect.

He also thinks reinstating mask mandates would have little impact.

“It won’t make any difference at the moment,” Dr Coatsworth told 2GB’s Ben Fordham on Friday morning.

“If you say, ‘Look, wear masks in some situations but not others, don’t social distance and go about your business,’ then all masks do is pollute the environment.”

“We need to be smarter about how we handle this.

He also criticized scientists’ advice recommending 100,000 concertgoers mask up when Coldplay perform in Perth this weekend.

“It’s just a crazy thing to do,” he said.

“Simply putting on a mask at a Coldplay concert is unlikely to provide protection.”

“And number two, the vast majority of people have had Covid, even those who claim they never had it. The vast majority of people are also vaccinated.

“COVID-19 is now a milder disease because of what we call herd immunity, to which we have all been exposed.

“You won’t see many people at Coldplay wearing masks.

Dr Coastworth isn’t too concerned about the latest rise, but admitted it is putting a strain on hospitals.

“The reason the health department put this out is because when we get a surge in Covid or any other respiratory virus, it puts a strain on hospitals,” he said.

“I work in a hospital and you see the tension, but not because people are getting sick from Covid.

“Very few people actually get sick from Covid, but it creates an infection control problem where you have to isolate patients and that creates pressure on beds.

“But this is going to happen over the next 5 to 10 years with Covid and respiratory viruses and we need to find ways to deal with it.”

Dr Coatsworth highlighted that despite a slight increase in hospitalizations, there was a drop in intensive care admissions.

“It is important to assure everyone that vaccination is effective.”

“There are creative and innovative ways that will allow the community to go about their business without constantly talking about bringing back things that, realistically, public health officials won’t bring back.”

Dr Coatsworth echoed health advice to catch up outdoors where the risk of contracting Covid is “extraordinarily difficult, if not impossible”.

“It’s always been good advice, I don’t know why we didn’t give it at the start of the pandemic,” he said.

“You would really have to be on top of someone to catch Covid outside.”