Dr Rosalie Woodruff MP | Greens Health spokesperson
The Premier’s ardent support of National Cabinet’s decision to remove mandatory Covid isolation is a betrayal of Tasmanians. He has failed in his commitment to put the health of Tasmanians first.
This decision will substantially increase the number of infectious people returning to work and into the community. It will mean more Covid infections and reinfections, of which more and more long-term health impacts are being uncovered.
As time passes in the pandemic, the research increasingly reinforces the same message: even when fully vaccinated, Covid infection is not mild in its effect on organs; and each reinfection increases the risk of health problems worsening.
In the context of this week’s revelations that the federal government has no vaccines ordered for 2024, and UK reports of a dramatic increase in Covid hospitalisations - suggesting a 5th Covid wave is beginning - this National Cabinet decision is madness. We are extremely concerned and angered by the Premier Rockliff’s viral denialism.
Where is the credible medical evidence available to support this policy decision? There is none, with the AMA correctly labelling National Cabinet ‘not scientifically literate’.
The removal of this final Covid protection is part of an ongoing push by the business community to normalise Covid, and downplay the seriousness of infections.
This push to ‘open up’ entirely has been relentlessly promoted by NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet, with the enthusiastic backing of national and state business honchos. We were disturbed to see Tasmania’s Premier at the forefront with Perrottet cheerleading this anti-health agenda today.
Today’s cold-hearted decision makes participating in community life more dangerous for the elderly and immune-compromised, and for Tasmanians with a disability. So much for Jeremy Rockliff’s government with heart.