Staying with NSW’s hospital system for a moment, and Premier Dominic Perrottet was on ABC News Breakfast just moments ago.
He was asked if his state will initiate a “code brown†emergency response for hospitals – as was done in Victoria earlier this week to help manage the current Omicron wave.
NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet.Credit:Kate Geraghty
Here’s the relevant exchange (edited for length and clarity):
Journalist: Are you considering [a code brown] in NSW?
Perrottet: Not at this stage. We have already made a number of changes here in our state. We deferred non-elective surgery [and are] working very closely with the private health system. In relation to hospitalisations and ICU presentations, we’re currently tracking better than the best case scenario. That doesn’t mean the system isn’t under pressure. We are monitoring it with our health systems each and every day.
Journalist: Do you regret opening up in December?
Perrottet: What we’re seeing … is increasing numbers right around the country. There will always be different opinions during a pandemic. Our job as leaders is to balance a range of impacts, whether that’s the public health, the broader issues, mental health, the economic challenges the state faces. We always said as we move through this pandemic, we’ll make adjustments and changes.
Journalist: But it didn’t have to be this way, [did it]? You could have kept masks [all along]. The density restrictions.
Perrottet: I think what you’ll see … is a very consistent approach to the measures that we have in place. And the approach we’ve taken in NSW is in line with the national approach. We always had a position that we would get to [open up] from … 70 per cent vaccination. Here in NSW we have got to 95 per cent. There are difficulties and challenges, but I believe as a state we’ll get through this together and come out strong the other side.