23 June 2021
ABC health expert – and upcoming ANMF (SA Branch) guest speaker - Dr Norman Swan has caused a social media storm in NSW after claiming its citizens are not as “respectful” of COVID-19 as those in Victoria.
The host of The Health Report and Coronacast podcast made the comments while speaking to ABC Radio National’s Fran Kelly today, news.com.au reports.
Kelly asked Dr Swan whether masks were “a strong enough barrier” against the Delta variant, which is driving NSW’s latest outbreak.
“No – social distancing, and really quite significant social distancing, has got to occur,” Dr Swan replied.
“We’ve been lulled into a false sense of security. NSW has not experienced a second wave like Victoria, so we’re not respectful of this virus, or NSW people are not as respectful of this virus to the same extent that Victorians are.”
He said people “have got to distance regardless of what the rules are”.
“Masks will reduce the risk by maybe 60-70 per cent if you’re carrying it, and will reduce the risk a little bit of you catching it, but people have just got to stop, think twice whether they go out to a restaurant, whether they go to a bar even though things are open, because that’s where you can really catch it,” he said.
Needless to say many NSW folks didn’t take kindly to the comments, venting their grievances on social media.
Dr Swan warned NSW faced a “disastrous scenario if it really gets out of control”. His comments came just hours before NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian announced strict new restrictions following 16 new infections overnight, including a ban on travel outside of metropolitan Sydney and mandatory masks everywhere including workplaces.
Dr Swan will be a guest speaker at the ANMF (SA Branch) Annual Professional Conference on August 5.