If you’ve noticed a lot more people you know coming down with the spicy cough in recent weeks, you’re not alone. And if you’ve noticed a fair dose of denial about the possibility of the “eighth wave”, you’re not alone either. After two years spent in and out of lockdown and almost a year and a half living (relatively) restriction-free, it’s safe to say we’re all pretty bored with this particular virus and its attention-seeking habit of shapeshifting. That said, it’s also accurate to say that cases of Covid are on the rise, and we should probably talk about it instead of letting it run amok to ruin our week – or (worse) our Christmas party.
Are Sydney Covid cases rising?
Speaking at a press conference with the Parramatta electorate yesterday (Wednesday, November 15), the Minister for Health Ryan Park confirmed that cases of Covid-19 in New South Wales are on the rise, and that – while the state isn’t too concerned at this stage – there are steps we should be taking in the lead up to the Christmas season. “We're starting to see a surge… [but] they're not translating to what I'd call massive increases in hospitalisations, which is when it starts to become concerning,” Minister Park explained.
Will there ever be NSW Covid restrictions again?
Although we are experiencing what Minister Park described as a “surge”, the threat to our population is far less notable, with Chief Health Officers from the Department of Health confirming that Covid-19 is no longer considered a Communicable Disease Incident of National Significance in Australia (CDINS). Woot! Importantly, the removal of Covid’s status as a CDINS does not alter the recommendation on vaccines – with the Department of Health urging Australians to book in for their free vaccination boosters.
When pressed about the government’s appetite to reintroduce restrictions, Minister Park explained that the government has “no plans to do that”. “We're learning to live and manage with this challenging issue. That's what we've been doing for some time, but the best way we can do that, in my opinion [...] is to make sure that we've had our boosters up to date with our vaccination schedule, particularly if we are around vulnerable people. That's an important thing not only for individuals, but important for the community.”
What are the new symptoms of the new Eris variant of Covid-19?
In somewhat good news, while many of the Covid symptoms in the currently dominant variant (Eris) remain the same – sore throats, congestion, respiratory issues – you’re less likely to experience loss of taste or smell if you’re caught this time around. Bring on that healing chicken soup.
What should we be doing to help protect our Christmas plans from being ?
The advice from the NSW Department of Health and Minister Park at this stage remains consistent with the approach we’ve come to understand as Covid best practice. “We need to make sure that we've got that important Covid booster. We need to make sure that if we are unwell, that we don't just walk into work and spread our germs throughout the rest of the workplace, and we need to make sure, very importantly, that if we're not 100 percent, we don't go to vulnerable settings such as hospitals and aged-care homes,” said Minister Park.
Plus, wash hands, sanitise and – if you're keen to protect yourselves from coughy people on public places like the train – throw on a mask. You know the drill.