One of Australia’s most prestigious oncology centres is preparing for massive impacts from the coronavirus pandemic with a worst-case scenario seeing all but the most urgent treatments suspended.
Melbourne’s Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre’s internal “medical oncology clinical response plan” outlines five levels of treatment restrictions based on an anticipated reduction in staff due to the pandemic.
The document obtained by the ABC states: “The COVID-19 epidemic is expected to have a major impact on staffing levels, which in turn will decrease capacity to administer chemotherapy and immunotherapy.”
Staffing levels at hospitals around the country are already coming under pressure. Last week, 100 staff from Melbourne’s the Alfred Hospital’s haematology and oncology department were sent into self-isolation after the deaths of three patients.
Read more here: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-04-06/worst-case-coronavirus-cancer-patient-scenario-plans/12113616
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