Face of Australia's vaccine rollout Dr Nick Coatsworth SLAMS Covid doomsayers and claims worrying reports about Omicron are 'inaccurate'

One of Australia's leading doctors has slammed the worst predictions about Omicron, claiming preliminary data on the new Covid-19 strain is 'encouraging'.

Australia's ex-deputy chief medical officer Dr Nick Coatsworth has hit out at a host of doomsayer experts fearing the worst as another wave of the virus looms.

The one thing about the variant he doesn't find encouraging is how infectious Omicron is.

'The people who are most worried about this in the scientific community were saying its early days four weeks ago and are still saying this. And both can't be true,' Dr Coatsworth told News Corp.

University of NSW modelling has suggested NSW could have up to 25,000 new cases a day by February.

However, Dr Coatsworth slammed that figure as ­not 'accurate' as he weighed into claims by clinical immunologist Dr Dan Suan that the state was 'sleepwalking into an Omicron disaster'.

'People who take Dan's position believe that the peak will be enormous. UNSW modelling says 25,000 a day, I just don't think that's accurate,' he said.

'The key period will be the next seven days. We will be able to see how many of the 2500 odd testing positive every day are actually going into hospital.'

Around 261 NSW cases were being treated in hospital on Monday while 33 were intensive care, a slight increase from 24 hours earlier.

Of the almost 25,000 cases in the UK on the weekend, just 85 people were in hospital while seven deaths were recorded.

Dr Coatsworth has also lashed out at Dr Omar Khorshid in recent days after the Australian medical Association president gave a dire warning about the impact on the healthcare system if cases continue to explode.

Dr Khorshid tweeted on Saturday: 'Even if Omicron turns out to be mild in vaccinated people, an explosion of cases will have a devastating effect on healthcare- GPs looking after community cases, furloughing of exposed workers and of course the unknown proportion who will need to be treated in hospital.'

Dr Coastworth hit back in a lengthy reply, claiming by the AMA has 'rarely been positive or hopeful' throughout the pandemic.

'This adopts the 'a small percentage of a huge number is still a big number' fallacy that has swept through #covid19aus and #auspol since Omicron emerged,' he commented.

'It assumes no changes to control measures in a vaccinated population. Yes, it will be devastating if we don't adapt.'

'Adapt the policies. Don't furlough as many staff as we did pre-vaccine. Test to stay at work in healthcare facilities. Use check in at high risk events. Message empowerment not restrictions. Masks if hospitalisations go up. Boosters for vulnerable as a priority.'

'Recognise that control measures are less effective for omicron, it's now about bolstering the health system. Stop branding anyone who takes a different view as 'let it rip', its not a thing now we have vaccines.'

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10330315/Nick-Coatsworth-slams-Covid-doomsayers-claims-reports-Omicron-inaccurate.html

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Peter FitzSimons is slammed for 'disgusting' comments which sparked vile Twitter pile-on

Veteran journalist Peter FitzSimons has come under fire after suggesting Scott Morrison and his wife Jenny's visit to the Tasmanian jumping castle tragedy site was a political move.

The former Wallaby [footballer] fired up his Twitter account to weigh in on photos of the prime minister and his wife laying flowers outside Hillcrest Primary School, in Devonport, on Saturday.

Mr Morrison was pictured comforting Mrs Morrison as she broke down while paying tribute to five children killed when a freak gust of wind blew a jumping castle 10 metres into the air.

'To me this seems to be more a matter for the Governor-General to arrive expressing the nation's grief and shock, rather than the PM?' FitzSimons tweeted.

FitzSimons was one of several commentators who questioned the prime minister's motives, with some left-wing advocates accusing Mr Morrison of turning the event into a 'media circus'.

But FitzSimons' comment quickly backfired - with Australians jumping on the journalist and insisting he was the one politicising the memorial visit.

'Peter FitzSimons you really are a grubby left piece of garbage to politicize this tragedy. Just STFU [shut the f*** up] you clown and have some respect,' one person tweeted.

'You and your followers are disgusting! F*** you all! Five children are dead in my state! We are grieving and all you can bloody do is tweet about politics,' another said.

'Your a dead set low life piece of s***. How could you even dare to make a political play as you have on something so heartbreaking for all down here in Tasmania if not all decent Australians. Your comment is the reflection of your sadistic self entitlement. POS 100%,' someone else posted.

Others claimed FitzSimons' reaction would have been the complete opposite had the prime minister hailed from the opposition, with some citing his previous praise of NZ Labour Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern's response to tragedies.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10330225/Peter-FitzSimons-slammed-disgusting-comment-following-Tasmanian-jumping-castle-tragedy.html

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Australian Jew-haters ask Sydney Festival to refuse Israeli sponsorship

Israel’s embassy in Canberra is reported to have given $20,000 to the Festival allowing it to present a performance highlighting work of Israeli Israeli choreographer Ohad Naharin.

The Sydney Herald reports a coalition representing Sydney’s Arab community and others are calling on patrons and performers to boycott next January’s Sydney Festival

In a letter to the Sydney Festival written on behalf of 12 Palestine support groups from across Australia, BDS Australia wrote: “We write to express our deep concern at the 2022 Festival of Sydney’s acceptance of sponsorship from the Israeli government via the Israeli Embassy, Canberra as a Star Partner and as a sponsor of the Sydney Dance Company’s festival event, Decadance.

We ask that you seriously reconsider the Sydney Festival’s association with the State of Israel and stand with the Palestinian people and with international law by refusing to accept any sponsorships from or collaborations with Israel until such time as Palestine is free.”

The letter also pointed out: “The signatories to this letter are members of Boycott Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) Australia which supports the 2005 call by 170 Palestinian civil society organisations for BDS as a peaceful and non-violent means to pressure the State of Israel to end the illegal military occupation and colonisation of Palestinian territories in the West Bank and East Jerusalem from 1967; to end the crippling blockade of Gaza which has been in operation since 2006; and to allow the internationally recognized Right of Return to Palestinian refugees to the land and homes from which Israel forcibly expelled them in 1948; and to ensure equal rights for all Palestinians living in Israel according to international law and human rights conventions.”

NSW Shadow Arts Minister Walt Secord has written to the Sydney Festival and the Sydney Dance Company: “As Deputy Chair of the NSW Parliamentary Friends of Israel, the NSW Patron of the Labor Israel Action Committee and as NSW Shadow Minister for the Arts, I write to express my deep concern about calls for the Sydney Festival and the Sydney Dance Company to reject Israeli government sponsorship as part of the extremist BDS (Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions) movement.

I ask you to reject these calls. Such moves have been repeatedly rejected in NSW and Australia as well as at the local government level.

An economic boycott is abhorrent and mendacious and it is counter-productive to fostering a two-State solution for Israel and the Palestinian people.

I acknowledge how difficult the past two years have been for your organisations – and I have been one of the strongest supporters of COVID support to the arts sector – so I am sure that the last thing you wish to do is to be drawn into distant geopolitical issues.

The language used in the letter to your organisations from BDS Australia is beyond repugnant and replete with outright lies and shocking exaggerations.

An examination of the organisations that purport to sign the letter reveals that they represent a minuscule (but vocal) minority. Most Australians would be outraged at this one-sided, myopic targeting of Israel.

https://www.jwire.com.au/boycott-divestment-and-sanctions-bds-australia-asks-sydney-festival-to-refuse-israeli-sponsorship/

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Australia to increase local urea production in new deal

Panic over

The federal government has signed an agreement with fertiliser manufacturer Incitec Pivot Limited (IPL) to significantly increase the production of local urea.

Urea is a critical component of diesel exhaust fluid AdBlue, which is used in diesel engines in trucks, large passenger buses, mining equipment, and agricultural vehicles.

Angus Taylor, Minister for Industry, Energy and Emissions Reduction, said the announcement will provide the trucking industry with certainty.

“Australia currently has adequate stocks of AdBlue stock on hand, but this agreement with IPL will enable domestic production of TGU or supply of an AdBlue product to domestic manufacturers to ensure current supply chain disruptions don’t impact on Australian businesses.”

The agreement will see IPL undertake a manufacturing assessment to produce technical grade urea and expand production at its Gibson Island Plant in Brisbane.

Taylor and Jeanne Johns, CEO and MD of IPL, said the ramping up in production will not impact the supply of fertiliser grade urea for Australian Farmers.

Currently IPL’s Brisbane Gibson Island plant produces mostly fertiliser grade urea, with a small portion used to make AdBlue solution, supplying around 10 per cent of the Australian market.

“We’re very pleased our domestic manufacturing expertise can be mobilised and we’re working together with the Federal Government to expand supply of this critical material that we all rely on to keep Australia moving,” said Johns.

Australia has also managed to secure 5000 tonnes of refined urea, roughly a month’s worth of AdBlue, from the Indonesian Government, which will arrive in January.

Dan Tehran, Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment, said Australia is leverage its strong relationships with international partners to open new supply sources to meet our future needs for refined urea.

“By working closely with our partners, we have been able to secure this critical supply for Australia. We will continue to strengthen our close relationships around the world to support and further Australia’s interests.”

https://www.c-store.com.au/australia-to-increase-local-urea-production-in-new-deal/

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Also see my other blogs. Main ones below:

http://dissectleft.blogspot.com (DISSECTING LEFTISM -- daily)

http://antigreen.blogspot.com (GREENIE WATCH)

http://pcwatch.blogspot.com (POLITICAL CORRECTNESS WATCH)

http://edwatch.blogspot.com (EDUCATION WATCH)

http://snorphty.blogspot.com/ (TONGUE-TIED)

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