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Doctors running out of swine flu masks
By Catherine BestAAPMay 30, 2009 12:43pm+-PrintEmailShare
VICTORIAN doctors on the front line of the growing swine flu outbreak are rapidly running out of supplies to protect themselves.
Australian Medical Association Victorian president Dr Harry Hemley said an urgent call has gone out today for access to federal stockpiles of masks, gowns, gloves and the antiviral drug Tamiflu.
He said back-up supplies had run out and medical staff in the northern suburbs epicentre of the Melbourne outbreak are at risk.
"We're running out of the necessary equipment to help protect the staff and the doctors and the allied health people from contracting the swine flu and also we're running out of masks also to protect our patients in the waiting rooms as well," Dr Hemley said.
"To help limit the spread, it's very important to have that equipment so we're actually calling on the federal government to release their stockpile, certainly to the northern suburbs of Melbourne."
Victoria has 138 confirmed cases of swine flu, most of them concentrated in Melbourne's north.
Dr Hemley is a GP in Northcote and has a daughter who attends Clifton Hill Primary School, which has been closed.
"It is ground zero for the outbreak and it's spreading fairly rapidly through the suburbs," he said.
Dr Hemley said while the "contain" response level was adequate at the moment, large-scale quarantining of people exposed to swine flu would not be sustainable.
"I think it's sustainable to a degree (currently), but obviously if it becomes too widespread in the community it won't be practical to quarantine everybody. However we must remember that the important thing is if you have a cough, please stay at home."
By Catherine BestAAPMay 30, 2009 12:43pm+-PrintEmailShare
VICTORIAN doctors on the front line of the growing swine flu outbreak are rapidly running out of supplies to protect themselves.
Australian Medical Association Victorian president Dr Harry Hemley said an urgent call has gone out today for access to federal stockpiles of masks, gowns, gloves and the antiviral drug Tamiflu.
He said back-up supplies had run out and medical staff in the northern suburbs epicentre of the Melbourne outbreak are at risk.
"We're running out of the necessary equipment to help protect the staff and the doctors and the allied health people from contracting the swine flu and also we're running out of masks also to protect our patients in the waiting rooms as well," Dr Hemley said.
"To help limit the spread, it's very important to have that equipment so we're actually calling on the federal government to release their stockpile, certainly to the northern suburbs of Melbourne."
Victoria has 138 confirmed cases of swine flu, most of them concentrated in Melbourne's north.
Dr Hemley is a GP in Northcote and has a daughter who attends Clifton Hill Primary School, which has been closed.
"It is ground zero for the outbreak and it's spreading fairly rapidly through the suburbs," he said.
Dr Hemley said while the "contain" response level was adequate at the moment, large-scale quarantining of people exposed to swine flu would not be sustainable.
"I think it's sustainable to a degree (currently), but obviously if it becomes too widespread in the community it won't be practical to quarantine everybody. However we must remember that the important thing is if you have a cough, please stay at home."