Experts call for increased health restrictions as COVID-19 winter wave worsens – 9News

Medical experts have called on policy-makers to ramp up their COVID-19 response as the winter omicron wave continues to put Australia's health system under strain.

The country's two largest states are dealing with their highest level of hospitalisations since February, but Victoria's Australian Medical Association (AMA) President, Dr Roderick McRae, said the situation is about to get much worse.

"We have BA.4 and 5 (omicron variants) which is hitting us in the middle of winter," he said.

"It's a massive problem."

He called on increased health restrictions to be implemented immediately to help healthcare workers battle spiking case numbers.

"Yet again I call on the Victorian Minister for Health to review the decision about the limited range of mask mandates in circumstances where we know there is massive transmission of a highly transmissible virus," McRae said.

"The health care workers are holding the hose like bush firefighters and a lot of other policy decisions are pouring kerosene on the fire on the other side.

"Everything needs to be reviewed constantly."

The state currently has more than 2000 people undergoing treatment in hospital, with 63 people in intensive care.

The current 2057 hospitalisations is the highest the state has had since February 8.

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Experts call for increased health restrictions as COVID-19 winter wave worsens - 9News