News
AMA (WA) welcomes announcement of 3 March reopening and appropriate social restrictions
Friday February 18, 2022
This afternoon, AMA (WA) President Dr Mark Duncan-Smith provided a response to the media, arising from the announcement of the full WA border reopening from 3 March.
“The AMA (WA) welcomes the announcement of the McGowan Government in setting the new date, and also modest appropriate restrictions for the circumstances.
The AMA (WA) had been calling for a new date within 24 hours of the Premier’s announcement of the delay of 5 February, as we felt it was not good for society and individuals, from a psychological point of view, to have an open-ended delay.
We appreciate the closing of that loop, and it gives people more reassurance and more certainty about the future of WA.
The restrictions that have been put in place from 21 February are appropriate and measured. When the AMA (WA) started calling for restrictions two to three weeks ago, they were to be similar to South Australia.
These restrictions aren’t as severe as South Australia. However, vaccination rates in WA have moved over those three weeks, and accordingly these restrictions are appropriate and measured, and we welcome them.
The aim of the restrictions is to flatten the curve, and these restrictions will need to be monitored to see whether they will achieve that.
People need to understand that restrictions may need to be made heavier or relaxed, depending on the numbers of hospital admissions that we get.
We are also greatly encouraged that the modelling will be shared soon.
This will allow the McGowan Government to make decisions based on the evidence available, of where to go to next with restrictions and changes in our circumstances.
We encourage all people who have loved ones in aged care to contact their loved ones and the providers to check their vaccination status.
Aged care patients are vulnerable to severe disease and death, and they should be boosted, and it’s important to check that that is the case.”
ENDS
Please contact AMA (WA) Media via email media@amawa.com.au for further information on this issue.
