Two frontline nurses working in Covid hospital wards in Melbourne have broken down in tears as they described the heart-wrenching scenes they are facing as Victoria’s battle with the virus continues.
The state recorded 1,220 new cases and three deaths on Sunday, a drop from the latest record of 1,488 on Saturday.
Michelle Spence, the ICU nurse unit manager at Royal Melbourne Hospital, said that none of the 90 patients with Covid in the intensive care unit were vaccinated.
Michelle Spence, the ICU nurse unit manager at Royal Melbourne Hospital, (pictured) said of none of the 90 patients with Covid in the intensive care unit were vaccinated
Sunday’s numbers comes after a pandemic record number of 1,488 new cases were recorded on Saturday
She said the toughest moment was watching young patients beg for vaccination moments before being put on life support.
‘That is the absolute truth. I’ve seen it myself. They are begging for the vaccination. They are very young and once we get it that and about to put them on life support, it is really too late,’ the ICU nurse said at the daily press conference.
‘If you are waiting, it is your window not to be this person. It is your window to absolutely not be another unnecessary statistic.
‘Over the last 18 months we have had people die in our ICU by themselves – sorry, it’s making me emotional – and we hold their hands.
‘We hold their hands while their families have to be at home and that is absolutely not what this should be about.
‘Loved ones deserve to have their families with them when they die.’
Ms Spence said nurses with just four days of training were working on ICU wards.
There is currently 135 patients with Covid in the hospital, including eight in the emergency department waiting for beds.
She said there were plans to open another ICU ward at the Royal Melbourne Hospital from Monday, as peri-operative nurses are trained to care for patients.
The nurse said there were also discussions underway to fly nurses from Queensland to provide extra pairs of hands.
Victoria has recorded 1,220 new Covid-19 cases and three deaths overnight (pictured, a woman shopping in Melbourne)
Jacky Harper, a nurse unit manager at the Northern Hospital in Epping, (pictured) got emotional as she vented her frustration at those who are refusing to get vaccinated
Jacky Harper, a nurse unit manager at the Northern Hospital in Epping, is currently treating 70 patients in Covid wards in addition to five in ICU.
The unit manager got emotional as she vented her frustration at Victorians who refused to get vaccinated.
‘I know from my team they are frustrated at the protests. Those who are not wanting to get vaccinated,’ Ms Harper said.
The unit manager said her nurses continued to be challenged by the unpredictability of the virus, with 70 patients currently in Covid wards along with five in ICU.
‘We don’t know what patient will decline in the next minute. We might not cope, and we all have emotions, too,’ she said while holding back tears.
‘Dealing with the challenges of people not being able to see their loved ones, us holding their hands for that last dying breath – it’s hard.
‘So, yeah, it might be a challenge to cope, but we will cope. That’s what nurses do.’
Ms Harper said she had seen ‘anti-vax’ patients and their families change their tune after witnessing first hand the danger of the virus.
Dozens of anti-vaccine protestors marched along the Yarra River to the Botanic Gardens, some chanting ‘my body, my choice’ on Saturday (pictured, health care workers in Ballarat)
Construction workers who have had one dose of a Covid-19 vaccine will be allowed to return to the worksite from Tuesday (pictured, construction workers on Chapel Street on Saturday)
Sunday’s cases were diagnosed from a record 71,275 tests and 36,248 vaccine doses were administered on Saturday.
It comes as more than 100 anti-vaccine protestors marched through Melbourne’s CBD on Saturday, with Victoria Police making several arrests.
The demonstrators flooded the city just one day after sweeping vaccine mandates were announced by the Victorian Government.
Authorised workers are required to have had their first vaccine dose by October 15 and a second by November 26.
The requirement will cover retail workers, personal trainers, MPs, journalists, faith leaders, judges, police, lawyers, actors, and professional athletes.
Under the plan, construction sites can reopen for workers who have had at least one dose of a Covid vaccine. They must be fully vaccinated by November 13.
There were 36,248 vaccines administered and 71,275 Covid-19 tests conducted in the last 24 hours (pictured, a woman receives a Pfizer vaccine in Melbourne)
Of the 1,220 new cases up to 70 per cent were detected in people under the age of 40 (pictured, health care workers in Melbourne)
Covid-19 Commander Jeroen Weimar expressed his frustration at the actions of anti-vaccine protestors.
‘We get the fact that people are frustrated, we get the fact that we’re upset. You’re not helping yourself, you’re not helping anybody,’ he said.
‘At best, you run the risk of generating more transmission. At worst, you know you’re creating, you’re fuelling a bonfire, that’s already on fire. I just think it’s a really unhelpful thing to do.’
Mr Weimar said the state’s latest numbers were ‘pretty stark’ and said healthcare workers were feeling a sense of apprehension for the months ahead.
Up to 30 per cent of the cases were recorded in the western suburbs, notably Truganina, Point Cook and Tarneit.
A substantial 497 cases were recorded in the Epping area, with 236 cases in Keysborough, Frankston and Pakenham.
In the regional areas there were 52 cases, including 15 in Colac, eight in Shepparton, seven in Latrobe, four at Ararat, four at Ballarat and five in Geelong.
The Covid commander also revealed of the 1,220 new cases up to 70 per cent were detected in people under the age of 40.
There are 476 people that are currently in hospital with Covid-19, with 98 of those are in intensive care and 57 of those are on a ventilator.
There are 12 teenagers hospitalised with the virus, along with 22 aged in their 20s.
Premier Dan Andrews revealed of all the patients in Victorian hospitals only five per cent were fully vaccinated.
The three people who died included a man in his 50s, a woman in her 70s and a man in his 80s.
The state’s vaccination rate is currently sitting at 85 per cent first dose and 51 per cent double-dosed (pictured, health workers at a drive through clinic in Melbourne)
Premier Daniel Andrews has given all authorised workers an ultimatum: get vaccinated within the next two weeks or risk losing their jobs (pictured, a pedestrian in Melbourne on Saturday)
Shepparton and Moorabool Shire, to the west and north of Melbourne, are currently enduring snap, seven-day lockdowns to contain growing cases.
Shepparton and its surroundings recently battled a major outbreak that sent about a third of its population into home quarantine, before the region emerged from lockdown just over two weeks ago.
Students in regional Victoria are set to return to classrooms from Monday after several weeks of remote learning at home.
Children in prep to Year 2, as well as students in their final year of study, will return to classrooms full-time from October 4.
The state’s vaccination rate is at 85 per cent first dose and 51 per cent double-dose.