The state government is set to release its roadmap out of the COVID-19 pandemic this Friday, announcing a $400 million boost for WA's healthcare system.
The state government is set to release its long-awaited roadmap out of the COVID-19 pandemic this Friday, announcing a $400 million boost for the healthcare system to prepare for the easing of border controls.
During a press conference this morning, Premier Mark McGowan said the state government would spend $398 million over the next two years supplying 270 new beds across 11 hospital sites, as well as 410 extra nurses and 180 extra doctors.
The remaining $2 million will be spent on a local, national and international advertising campaign aimed at recruiting more healthcare staff.
The funding is in addition to that allocated in the state’s $1.9 billion health investment in the 2021/22 budget and will take the total number of new health beds to 530 over the next year.
The investment precedes the release of the state government’s COVID-19 transition plan and the modelling upon which it is based, including scenario planning, which will be released this Friday.
Mr McGowan remained tight-lipped about the contents of the plan, but said the funding boost would be sufficient enough to support the healthcare system’s expected demand and safeguard the state’s transition.
“As you know, we can’t keep borders closed forever and we can’t keep international borders closed forever and we always run the risk that, at some point, there will be an outbreak,” he said.
“So this is an additional insurance measure to make sure we can cope with it when it gets here.”
“I just want to say that the state is well prepared.
“This [investment] more than caters for the demand the state expects from COVID-19 when it gets here some time next year.”
Meanwhile, New South Wales will have its extreme risk rating downgraded for the first time in three months, with the state set to move to high risk from 12.01am this Saturday, November 6.
Under the ‘high risk’ settings, anyone entering from NSW must provide proof of vaccination and return a negative COVID-19 test in the 72 hours prior to departure.
Arrivals will still be required to undergo 14 days of quarantine, and use the G2G Now app while in quarantine.
Under a new requirement being introduced on Friday, approved travellers from jurisdictions deemed medium, high and extreme risk must be fully vaccinated to enter WA.
Victoria remains classified as extreme risk, with travel restricted to government officials, and those given extraordinary permissions by the State Emergency Coordinator or the Chief Health Officer.
Quarantine-free travel is already permitted for ‘very low’ risk jurisdictions, including Queensland, Northern Territory, South Australia and Tasmania.
The state’s vaccination rate continues to climb, with 78.7 per cent of Western Australians over the age of 12 having now had their first dose and 62.8 per cent fully vaccinated.
