We have been in the pandemic for more than two years.
While some state health authorities suggest that everyone will get COVID-19 and reports of people catching the virus twice, there are still many Australians who have never tested positive.
How many Australians have never taken COVID-19?
It is impossible to know for sure why some people may have had the virus but were not tested at the time, probably because they had no symptoms.
Without a positive test result, this type of case would not count.
And now that rapid antigen testing (RAT) is frequently used, official figures are based on people self-reporting their positive results.
The data we have only include confirmed cases reported to state and territorial health authorities.
Read our full coverage of the coronavirus pandemic
As of Monday, more than 7.3 million confirmed cases of COVID-19 had been reported in Australia throughout the pandemic.
It’s not a small number.
But if you consider that it includes recurrent infections and compares it to Australia’s estimated population of over 25.8 million people, it’s safe to say that there are still many Australians who haven’t had the virus.
How can I avoid this now that the restrictions have been completely relaxed?
Mask warrants and even quarantine for close contacts have been removed in most Australian jurisdictions.
But while we are in a different phase of the pandemic, Marilyn Cruickshank, an infection control expert at the University of Sydney, says that ways to protect ourselves have not changed.
“These are the same methods we had before: social distancing, wearing a mask, and good hand hygiene are really the best ways to avoid it,” said Professor Cruickshank.
What mask should I wear?
An N95 or P2 mask, if you can get it.
Professor Cruickshank said they are top-notch masks for something as airborne as the Omicron variant.
Then come the surgical masks and, at the bottom of the rankings, the homemade clothing masks.
“The cloth is better than nothing,” he said.
Of all the masks you can wear, N95 or P2 masks are the best to protect you. (Provided by: 3m.com.au)
What places should I avoid?
The problem is that because COVID-19 has spread so far, the places we really can’t avoid can also be quite risky.
Professor Cruickshank said it was very likely that if you have COVID-19, you will catch it from someone you live with.
“The biggest problem is when household members get infected,” he said.
“You can’t bring masks and social distancing into your home.”
And it’s not like you can avoid your own home.
Read more about the spread of COVID-19:
Professor Cruickshank said a case of COVID-19 could be isolated once it tested positive “but before that, you don’t know” and that’s when the transmission could happen.
He also said that social events such as weddings and birthday parties could be high-profile events, even when people were careful, because often people took off their masks to eat and drink.
COVID-19 spreads more easily in poorly ventilated indoor spaces, so stay away from those places where you can.
Are there more subtle ways to be safe?
If your classmates or family members have already had COVID-19, they may be more comfortable with protective measures.
But there are still some things you can do in a group to help reduce the risk of COVID for yourself and others.
Professor Cruickshank said going outdoors was your best bet.
He suggested sitting outside when you go out to a coffee shop and arranging events in the backyard when people come to your place.
To reduce the risk of transmission when catching up with friends and family, opt for al fresco dining. (Provided by: Adobe Stock / Mirko Vitali)
Wear a mask if you can’t distance yourself socially and think about the flow of air when you’re indoors.
Open windows and doors to let in as much fresh air as possible, but be careful how air is filtered.
If you use a wall-mounted air conditioner to heat or cool, the World Health Organization says to open the windows for a few minutes every hour because the unit will probably only recirculate the air.
The same goes for fans.
However, you can keep a room closed with a central air conditioning system if you switch to a setting that introduces more outside air into the room.
Also, if you’re in a car, use the air conditioning settings that let outside air in.
If so far I’ve dodged the virus, am I clear?
Possibly, but don’t count on it.
“In theory, there could be people who won’t make it,” Professor Cruickshank said.
Although there have been cases where people have lived in the same homes as people with COVID-19 and have not contracted the virus, the professor said it was likely to have only been by luck.
“That doesn’t mean you won’t get it,” he said.
And if you’ve had it, you might as well get it back.
Unfortunately, COVID-19 is not like chickenpox or measles, where you have it once and are immune.
Professor Cruickshank said he was closer to the flu, where there is a different strain each year.
“People have had COVID two or three times,” he said.
“If you had Delta, you could get Omicron or the original Alpha, and if another strain appears, you could get it back.”
Just because you’ve been here without contracting COVID-19 doesn’t mean you’re out of the woods. (ABC News: Dannielle Maguire)
If you are likely to have COVID-19, why bother protecting me?
“The message at home is that we still don’t know what we don’t know,” Professor Cruickshank said.
He said that while some people have mild cases, others can get very sick from the virus.
“We’re seeing people at higher risk for diabetes and people who have had heart attacks who have had COVID. Shane Warne was a good example of that,” he said.
And then there’s long COVID.
“People feel very tired and run over for a period of time,” Professor Cruickshank said.
Space to play or pause, M to mute, left and right arrows to search, up and down arrows for volume. Clock time: 4 minutes 24 seconds 4 m 24 s At the age of 105, May Harrison survived COVID, but experts warn Australians to be careful.
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Posted 17 hours 17 hours ago, Monday, June 6, 2022 at 6:41 PM, updated 12 hours, 12 hours ago, Tuesday, June 7, 2022 at 00:18