Protecting rural and remote communities from COVID-19 is a nationwide responsibility

With the Delta strain of COVID-19 taking hold across Australia’s largest city and urban centres, Australia’s leading General Practitioner (GP) representatives are warning against spreading the virus to our regional, rural and remote communities.

The Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine (ACRRM), Rural Doctors Association of Australia (RDAA) and Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) stress the importance of containing the spread and reducing the risk to vulnerable communities.  

ACRRM President Dr Sarah Chalmers says people living outside major cities are anxious.

"With recent confirmed cases in Mildura in Victoria and Orange in New South Wales, as well as testing being undertaken in Queensland’s outback town of Longreach, health services need to be on alert to act quickly.

"Regional, rural and remote health practitioners are working hard to ensure their communities are educated and they have plans in place if COVID-19 impacts their communities, but there are measures they can’t control.

"We ask everyone to be respectful of these communities, their GPs and healthcare team.

"Despite stay-at-home orders across three states, there remains a huge number of caravanners touring the outback, with reports that up to 800 are staying or passing through some towns each day.

"We know that this current strain of COVID-19 is significantly more infectious that the usual cough or cold. “It will only take one visitor, who may only have the mildest of symptoms, to bring this virulent strain to a community, impacting families, workers and those at high risk.

"It has the potential to take hold quicker than we can contain it."

RDAA President elect Dr Megan Belot agrees, saying there is added concern that many travellers are not vaccinated.

"The borders in outback Australia are not as tight as our main highways, and the recent incident of removalists spreading the virus between states demonstrates how quickly and easily this new strain is spreading.

"Until a significant proportion of our population is vaccinated, our communities will remain at greater risk."

RACGP President Dr Karen Price said rural GPs are doing an outstanding job protecting their communities, despite challenges of distance, supply and changing advice.

"The constant flow of people entering our rural and regional communities is putting additional pressure on healthcare systems," she says.

"I urge people not to travel to rural and remote Australia if you have been in a hotspot or you have any symptoms, no matter how mild.

"If you do feel sick, don’t just turn up to the hospital. "Ring ahead so that the healthcare teams can be prepared or have your assessment via telehealth.

"Confirming you are not a COVID-19 risk before you enter the practice or hospital is not only protecting our GPs, but our colleagues and families.

"In addition to having GP skills, rural doctors have advanced skills in areas such as obstetrics, anaesthetics or emergency care. Exposure to them and their healthcare teams can have a catastrophic consequence.

"Protecting our rural and remote communities from COVID is a nationwide responsibility," Dr Price says.