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Healing
COVID-19: PCR exams would require GP referral, tells Australians to anticipate two years of waves
12
Dec
Dec
KEY POINTS
- Australians have been told to expect COVID-19 waves for at least two years
- Free PCR tests will require a doctor’s referral.
- Vaccines will remain free.
Australians will soon need a doctor’s referral to receive a free COVID-19 PCR test, despite being warned to expect new waves “on a regular basis” for at least two years.
The federal government will invest $2.8 million in a national COVID-19 management plan for 2023, releasing its strategy to deal with the pandemic from January onwards.
In a bid to ease the strain on Australia’s under-pressure health care system, Health Minister Mark Butler said the next 12 months will see the government target its support for Australia’s most vulnerable.
Chief medical officer Paul Kelly warned the emergence of new variants means COVID-19 waves are expected until at least the end of 2025.
But Professor Kelly assured Australians those spikes are unlikely to repeat the high death rates associated with the Delta variant.
“The severity of future waves may be milder, placing less pressure on the health system,” he said.
“This, combined with improved immunity and hybrid immunity from repeat infections and targeted vaccinations, would reduce the clinical impact and result in fewer Australians suffering severe illness and death.”
Australians have been told to expect new variants for at least two years. Source: AAP
Free tests to end
Free vaccines, which the plan frames as the best means to reduce severe illness, will continue to be available, while oral antiviral treatments will be scaled up for eligible Australians.
But Medicare-funded PCR tests, a staple of Australia’s response since early 2020, will require a doctor’s referral from 1 January.
“There is no public health requirement or recommendation for low-risk individuals to seek PCR testing,” the plan said.
Monday’s announcement marked a significant shift from the last new year period, when a case surge driven by the highly-infectious Omicron virus saw the cost of rapid antigen tests skyrocket.
Lines for PCR tests, which were a requirement for much interstate travel at the time, were also overwhelmed, with some results taking over a week to return.
, Health Minister Mark Butler insisted the federal government would target its support at Australia’s most vulnerable.
“We will continue to protect those most at risk, while ensuring we have the capacity to respond to future waves and variants,” he said.
The plan said Australia’s success in suppressing the 2021 Delta wave put it in a better position to deal with long COVID, a post-viral condition lingering well after initial infection.
The Omicron strain, which drove widespread infection in Australia in late 2021 and early 2022, is less likely to lead to long COVID.
“Australia’s experience of long COVID is potentially different to many other countries due to our high two-dose vaccination rates, and the fact that our widespread levels of infection only occurred after the Omicron variant emerged,” it said.
This is a developing story and this article will be updated.
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