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Australia is facing the second and third waves of patients between now and Christmas due to the COVID-19 pandemic, a survey of 1,000 local medical General Practices (GP) revealed.
Data from the survey suggests that there will be a second wave of COVID-19 infections and hospital admissions in Australia between mid-June to mid-July due to the loosening of social distancing restrictions.
Study lead-author, Associate Professor Christopher Pearce from Monash University told Xinhua on Tuesday evening that in addition to a second wave of COVID-19 cases, there could be a third wave of patients with other illnesses, who have put off seeking treatment due to the pandemic.
"GP data shows significant numbers of patients with chronic diseases are not interacting with their practices and not having regular pathology of radiology testing that goes with proper management of their condition," Pearce said.
As Australia continued to ease COVID-19 restrictions this week, including reopening schools and increasing limits on public gatherings, already a number of worrying COVID-19 cases have emerged.
In the state of New South Wales (NSW), just one day after public schools across the state reopened to students, two Sydney schools were forced to shut again after registering infections.
While in the neighboring state of Victoria, a teacher from a Melbourne school was found to have COVID-19, as students in that state also returned to classrooms.
However, Pearce said that those cases didn't necessarily mean the second wave of COVID-19 infections had arrived earlier than expected.
"Maybe in a week (the second wave will arrive). You can see the model predicts a rise starting in June (next week) and peaking later, as the social distancing restrictions ease," Pearce said.
Pearce warned that during the second wave, an increased number of people seeking medical care for other illnesses which they had neglected, could compound pressure on hospitals, especially when coupled with the peak of the influenza season.
In addition, because normal medical screening, such as for diabetes or cervical cancer was interrupted due to the pandemic, there could be a third wave of patients to be admitted to hospitals between August and January next year.
Experts warn that may have an even bigger impact on society than COVID-19 itself.
"In essence, what we are saying is that there is over the next few months several waves of: a rise in mental illness, a rise in worsening of chronic disease, and a wave of COVID cases," Pearce said.
"Given we have been successful in flattening the curve, we are concerned that the effects on the other diseases will effectively outweigh the consequences of COVID."
(CGTN)
