Message from an Australian Intensive Care Unit Director

[Kaz747]

So many health care systems around the world are under threat. The Director of Critical Care at a Queensland Hospital (in a regional area with a population of approximately 150,000) wrote and shared this poignant message:

“I’m an intensive care specialist in a small city.

Coronavirus isn’t just like the flu, but it’s only really very dangerous to the elderly or the already unwell. Quite a lot of people in their 80s will die, but most of the rest of us will probably be okay.

If you’re in your 70s and you get Coronavirus, you’ve got a really good chance of survival. If I’ve got a bed for you.

If you’re in your 60s and you have a heart attack, you’ve got a really good chance of survival. If I’ve got a bed for you.

If you’re in your 50s and need bowel cancer surgery, you’ve got a really good chance of survival. If I’ve got a bed for you.

If you’re in your 40s and have a bad car accident, you’ve got a really good chance of survival. If I’ve got a bed for you.

If you’re in your 30s and have terrible pre-eclampsia as a complication of pregnancy, you’ve got a really good chance of survival. If I’ve got a bed for you.

If you’re in your 20s and have a bad reaction to a party drug, you’ve got a really good chance of survival. If I’ve got a bed for you.

I have 7 beds equipped with life support machines. We have a plan to increase to about 25. Getting more isn’t a matter or more equipment or more money, that bit is easy. There are not enough skilled staff, even if we all work double shifts every day for six months (and we probably will).

If 50% of my city gets infected, that’s 75,000 people. If 5% of them need life support (which is the estimate), that’s 3750 people. For 25 beds.

And then I might not have a bed for you.

So it’s up to you to flatten the curve. Wash your hands. Stay home.

ScoMo #lockusdown”

(FYI ScoMo is our Prime Minister Scott Morrison)

[doodle68]

Hi Kaz A reasuring message for the people in Queensland Australia who have had terrible time of late with fires and now the virus it must feel like the bad news is never ending ..

I know many here have had you, our Aussie brothers in our thoughts over the last months and we will continue to do so.

Stay well ...

[Kaz747 in reply to doodle68]

Thank you. It’s been an awful time for our country. Hopefully, the measures being put in place now can help protect us a bit from the potential effects of the virus.

Now everyone arriving in the country must self isolate for 14 days or risk a $50,000 fine. The government is pleading with everyone to cancel or postpone overseas travel (looks like our big trip to Europe will not be happening this year).

Being an island we have a better chance of minimising the impact than many other countries if we take the right steps 🤞🏻🤞🏻

[Angie06 in reply to Kaz747]

Hi Kaz, similar here too as there is a massive shortage of beds. Apart from food shopping a couple of times a week I'm not going out at all and am using the time to spring clean, repair a few things in the home and tidy up the garden. And if I'm having a bad day I can catch up on TV programmes that I've missed while taking holidays and being out and about!

I've also cancelled my summer holiday to Croatia and it's doubtful now that I will get to see my son next month as he's in Perth working from home (14 days) as he's just returned from the States.

Stay well and hopefully you will get to Europe next year! 😷😷😎

[Kaz747 in reply to Angie06]

Lots of people are working from home. It’s going to be tough financially for many people. We are in unchartered territory. Take care x

[Renault4]

Thank you so much for your post and I too join others in wishing you well especially after all you have had to endure with the fires and extreme climate changes. Your post should also be sent to our prime minister who appears to have a primitive Darwinian approach to how the UK tackles this pandemic which is in sharp contrast to other European countries.But why not as it has been his administration that has culled our NHS and depleted our after care system helping potentially to create a perfect storm! Let us hope in much used jargon of our time "lessons will be learned"!!

[Kaz747 in reply to Renault4]

I must say, as sad as I am to have had to cancel our much awaited European adventure, I will feel safer at home. My husband has a lung vulnerability as does my daughter who is an asthmatic.

Our major supermarkets have announced special shopping hours for pensioners and the disabled. The police have cancelled all random breath testing (and parked up the booze buses) but have warned that driver’s can still be breathalyzed if pulled over by police.

It certainly feels like a switch was flicked on the weekend. We were worried before but suddenly everything seems so much worse.

[Morzine]

Hi Kaz, the message exactly correlates with every hospital in Europe....there aren’t enough ventilator machines....... in France the cases today are now raging out of control,, it is frightening how this time last week life seemed relatively normal....it did the same in Italy and Spain,it suddenly goes like a bushfire out of control.....we are semi partial lock down.....tonite Macron talks and we will be under total curfew. I’m happy staying at home,, it’s safe....I’ve my family next door too......we’re all isolating.....our ski resort is shut and they are busing out the seasonaires to repatriate thrm,,,.....yes you were wise to cancel the trip........next year eh!!

Keep safe

Xxxsue

[Kaz747 in reply to Morzine]

We are all in uncharted territory. Europe is a mess. In Australia we are potentially better placed than most countries to limit things if we close the borders and take all precautions. We will still lose members of the community and one death is one too many. Stay safe Sue! Xx

[Morzine in reply to Kaz747]

Yes I think you are in a much better place, just purely the enormous distances between places must help. But yes one death hurts and causes so many ripples, and here un France we are headed for a lot now as it spirals, we are about a week behind italy in this .

You keep safe

Suex