Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate says most hotels in the city are more than 75 per cent full as New South Wales cars queue at the now-open border to cross into Queensland.
Follow today’s events as they unfold.
Live updates
By Liam Butterworth
What about other drugs for treating COVID-19?
You mentioned remdesivir what about the steroid dexamethasone that seems to be reducing deaths? Is that being used here?
-Someone in sa
Hi Someone,
Late last month, the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee (AHPPC) released a statement on preliminary media reports of the results of a randomised trial of the use of dexamethasone.
“Whilst only a single trial, it appears to be a large well-conducted study. The investigators reported a significant reduction in mortality in patients on mechanical ventilation and in those requiring oxygen, but not in those with less severe illness. AHPPC notes that dexamethasone appears to reduce mortality, but mortality was still 29% in ventilated patients and 22% in patients on supplemental oxygen who were treated with dexamethasone.
“Although this seems to be an exciting development, further examination of the scientific results, when published, will be required to confirm the efficacy of dexamethasone for severe COVID-19. It is likely that dexamethasone operates by reducing inflammation of the lung in severe disease, and thus would not be expected to be useful in the prevention of COVID-19.
“The availability of this treatment doesn’t reduce our need to prevent and control community transmission of COVID-19 as the mortality of severe COVID-19.”
While it looks promising, Nial Wheate, an associate professor and program director of undergraduate pharmacy at the University of Sydney, says more work needs to be done. He warns that there are “potential complications with using dexamethasone”, including the suppression of the immune system and it only being useful for patients who are having difficulty breathing.
The results of the clinical trial are preliminary.
So we need to wait for the full study data and scientific peer review before we can make a definitive decision as to whether dexamethasone treatment is a worthwhile, and safe, addition to COVID-19 therapy in Australia.
William Petri, a professor of Medicine at the University of Virginia, wrote for the Conversation about other drugs which may be useful in treating COVID-19. He writes:
Steroids: yes for almost all COVID-19 patients
When a synthetic steroid hormone, called dexamethasone, was given to patients with COVID-19 the drug decreased 28-day mortality by 17 per cent and hastened hospital discharge.
This work was performed in a randomised and controlled clinical trial of over 6,000 patients, and while not replicated in another study or yet peer reviewed, is certainly enough evidence to recommend its use.
REMINDER: This is general advice, and you should consult your doctor before taking any medications which you have not been prescribed.
By Liam Butterworth
Comments from the audience
Unemployed people on Jobseekers are now receiving $300 more than Pensioners each payment. And unemployed Jobkeepers are now receiving $700 more than Pensioners per payment.Why haven’t Elderly and Disabled Pensioners being included in the Corona Virus Supplement of $550, that all of the parents on parenting payments, students and unemployed Australians are automatically receiving at the moment?
-Don
What about people who live on their own? Am I not allowed to see anyone except for exercise? It’s so hard living on your own and not having contact with anyone – it feels inhuman
-Kat
Why aren’t the other States and Territories listening to the AMA and the other medical experts who are all saying to stop easing restrictions and to slow/stop with the reopening plans?
-Concerned
Being a retail worker in the Melbourne CBD seems to show how poorly people are adhering to the stage 3 restrictions. Not one customer served today wearing a mask, nor shopping for anything ‘essential’. These restrictions need to be clarified as putting retail workers at risk is not okay, do you really need that $50 t shirt Karen? Probably not.
-Retail worker
Thanks so much for the link to the mask pattern, which is much easier than the one I’ve been using. Hopefully mass production in the community will be coming up!
-Masked
Hi Liam, As my very vulnerable husband said this morning “17 weeks in isolation today but another day closer to a vaccine”. Got to love him and his optimism but he is right. PS Thanks to all of you on the blog for hanging in there too.
-Hanging In There
By Liam Butterworth
What’s happening with the Trans-Tasman travel bubble?
Is it too much to hope that the Australia – New Zealand travel bubble is still being considered?
-Hopeful traveller
Hi Hopeful traveller,
The Prime Minister was asked about this in his press conference yesterday and while it’s still being considered, it seems the situation in Victoria is causing a delay on that front. Last week, NZ PM Jacinda Ardern told TVNZ1 that while she was considering a state-by-state approach, she won’t risk reopening to the whole of the Australia while the Victorian outbreak is ongoing.
Scott Morrison also said he had been in discussion with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe about travel between Australia and Japan in ‘very restricted’ forms.
“In relation to the trans-Tasman travel zone, I will be speaking to Jacinda Ardern later [Friday] afternoon. … There is no imminent starting date. There is still a lot more work to be done to get to a point of having a trans-Tasman safe travel zone. We discussed that today at National Cabinet about what states and territories could or would participate in