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News & Updates
Health, Medicine, Community
Whether you are looking for tips on how to stay healthy, or want to learn about the latest industry trends, the Seurology news center is always accessible and regularly updated to include the most relevant information.
COVID Update
March 2, 2022
2022 has not exactly been the return to normal that we were all hoping for. It looks as though we will not be returning to the nightmarish lockdowns of the last 2 years but we all have to look after each other in ways we did not think about previously. Vaccines significantly protect against nasty infections and we would encourage everyone to be fully vaccinated. Masks must be worn when in clinics and hospitals. If you feel unwell please do not venture out. Please let the staff know and clinic appointments can either be rescheduled or changed to a phone consult. The current advice is to take a Rapid Antigen Test if you have any symptoms or have possible exposure. If positive please isolate for the recommended time (which changes from time to time). If you have had COVID it is generally felt to be unwise to have an anaesthetic within 2 months.
You must also consider the clinic/hospital staff and be aware that if they become unwell it may mean short notice cancellation of clinics and operating lists. This will be the new normal.
Phone consults
April 2023
One big health change caused by the COVID pandemic is the shift to telephone consulting. The Federal government has modified the Medicare schedules for phone clinics for 2023. These are now only available for review appointments but can still be useful for relatively simple matters. Philip bulk bills all phone consults which may also be an advantage for some patients. One of the major downsides of phone clinics is getting investigation requests, prescriptions and booking forms out to patients. This may be via snail mail or email and may cause some delays in treatment. Please bear this in mind before electing for a phone consult.
Tonga Tsunami and Earthquake
April 2023 Update
The Kingdom of Tonga was severely impacted after the eruption of a nearby semi-submerged volcano on 15 January 2022. The massive explosion, quite possibly the largest volcanic eruption of the 21st Century, caused a tsunami, which washed over the Kingdom's many islands, and released a massive ash cloud which coated everything on the islands with a thick grey sludge. This severely affected the Kingdom's ability to provided safe food and water, and impacted energy production and transport. Fortunately the eruption occurred during day light hours and many of the population were able to escape from dangerous areas but 6 people were killed and it is estimated that up to 80% of the 100,000+ population were affected. The main underwater communication cable to the islands was damaged and communication within the Kingdom and to the outside world was virtually impossible for a number of weeks.
For a variety of reasons this natural disaster has gone off everyone's radar, but the lovely people of Tonga need help.
I was recently back in Tonga and Lord Tangi showed me around some of the devastated areas. Whole island populations have been relocated to the main island and the west coast resorts are still just piles of rubble. Much needed tourist dollars are still in short supply, so help is still required.