Thread by @TimRRead

The #PAEC inquiry is now being livestreamed by Vic Parliament #SpringSt. Andrews grilled at Vic virus inquiry aap.com.au/andrews-to-be-…

You can watch the Premier, Health Minister, CHO and others respond to questions today from Victorian MPs. It's a bit like a prolonged question time with no interjections. All online of course. parliament.vic.gov.au/video-and-audi… #SpringSt #COVID19Vic #PAEC

Between the Dorothy Dixers (how is the ADF helping us Premier?) and the accusatory (will you apologise?) interesting information does emerge. The real importance of #PAEC is that Govt knows that a hard question MAY be asked. Oversight leads to better government. #SpringSt

Premier asked by @Sam_Hibbins about lead-up to hard lockdown of public housing towers. About people unable to source insulin needles, provide breast milk to prem infant. #SpringSt #PAEC

Answer from @VictorianCHO to q from @_davidlimbrick on the COVID-19 endgame, indicates that the only reason Vic isn't pursuing "elimination" is a rather semantic distinction. The goal is to end local community transmission if humanly possible. Can't eliminate risk of importation.

CHO and Prof Allen Cheng @peripatetical hopeful that one of the 200 prospective vaccines in development will work.

Under-appreciated reason for current epidemic control-measures is the growing list of serious non-fatal complications of COVID-19 says @VictorianCHO, in response to q from @_davidlimbrick on cost vs benefit of restrictions. #PAEC #COVID19Victoria #SpringSt

LNP MPs in #PAEC's inquiry into the Vic Govt's handling of #COVID19Vic aren't having much luck learning where the hotel quarantine buck stopped. @DannyOBrienMP visibly frustrated as @JennyMikakos points to Byzantine network of departments possibly responsible.

In #PAEC inquiry #Greens @Sam_Hibbins asks Health Minister will any healthworker wanting an N95 mask be supplied with one? @JennyMikakos says N95s available in COVID wards, ICU and ED. A healthworker wellbeing taskforce is being set up. #SpringSt #COVID19Vic

@peripatetical Allen Cheng adds that N95s are uncomfortable and you wouldn't want to wear them if you didn't need to.

Health Minister and Dep Sec uncertain how many public hospital staff off work due to COVID-19 infection or contact. Estimated an additional 1000 staff off work as contacts. SaferCare Vic suggests 90% of healthworker infections are not from patients, answering q from @Sam_Hibbins

Responding to @Sam_Hibbins,@JennyMikakos says she and DHHS are talking about ventilation hoods that limit aerosol transmission from infected patients, in trial at Western Health ICU. #SpringSt #COVID19Aus #auspol ccr.cicm.org.au/supplementary-…

Other hospitals have requested ventilation hoods but support required to manufacture this University of Melb developed product. Trial shows better than N95 reduction in aerosols in room. Great reusable protection for nurses. Reduce infections, reduce waste. #SpringSt #PAEC

Alarming numbers of infected healthworkers & furloughed as contacts, justifies more effort to protect workforce. Including N95 masks for all in close patient contact who want them, accelerate development of ventilation hoods, reusable respirators in high risk settings. #SpringSt

Thanks @Sam_Hibbins for prioritising protection of healthworkers in your #PAEC questions today. Looks like some promising developments, but more to be done on N95 mask access and facilitating manufacture of ventilation hoods.

Some hospitals doing well, others not providing adequate masks to staff at high risk such as ENT, says @eyerait58 (AMA), responding to @Sam_Hibbins. Says all staff should have access to N95 masks. #SpringSt #PAEC