PLEA FROM GP about COVID

By Dr Kim Loo

I have been working as a medical practitioner for 32 years in Western Sydney.

Never in my working life have I been in a pandemic and seen our community locked down.

As a doctor, and knowing how infectious the Delta COVID strain is, I am worried about the community and the potential burden on an already stressed health sector.

In this current outbreak, one out of every 250 people who catch covid dies. There are young people admitted to hospital and intensive care.

Currently (as of July 29) there are 182 people in hospital and 54 are in intensive care.

We have enough AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines to immunise 80 per cent of the population.

Covid AZ has been demonised when it is a safe and effective vaccine.

Unfortunately, 25 percent of those aged over 60 are waiting for a Pfizer dose and are left unprotected.

What is everyone afraid of?

The Thrombosis Thrombocytopaenic Syndrome is rare.

It can occur 4-40 days after the immunisation. It is entirely treatable with intravenous therapy of immunoglobulins and anticoagulants if diagnosed early and there is a blood test that can diagnose it early.

So let’s see how common TTS is.

The risk is 1.9 per 100,000 for 18 to 29-year-olds,

1.6/100,000 in 29 to 39-year-olds,

5/100 000 in 40 to 49-year-olds,

2.7/100,000 in 50-59 year olds,

1.4/100,000 in 60-69 year olds,

1.8/100,000 in 70 to 79-year-olds,

1.9/100,000 in over 80-year-olds.

Our hospitals know how to treat TTS. Compare this with the risk of catching the virus and

Dying, which is 1/250, or being sick with this.

There are documented long-term impacts of Covid including long covid in young people where their working memory is impacted.

The AZ vaccine is effective in stopping you from being sick and dying. At this point in time the AZ vaccine is the only choice in many places.

I give my patients having AZ vaccine a blood test form so that if they feel at all unwell they

have the blood test done. This gives autonomy and reassurance.

My patients have the control so that if they are unwell a train of events will occur that will keep them safe and appropriately treated. Keeping in mind that TTS is rare.

Please get vaccinated because we are not safe until we are all safe.

Dr Kim Loo
GP Riverstone Family Practice
Council Member NSW AMA