Coronavirus: At a glance – 20 March

Sickness could see 30% fall in Australia's health workforce, COPD patients at high risk of severe infection and Adelaide to open two more hospitals
Australian Associated Press Reuters Health
Hospital staff

Sick staff could see health workforce down 30% 

A top doctor is warning Australia’s health workforce could face up to a 30% drop as workers call in sick.

AMA president Dr Tony Bartone made his comments after the Federal Government announced visa relaxations for 20,000 student nurses as part of a swathe of measures to fight coronavirus.

Dr Bartone said the student nurse announcement was about increasing the health system’s capacity to deal with absenteeism.