❓ Question regarding public health measures for the Omicron surge in WA. The Minister responds by highlighting vaccination rates and Level 1 restrictions, criticising the opposition's stance.
AnsweredQoN 57Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
CORONAVIRUS
— PUBLIC HEALTH AND SOCIAL MEASURES
57. Ms H.M. BEAZLEY to the Minister for Health:
I
refer to the state government's commitment to minimising the overall
impact of Omicron on the Western Australian community.
(1) Can the
minister update the house on what public health and social measures have been
put in place to respond to the predicted increase in Omicron cases?
(2) Can the
minister outline to the house how these measures will help manage the surge of
Omicron in our community and keep Western Australians safe?
— PUBLIC HEALTH AND SOCIAL MEASURES
57. Ms H.M. BEAZLEY to the Minister for Health:
I
refer to the state government's commitment to minimising the overall
impact of Omicron on the Western Australian community.
(1) Can the
minister update the house on what public health and social measures have been
put in place to respond to the predicted increase in Omicron cases?
(2) Can the
minister outline to the house how these measures will help manage the surge of
Omicron in our community and keep Western Australians safe?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member
for Victoria Park for her question.
(1)–(2) I
am happy to speak to the house on the important measures that we have put in
place to keep Western Australians safe. One of the most important measures has
been our vaccination program. We know that high rates of vaccination and a third
dose in particular will provide the best possible protection against Omicron.
It was only on 22 February 2021—a year ago—that the first
frontline worker, a hotel quarantine nurse, received her first dose of Pfizer
vaccine. Since then, we have administered 5.6 million COVID-19 vaccinations at
hundreds of state clinics and GPs, pharmacies and other health services across
WA and in some of the most regional and remote areas in the world. It is an
incredible testament to the work of our Vaccine Commander, the Department of
Health officials and the public health unit in their response and agility to
provide vaccinations to everyone. More than 95 per cent of Western Australians
over the age of 18 have had two vaccinations and 58.5 per cent have received
their third dose. This is one of the highest vaccination rates in the world and
it could not have been achieved without those frontline workers. I thank them
for their commitment and effort. We know that the booster dose gives the best
possible protection.
The
other very important measures that were implemented from yesterday are the
level 1 public health a nd social measures across Perth, Peel, the south
west, the wheatbelt, the great southern and Pilbara regions. They include home
gathering limits, private outdoor gathering limits, the two-square-metre rule
for hospitality and cultural venues, a 75 per cent capacity for seated
entertainment venues and so on and so forth. These are really important
measures to keep people safe and they have been nothing but undermined by the opposition, who consistently complains
about them. I saw a press release from Hon
Dr Steve Thomas complaining about the public health and social measures
that will keep hospitalisations low and people safe. It is astounding that the
opposition continues to do that. It has undermined our approach from the beginning, whether in vaccinations or public
health measures. Members of the opposition have undermined them from the
beginning and have consistently contradicted themselves as well. In their media
release, the opposition alliance, as they call themselves —
Several members interjected.
The DEPUTY SPEAKER : Leader of
the Liberal Party!
Ms A. SANDERSON : The media
release of 20 February is a logical mess. It is illogical; in their own media
statement, members opposite contradict themselves. First they concede that
mandates work —
''Mandates were brought in to
rapidly increase uptake of the vaccine and we have achieved this at very high rates.''
Then members opposite concede that
the mandate was working to get booster rates up and that WA was on track for
very high booster rates, but then they say that it is not clear at all that they
serve a purpose any longer. We are at under 60 per cent with our third dose; we
still have to increase our booster rates. There is consistent undermining from
the opposition. Our public health and social measures and our high vaccination
rates are the things that will keep us safe and protect our community. I call
on the opposition to stop undermining them.
for Victoria Park for her question.
(1)–(2) I
am happy to speak to the house on the important measures that we have put in
place to keep Western Australians safe. One of the most important measures has
been our vaccination program. We know that high rates of vaccination and a third
dose in particular will provide the best possible protection against Omicron.
It was only on 22 February 2021—a year ago—that the first
frontline worker, a hotel quarantine nurse, received her first dose of Pfizer
vaccine. Since then, we have administered 5.6 million COVID-19 vaccinations at
hundreds of state clinics and GPs, pharmacies and other health services across
WA and in some of the most regional and remote areas in the world. It is an
incredible testament to the work of our Vaccine Commander, the Department of
Health officials and the public health unit in their response and agility to
provide vaccinations to everyone. More than 95 per cent of Western Australians
over the age of 18 have had two vaccinations and 58.5 per cent have received
their third dose. This is one of the highest vaccination rates in the world and
it could not have been achieved without those frontline workers. I thank them
for their commitment and effort. We know that the booster dose gives the best
possible protection.
The
other very important measures that were implemented from yesterday are the
level 1 public health a nd social measures across Perth, Peel, the south
west, the wheatbelt, the great southern and Pilbara regions. They include home
gathering limits, private outdoor gathering limits, the two-square-metre rule
for hospitality and cultural venues, a 75 per cent capacity for seated
entertainment venues and so on and so forth. These are really important
measures to keep people safe and they have been nothing but undermined by the opposition, who consistently complains
about them. I saw a press release from Hon
Dr Steve Thomas complaining about the public health and social measures
that will keep hospitalisations low and people safe. It is astounding that the
opposition continues to do that. It has undermined our approach from the beginning, whether in vaccinations or public
health measures. Members of the opposition have undermined them from the
beginning and have consistently contradicted themselves as well. In their media
release, the opposition alliance, as they call themselves —
Several members interjected.
The DEPUTY SPEAKER : Leader of
the Liberal Party!
Ms A. SANDERSON : The media
release of 20 February is a logical mess. It is illogical; in their own media
statement, members opposite contradict themselves. First they concede that
mandates work —
''Mandates were brought in to
rapidly increase uptake of the vaccine and we have achieved this at very high rates.''
Then members opposite concede that
the mandate was working to get booster rates up and that WA was on track for
very high booster rates, but then they say that it is not clear at all that they
serve a purpose any longer. We are at under 60 per cent with our third dose; we
still have to increase our booster rates. There is consistent undermining from
the opposition. Our public health and social measures and our high vaccination
rates are the things that will keep us safe and protect our community. I call
on the opposition to stop undermining them.
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