Covid skyrockets to third leading cause of death in Australia

‘Oku taupotu ‘i lalo ha fakamatala fakaTonga

Covid-19 has skyrocketed to become the third leading cause of death among Australians in 2022, raising a dire warning from experts who insist the pandemic is not over despite widespread messaging to the contrary.

Over 20,000 more people died last year than would have if there was no pandemic, according to figures released by the Actuaries Institute on Thursday.

The number of people dying from Covid-19 is much higher now than at any other point during the pandemic, following the scrapping of most prevention measures at the end of 2021.

Raina MacIntyre, head of the biosecurity research program at the University of NSW’s Kirby Institute, said a key issue now is the relaxed approach most people are taking towards getting booster vaccinations.

“Covid is worse than ever, and we’re doing less than ever about it,” Professor MacIntyre said. “So-called experts, media and government have disseminated the message since early 2022 that Covid’s over, ‘it’s just a cold, it’s nothing’.

“When you say that to people why on earth would they go out and get a vaccine?”

She said everyone should be getting the ATAGI-recommended bivalent vaccine, which protects against new strains of the virus.

“The original vaccines only covered one strain of the virus and that was the one that caused the outbreak in Wuhan,” MacIntyre said.

“Bivalent vaccine has an Omicron strain in it and the original strain so it gives you much better protection.”

Australia recorded 10,300 deaths directly attributed to Covid-19 in 2022, compared to 1400 deaths in 2021, when it was listed as the 34th leading cause of death, according to the Actuaries Institute.

On top of those directly attributable to the virus, 2900 deaths were considered to be Covid-19 related with the virus contributing along with other factors, and 7000 deaths where Covid-19 was not officially listed as a factor but could have played a role in mortality risk.

It makes the virus third only to ischaemic heart disease and dementia as causes of death in Australia, outstripping stroke, lung and colon cancer, lower respiratory disease and diabetes.

MacIntyre is part of the expert group OzSage, which released its own findings about Covid-19 becoming the third leading cause of death earlier this year.

The group is calling for measures including vaccinating children under the age of five, increasing testing rates and mask use, and better ventilation in buildings and shared spaces.

FAKAMATALA FAKATONGA

Kuo fana he ‘ataa’ ‘a e Koviti 19 ‘o hoko ko e tupu’anga fika tolu lahi taha ia ‘o e mate ‘i ‘Aositelelia ‘i he 2022, tupu ai ha fakatokanga lahi mei he kau mataotao ‘a ia ‘oku nau taukave ‘oku te’eki mahili ‘a e panatemiki neongo ‘a e lahi hono talaki ‘oku pehee’.

Laka ‘i he kakai ‘e toko 20,000 nae ikai tonu ke nau  mate ‘i he ta’u kuo osi kapau na’e ‘ikai ha panatemiki fakatatau ki he ngaahi fika mei he  Actuaries Institute he Tu’apulelulu.

Oku lahi ange ‘a e fika ‘o e kau mate mei he Koviti he taimi ni ‘i ha toe taimi lolotonga ‘a e panatemiki’, hili ‘a hono ta’ofi ‘o e ngaahi fakangatangata malu’i lahi ‘i he faka’osinga ‘o e 2021.

Na’e pehe ‘e Raina MacIntyre, ko e ‘ulu ‘o ha polokalama biosecurity research mei he  University o e NSW’s Kirby Institute, ko e ‘isiu kovi taha he taimi ni ko hono fakangaloku ‘a e founga ke ma’u ai ‘e he kakai tokolahi ‘a e huhu malu’i pusitaa’.

Kuo kovi ange ‘a e Koviti ‘i ha toe taimi pea ‘oku si’i ange ‘etau me’a ‘oku fai ki ai ha toe taimi ko e lau ia ‘a Professor MacIntyre.

Ne hanga ‘e he mitia mo e pule’anga ‘o tufaki ha fekau hili ‘a e konga ki mu’a 2022 o pehe kuo ‘osi ‘a e Koviti pea ko e momoko pe.

Ko ho’o lea pehe pe ki he kakai ko e ha ha toe ‘uhinga ke nau o ai ‘o huhu malu’i.

Na’a ne pehe ‘oku totonu ke ma’u ‘e he taha kotoa ‘a e huhu malu’i ATAGI-recommended bivalent ‘a ia ‘oku ne malu’i ‘a e fotunga fo’ou ‘o e vailasi’.

Oku malu’i pe ‘e he vekisini ‘olisinolo ‘a e situleini ‘o e vailasi pea ko ia naa ne fakatupu ‘a e tō ‘a e Koviti ‘i Wuhan, Siaina, ko MacIntyre ia.

Kuo lekooti ha toko 10,300 ‘i ‘Aositelelia kuo mate he Koviti ‘i he 2022, fakahoa ia ki he kau mate ‘e toko 1400 he 2021, taimi ‘eni ne lisi ai ko e mate’anga lahi taha fika 34 e Koviti fakatatau ki he Actuaries Institute.

‘I ‘olunga ‘ia kinautolu mate mei he vailasi, ko e toko 2900 ‘o e mate na’e fakakaukau’i ko e tupu mei hano fakatupunga ‘e he Koviti ‘a ia ne kau ki ai mo ha ngaahi fakatupunga kehe, pea ko e mate ‘e 7000 ne ‘ikai faka’ofisiale hano pehe ko e Koviti 19 ne tupu mei ai ka ne ‘i ai ‘ene kaunga ki he mate’.

Oku hoko ai ‘a e vailasi ko e fika tolu ia ki he mahaki mafu ischaemic heart disease mo e taimenitia ‘a e tupu’anga ‘o e mate lahi taha ‘i ‘Aositelelia laka ia ‘i he pa kalava, kanisa ‘o e koloni mo e ma’ama’a, mahaki’ia ‘a e ma’ama’a mo e suka.

Pehe ‘e ha kulupu ‘a  MacIntyre mo ha kau mataotao kuo taimi ke ‘i ai ha tu’utu’uni ki he huhu malu’i ‘a e fanau ‘i lalo he ta’u nima mo hono ngaue’aki’o e masaki.

Oku nau toe ui foki ki he fakalahi ‘a e tu’utu’uni ki he tesi, venitileisini ‘oku sai ange ‘i he ngaahi fale pea mo e ngaahi shared spaces.