The latest ABC Four Corners highlighted some fundamental flaws with aged care in this country.

Aged care infection control has always been an issue.

For years many of our precious elderly have succumbed to gastro and the flu because infection control and the lack of skilled staff to handle these outbreaks has been lacking. Outside of a COVID-19 environment, we don’t usually hear of these deaths.

COVID-19 deaths in our aged care facilities are being recorded, and account for one-fifth of all COVID- 19 deaths in Australia. If COVID infection rates had been higher in the general population, the deaths in aged care would have been greater.

Our elderly have been spared, not because of good infection control, but because the cases in the population have been low. Skilled staff to handle these outbreaks, flu, gastro and COVID-19 are imperative.

Please remember to keep sharing the petition calling for more skilled staff in aged care.

Jane.