The Arts and Cultural Award goes to:

Nicole Rowan

Nicole started the Happy Rocks craze in Bowen as a fun activity she could do with her children, but it soon grew to a community of 1300 people who regularly paint, hide and hunt for rocks.

Great promoters for Bowen, the rocks have travelled all over the world left in places for people to find and encouraging them to visit Bowen.

Nicole Rowan with her son Archie

The Senior Sports Award

Sylvie Thureau-Martin

Sylvie is a 71-year-old active member of the Whitsunday Running Club who is a keen competitor and someone you can rely on to volunteer at community events.

Her greatest recent achievement was setting a new Queensland Women’s Masters record where she ran a time of 55.02 on the world certified 10km course at the Airlie Beach Marathon Festival.

Sylvie Thureau-Martin

The Young Sports Award goes to:

Shaniah Power

Shaniah started playing for the Proserpine Brahmans in 2019 and then played for the Townsville Western Lions where she represented Queensland Country at the Women’s National Championships.

In 2020 and 2021 Shaniah was selected to play for the Indigenous All Stars, the North Queensland Gold Stars and was selected to play for the Gold Coast Titans.

Shaniah Power

Volunteer of the Year Award

Arthur and Robyn Burrell

This inspiring couple have been volunteering in the Bowen community for over 45 years.

Arthur is a member of the Bowen RSL and helped establish the Bowen Men’s Shed.

Robyn has been fundraising for the Cancer Council for the past five years and is currently supporting the Cancer Council’s Shitbox Rally

Together they have volunteered for the Delta Rural Fire Brigade for 15 years and both donate time for the Bowen PCYC’s mentor driving program – Braking the Cycle.

Arthur (Tek) and Robyn Burrell

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Whitsunday Regional Council marked Australia Day by honouring the region’s high achievers in ceremonies in Collinsville, Bowen and Proserpine, as well as welcoming in those who took the pledge to become our newest Australian citizens.

Mayor Andrew Willcox said it was a great honour to be part of such a special day.

“I am fortunate in my role to be involved with many different facets of our community and I can proudly say our Whitsunday residents truly represent the Australian values,” Mayor Willcox said.

“The winners and the nominees of the Awards come from all walks of life and have excelled in different areas but the one common theme I see amongst them is that they are genuine community minded people.”

Citizen of the Year - Airlie, Proserpine and Surrounds

Helen Mathewson

They say the more you put into a community, the more you get out of it, and this applies in abundance to Helen.

Regularly volunteering at the Anglican Op Shop, maintaining the church gardens and a dedicated member of the ESA and the church council – Helen is a much-loved volunteer, friend and committee member.

A pensioner herself, Helen takes the time to help others – driving people to appointments and regularly hosting morning teas at the pensioner units.

Citizen of the Year - Bowen

Tracey Bazzo

Tracey is dedicated to rescuing and rehabilitating fresh water and sea turtles in Bowen, regularly spending many hours rescuing and caring for sick or injured turtles to see them fit enough to be returned to the ocean.

While running her own business, Tracey manages to find time to help others and during Cyclone Debbie she assisted the Queensland Police Service by offering use of her business premises as a storage unit for their rescue equipment.

Citizen of the Year – Collinsville

Janet Lobegeier

A vibrant, kind and loving lady, Janet Lobegeier, is the driving force behind numerous community events and is always willing to offer her time and assistance in any way she can.

Most notably, each year Janice raises much needed funds for the RACQ CQ Rescue Helicopter and was an inspiration to many were affected by the 2020 bushfires, raising thousands of dollars to assist.

She is a member of the Collinsville Lions Club, is on the Collinsville Rodeo committee, Bowen River Rodeo, and assists with programs for the Collinsville Youth Coalition.

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A Chinese tourist who tragically lost her five-year-old son and her husband when they both drowned at the Airlie Beach Lagoon is fighting for $4.5 million in compensation.

On October 28th 2018, 30-year-old airline pilot, Yuanwei Zhang, was unable to swim when he ventured into the shallows with his son, Chenxi, while his wife visited the nearby shops.

It is understood that he mistakenly got out of his depth and the pair slipped under the water.

Despite it being a busy day at the lagoon and with two lifeguards just 20 metres away, no-one noticed the incident and it was several minutes before Mr Zhang was pulled from the water.

It was a further seven minutes before Chenxi was retrieved.

Neither could be revived.

The young family had been enjoying a dream holiday, travelling to Sydney before visiting the Whitsundays.

In a situation, no-one should have to deal with, wife and mother, Jie Tan, had to return home to China alone.

Just over three years later, she is now suing Whitsunday Regional Council, who own the public facility and the lifeguard contractor, Ellmill Enterprises Pty Ltd.

It is alleged that the two lifeguards who were on duty at the time failed to keep a proper look out and were chatting on the bridge instead of keeping watch.

Jie Tan is seeking $4.5 million in compensation which represents past and future lost earnings.

The couple were among the top 20 per cent of income-earners in China with Mr Zhang being a pilot and Jie Tan an intermediate flight dispatcher, earning a combined annual income of 1.4 million yuan ($307,000).

The court documents were filed in Mackay and claim the deaths could have been avoided by the exercise of reasonable care.

Council has been charged with failing to comply with workplace health and safety duty following an investigation by the Office of Workplace Health and Safety.

The matter is due to return to court next month.

Jie Tan, her husband Yuanwei Zhang and their five-year-old son Chenxi days before the tragedy. (Supplied: Jie Tan and ABC News)

Jie Tan and her son Chenxi enjoyed time in Sydney in the days before they travelled to the Whitsundays. (Supplied: Jie Tan and ABC news)

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Australia Day Awards Presented At Region-Wide Events

This Australia Day The Whitsundays acknowledged our region’s most inspiring, dedicated and high-achieving community members with awards that reflect their service and excellence.

The Region also welcomed 69 new Australian Citizens to the Whitsundays, with members of 10 different countries choosing to officially join ours.

Honouring new citizens and celebrating our community’s bright stars, Mayor Andrew Willcox, Member for Whitsunday Amanda Camm MP, and many other dignitaries attended a host of events over the Australia Day festivities.

AWARD WINNERS ANNOUNCED INSIDE!

Helen Mathewson, Citizen of the Year for Airlie, Proserpine and Surrounds, was presented with her award by Mayor Andrew Willcox at a special ceremony on Tuesday night

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Sugarcane growers are hopeful 2022 will bring new sugar trade opportunities following the official signing of the Australia-UK Free Trade Agreement (FTA) last month.

“The signing of the Aus-UK FTA takes the Australian sugar industry a step closer to rebuilding what had once been a strong trading relationship with the United Kingdom, after a 50-year hiatus,” CANEGROWERS CEO Dan Galligan said.

Once the FTA enters into force it will give up-front tariff-free access for 80,000 tonnes of Australian sugar to be sold to the UK in the first year increasing by 20,000 tonnes each year for the next eight years.

“We thank the Australian government for achieving this result which is a huge boost on the 9,925 tonnes quota we had for the whole of the European Union prior to Brexit,” Mr Galligan said.

“The Australian industry looks forward to supplying high quality, sustainably and ethically produced sugar to top up local beet sugar production so that UK refiners can meet the country’s needs.

“The signing of this FTA is the second piece of good trade news this week and it’s bolstering the spirits of growers working in a number of regions to finish harvesting the 2021 crop after a difficult season.”

Earlier this week the World Trade Organization found in favour of Australia in its dispute with India over that country’s price supports for sugarcane and export subsidies.

“While markets in the Asia-Pacific region will continue to be the main focus of Australia’s sugar sales, this Aus-UK FTA will allow for some important diversification for our export-oriented industry which relies on a fair and rules-based world trading system,” Mr Galligan said.

CANEGROWERS CEO Dan Galligan

Born in darkness, little hatchling turtles peak their heads out from underneath the sand, ready to trek from the dunes to the surf each year.

This miracle of life shares the beaches of Mackay, they are a part of the Mackay community – and it is everyone’s responsibility to protect them at all costs.

The season for turtle nesting begins around the middle of October, and hatchlings emerge all the way through until April, with the main species of Mackay turtles the Flatback – the most common, and the Green and Loggerhead turtles across most of the district’s beaches.

“Nesting mainly on our mainland beaches are the Flatback, who lay approximately 50 billiard ball size eggs,” Fay Griffin of Mackay and District Turtle Watch Association said.

Marine turtles are a protected species, and only authorised persons are permitted to handle them. It is an offence to interfere with these animals, so if you are lucky enough to witness the hatchlings hustle, make sure you stand clear of the nest.

Turn off your lights, including mobile phones – they can be disorienting – let them make their own way to the beach, unless they’ve lost their way and gone somewhere dangerous, like a carpark or roadway.

Picking up a turtle in a bucket of water is permitted in this case, and they should be immediately taken back to the beach and released again to make their own way back to the sea.

“You can get quite a crowd sometimes, and it’s best to be careful and make sure you’re letting them be,” Ms Griffin said.

Flapping their flippers, these little tikes leave imprints in the sand to remember where they hatched for when they themselves become parents three decades later.

Most little hatchlings emerge at night, so keeping the beaches nice and dark ensures that both nesting females and baby turtles are undisturbed.

Any hatching activity should be reported to Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service, as well as Mackay and District Turtle Watch Association.

Only one in one thousand turtles survive to maturity, so make sure you’re giving our Mackay turtles the best chance of survival this hatching season.

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Local doctors may no longer need a COVID-19 vaccination to practise thanks to an exemption to the vaccine mandate.

Federal Member for Dawson, George Christensen, announced a workforce shortage declaration for Mackay’s healthcare earlier this week which could result in the exemption.

Enforced in December last year by the State Government, the vaccine mandate ruled that all healthcare workers, across public and private sectors, must be vaccinated.

Mr Christensen stated that this led to a number of doctors losing their jobs at private medical practices, leaving Mackay patients waiting weeks to see a doctor.

“The mandate rules, however, contained an exemption, allowing a private practice to employ an unvaccinated doctor if there was a workforce shortage, personal protection equipment was worn and a negative rapid antigen test was recorded before work each day,” he said.

“While I vehemently disagreed with the mandate at the time, and still do, this measure by the Federal Government is a significant proof point for local surgeries to show they are suffering from a workforce shortage.

“With this proof, they may be able to hire or re-hire GPs who had to leave their job because of the vaccine mandate.”

“Medical practices in Mackay can now go to the Chief Health Officer and tell them about the city’s designation as an area of healthcare workforce shortage, describe their particular situation, and set out a solution and protocols to have medical professionals return to work for the next three months.

“The exemption can be granted for three months but there is scope for additional time to be signed off by the Chief Health Officer,” he said.

Mackay physiotherapist, Kimberley Cahill, has noticed the workforce shortage and would welcome the exemption.

“We are having to close down non-essential services including outpatient appointments, elective surgeries (some have been on a wait list for over a year) to meet unstaffed areas and redeployment services due to other areas being understaffed,” Ms Cahill stated.

“I would say it’s like a food chain - if one link is broken it affects so many other areas,” she added.

“Although with being unvaccinated there’s a higher risk of symptoms, we are so understaffed, exhausted, burnt out, that it would really benefit the amount of double shifts and overtime worked by all streams of healthcare.

“Pre-Covid and at the best of times the healthcare system is under pump and strained so adding a pandemic on top is crazy.

“We are all in PPE, so why not let them work?” she concluded.

Story by Sam Gillespie

Dr Nicole Higgins (Health on Central), Member for Dawson George Christensen and Dr Graeme Cumming (Shakespeare Medical Centre) have recently spoken out about a shortage of doctors in Mackay.

Image supplied: George Christensen MP

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Ergon Energy and the Voluntary Marine Rescue (VMR) have joined forces to remind boaties of overhead powerlines and submarine power cables crossing waterways.

The call comes after dozens of anchors were removed from just one electricity cable crossing between the mainland and Bribie Island last summer.

Ergon Area Manager Kevin Lavender said, “Last summer, in just one morning, commercial divers removed 27 anchors and hundreds of metres of rope from around just one short Moreton Bay cable and was a stark reminder that boaties were still anchoring over the clearly marked electricity infrastructure,” Mr Lavender said.

“These powerlines and cables crossing rivers and estuaries are charged with up to 132,000 volts of electricity and power tens of thousands of homes and such high voltage can make any accidental contact deadly, so I am pleading with boaties to keep a clear visual while on the water.”

Volunteer Marine Rescue Mackay public relations volunteer Daryl Howland said there were a few ‘no anchor’ spots and locations with overhead wires along the Pioneer River to be aware of.

“The overhead danger is predominantly for ‘trailer sailer’ boats where skippers can forget to take their masts down,” he said.

“Although not common due to being tidal and not ideal for sailing, the River Street boat ramp also has overhead wires to be aware of.”

Mr Howland added that the one to be most aware of in the Mackay and Isaac region is the Port of Airlie which has overhead wires.

If boaties do find themselves in any difficulty they’re urged to phone Triple Zero and ask for police, who will dispatch the closest rescue vessel, or contact their local VMR or Coast Guard via phone or two-way radio.

Mackay Voluntary Marine Rescue (VMR) vessel Mastermyne Rescue 5. Image: VMR Mackay

Be aware of signs indicating danger. Image supplied: Ergon Energy

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Making Beer Now Considered ‘Essential’ As More Industries Added To Critically Essential Work List

The Queensland Government’s arrangements for critically essential workers have been expanded, with disability care, aged care, media and telecommunications now declared critical industries.

Workers performing critically essential roles may continue to work if they are a close contact.

Additional testing requirements have also been added, to ensure close contacts who are working are regularly monitored for COVID-19.

Minister for Health and Ambulance Services Yvette D’Ath said Queensland was the first jurisdiction in the country to establish critically essential worker provisions, to help keep Queensland running.

“These changes mean more clarity for employees and employers on what a critically essential worker is, and what they are able to do,” Minister D’Ath said.

“A critically essential worker is only able to attend the workplace as a close contact to perform a critically essential role, when both employer and employee agree.

“The critically essential worker must have no symptoms of COVID-19, be fully vaccinated and provide a negative Rapid Antigen Test on their first day of work, prior to commencing work, and every second day thereafter while working, including the usual Day 6 test for close contacts.”

Employers must provide the rapid antigen test to the employee.

The definition of critically essential workers has been expanded to:

● included the beverage manufacturing industry

● include telecommunication and broadcasting services

● clarify that paid workers in disability care and aged care are critically essential.

Minister D’Ath said all categories of critically essential workers had been carefully considered, and were vital to keeping Queensland running.

“These measures keep Queenslanders safe, while also ensuring we can continue to keep our supermarkets stocked, power connected to our homes, and our hospitals available to provide free emergency health care to those that need it,” Minister D’Ath said.

“We have worked with stakeholders, including unions, to find the right balance of keeping Queensland running and keeping Queenslanders safe.”

Mackay Region Records First COVID-19 Death

Mackay Hospital and Health Service recorded its first COVID-19 related death earlier this week, reporting it on Monday 24 January.

Queensland health data published showed it was one of 13 COVID-related deaths reported in that 24-hours throughout the state.

It is understood all 13 of those deaths, including the one from the Mackay region, occurred in people over the age of 70.

Restrictions On Vaccinated International Arrivals Ease

Fully vaccinated international arrivals can now enter Queensland without quarantine. The change took effect last weekend from 1am, Saturday, January 22.

The measure was identified in the Queensland Government’s ‘Vaccine Plan to Reunite Families’ once the state reached 90 per cent of its eligible population fully vaccinated.

By opening the border just before the vaccination rate reached 90 per cent, Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said the move gave businesses and families certainty.

“Providing this date gives businesses and families certainty and time to make their plans.”

Vaccinated international travellers will be required to take a rapid antigen test within 24 hours of arrival.

Unvaccinated travellers will still be required to complete 14 days quarantine in a government-nominated facility.

Second-dose rates have slowed in the 18-39 years age group. It is presumed this is because of increasing case numbers in the age group.

Many due for their second vaccinations are presumed to be in isolation as either a positive case or a close contact of a positive case in their households.

Health Minister Yvette D’Ath said contracting COVID does not affect the time frame for getting a second dose.

“You can get vaccinated as soon as you recover from your COVID symptoms,” the Minister said.

Other Countries Shut Australia Out

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Adern (left) moved New Zealand back to red in its traffic light COVID-19 response this week

While international border restrictions have eased to international arrivals coming into Queensland, more countries overseas are placing stricter requirements on people from Australia entering their countries as Omicron surges down under.

The European Council took Australia, Argentina and Canada off its travel green list, meaning restrictions on non-essential travel have been enforced, making it considerably harder for Australians to holiday overseas.

Each European country will now make its own rules on entry requirements including isolation or quarantine and testing.

The US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) also moved Australia into its highest-risk travel category for COVID-19, advising US citizens not to travel to Australia.

A decision on reopening the quarantine-free travel bubble with New Zealand has also been pushed further back. Earlier this week, New Zealand moved to its ‘red light’ setting after nine cases in the Nelson region were confirmed to have the Omicron strain.

Every region in New Zealand will move to the red setting regardless of whether that area has had a confirmed Omicron case, and New Zealand’s Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said she expected the country would stay in red for "some weeks".

Rapid Antigen Tests Available At Mackay Showgrounds

community members can get a COVID-19 test result faster at the Mackay Showgrounds testing clinic via a rapid antigen test. Photo: Mackay Hospital and Health Service

Rapid Antigen Tests (RAT) are now available to eligible community members through Mackay Hospital’s testing clinic at the Mackay Showgrounds.

These tests are limited to eligible people only, which are those who are a close contact of a confirmed COVID-19 case and who need a negative test on day six to exit quarantine, or essential workers who cannot wait for a PCR result and need to return to work.

Mackay Hospital said the RATs are not available for other people whose employers ask them to them to show they are negative.

If you believe you are eligible for a RAT please call the COVID-19 hotline on 4885 5666 to book your test. When you arrive at the Showgrounds, please tell staff you are there for a RAT.

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Years ago, when I was thinking of changing careers and going into real estate, I raised the idea with a colleague whose opinion I valued. She asked me what sort of drugs I had begun consuming.

She warned me that while my newly acquired drug of choice was obviously very amusing, it clearly had hallucinogenic qualities that distorted reality and turned up-coming disasters into an apparent bed of roses.

While she questioned why I would leave a well-paid job with a secure future for something that was completely different and commission-based, she had another main reason for why she thought the move would be a disaster.

She said she would never go into selling real estate because you would be taking on responsibility for someone’s most important asset and that there were also emotional factors that come into play for sellers.

“It would be too stressful. There will be emotional attachments, massive financial considerations for them. If things go wrong, it will be all your fault. I wouldn’t dream of taking all that on,” she said.

I’m pleased to say I was able to reassure my friend that there were no drugs involved and I made the move into real estate soon afterwards.

In some ways my friend was correct. In real estate you are selling someone’s most significant asset. And it is true that emotions are involved.

But the importance of what we do as agents is actually what I like about the gig.

Good agents value the responsibility of selling someone’s most important asset. We are honoured to be entrusted with the sale of their property and be given an important role in helping someone start the next chapter of their lives.

You get to know people on the journey of selling their homes and you take the responsibility seriously. The fact that it is very important to them and that your role is vital to their successful transition to the next stage of their lives is, for me, a big part of why I love the job.

If it didn’t matter to them, it wouldn’t really matter to me. But you know it’s important and one of the great sources of satisfaction is knowing that you have successfully managed the sale of a property and got a result that allows people to step into the next chapter of their lives.

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Patrons of the Hotel Eton witnessed a robbery last week, as a man allegedly tried to steal money while staff were distracted on January 20.

The 39-year-old Caboolture man allegedly took funds from the cash register at the bar while staff were busy in another area before leaving the premises with the stolen goods.

He would be taken to Mackay Base Hospital later for facial injuries, having left the pub where he was confronted by local Nathan Keioskie, a young man who held him to the ground until police arrived a few minutes later.

The Caboolture man was arrested and charged with entering a premise and committing an indictable offence, as well as common assault on the day.

The Hotel’s publican took to Facebook to deter rumours that the man held up the Eton establishment at knife point.

“This was not an armed hold [up] of any sort,” the post read.

“A person removed money from a cash register while bar staff were busy in another area and left with the money.

“What later happened is a matter for the police to investigate, he did leave in [an] ambulance and we will leave it at that.

“We are all safe and that is our main focus. We value our patrons safety above all.”

Local punters took to the comment section.

“Nothing like rural justice,” one wrote.

Member for Mirani Stephen Andrews MP also commented on Facebook.

“The wages of theft can be pricey on the health in some cases but fortunately cheaper on the education side of things,” his comment reads.

The “Best Pub in the Scrub” suffered a period of closure in December, citing government mandates, and has reopened to Eton locals’ applause.

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An ATR 72-500 charter flight, HEVILIFT 728 from Moranbah Airport to Brisbane was diverted to Bundaberg Airport on Thursday 20 January to make an emergency landing.

It was reported that the diversion was caused by "smoke in the cabin" however, a Hevilift spokesperson said no smoke or fire was observed in the cockpit or cabin.

“The diversion happened after the pilots received a fault alert and noticed an electrical odour in the cockpit,” the spokesperson added.

“Following standard operating procedures, the pilots notified Air Traffic Control and diverted to nearby Bundaberg.

“The aircraft landed uneventfully and, as is standard practice, emergency crews at Bundaberg met and inspected the flight on arrival.”

All 19 passengers were provided with accommodation and alternative transport to Brisbane. HEVILIFT’s engineers inspected the aircraft and cleared it to fly back to Brisbane the following afternoon.

“HEVILIFT commends the crew for their expert handling of the situation and the way they calmly communicated with passengers and Air Traffic Control."

The HEVILIFT ATR 72-500 which made an emergency landing at Bundaberg Airport last week after pilots noticed an electrical smell in the cockpit. Image credit: Dan Beck Photography

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From the dreams of one mother’s experience raising her son with non-verbal autism, Wendy Cherry and her team at Unique Directions have gone in leaps and bounds, building independence for their participants in every aspect of life.

With the recent acquisition of the land next door, Unique Directions are giving their participants the opportunity to grow a green hand.

The block had been vacant for a long time and after a search, Unique Directions learned that Queensland Police owned the block, and after some consultation, Unique Directions were offered the lease as long as they continue to provide “accessible and meaningful opportunities for people with disabilities in Mackay.”

The extremely generous lease is $1 dollar per year.

Now, Unique Directions have added another feather to their growing cap of activities, allowing their participants to experience a full range of what independent life has to offer and more – cooking, dance, crafts, and now gardening.

“Wendy’s vision is to have raised garden beds for accessibility, shipping containers with a shelter over the top for shade, a ride on mower, a plant potting station and a vision for several different gardens – herbs, vegetables, flowers,” Mates Manager Damian Watson said.

“It gives people a cross section of what gardening is about and the opportunity to have another different type of ecosystem here.

“We want to put a pizza out there as well with our cooking session, so the cooking class can pick some herbs, make the dough and it’s going to be fantastic.

Damian said that it will be much like the paddock to plate philosophy, illustrating a complete experience for participants.

“The other thing is, we’ll have chickens in there and people will understand that eggs don’t come from a carton, for those who don’t know that,” Damian said.

“Wendy has a massive vision.”

Wendy entered the disability support landscape after her own experiences with her son, Thomas, and wanted to build a better supported living solution that would allow him to maintain the same quality of life, even when she is no longer able to help him.

Damian looks after the logistics of Mates Place and said that he was the practical one and that Wendy was the dreamer, but that this dream was something he was so glad to see fulfilled.

“If she could, she’d have cows in there, to give people the opportunity to experience it,” Damian said.

“The benefits are massive and it’s another facet – we hope people will go over there for lunch and our photography group, for example, goes over there and takes photos.

“We’re about a holistic approach at Our Mates Place.”

The site is being worked on now, and Unique Directions hopes that by June it will be functioning well and look vastly different from what it does now.

Wendy Cherry stands in front of the new gardening space at Unique Directions

Damian Watson in the block set to become Unique Directions new gardening space

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Police are investigating a road traffic crash involving a truck rollover at Turrawulla Road, Hail Creek, west of Mackay that occurred January 20 at approximately 10am.

Sergeant Nigel Dalton reported that, as a result of the single vehicle crash, 102 cattle had to be removed from the road train with five having to be euthanised.

“The driver, a 56-year-old Nebo man did not sustain any serious injuries,” Sergeant Dalton said.

“The driver has been charged with driving with a relevant substance present in the saliva, possession of a drug utensil and driving without due care and attention.”

He has been given a notice to appear in Mackay Magistrates Court on the 8 March.

A driver was charged with driving with a relevant substance present in the saliva, possession of a drug utensil and driving without due care and attention after his truck rolled over near Hail Creek last week. Picture: Mackay Police

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Asthmatic COVID Patient Fought For Breath In Mackay Hospital

“In a world that is divided, we shouldn’t take out our aggression on the only industry that will help us. This is my own experience, for some people COVID is just like a flu, for others it’s life threatening.”

The moment a doctor sat holding her hand in the COVID-19 ward while she struggled to inhale her asthma medication is a memory that will stay with a 24-year-old woman forever.

Identified by Mackay Hospital and Health Service as ‘Sarah’, the patient was admitted to Mackay Base Hospital with shortness of breath three days after she was tested for the virus.

“There was one doctor who held my hand to help me calm down when I struggled to get my Ventolin in and breathe. She reassured me I would be okay and that it was okay I was in hospital,” Sarah said.

“Air was going into my lungs but they didn’t seem to fill up. I was confused, had cold sweats and spots in my vision,” she said

Mackay Hospital and Health Service shared her story and said her COVID-19 symptoms started with a tingly feeling in her throat and progressed to a wet cough the next day and then breathlessness.

“I started to feel more unwell and could feel the mucus on my lungs. I was coughing even when I tried to talk. Given I’m slightly asthmatic I got more and more concerned,” she said.

“There was a moment after I was diagnosed when I was feeling great in the afternoon and thought yes, I’m getting over this, and then next minute I’m feeling like I’m going to die.”

Sarah was admitted to the COVID-19 ward for one night for high doses of asthma medication to open up her airways, saying day three and four of the infection were the hardest.

She doesn’t know where she caught the virus but warns everyone is at risk. She is double vaccinated and is waiting to be eligible for her booster dose.

“I’d hate to think how sick I would have been if I wasn’t vaccinated. And if Omicron is what I have, I also hate to think what it would be like to have another strain,” she said.

When asked what she would say to COVID sceptics and people refusing to vaccinate, she pauses to think before saying quietly she struggles with these strong opinions.

Her advice is “take this virus seriously”.

“COVID has messed with my respiratory system and it’s unlike any flu I’ve had.

“I have the benefit of being young. This is my body and my experience and I haven’t coped well. Some will, and some won’t. And you won’t know how you will go until you get sick.

“No matter your stance on COVID or vaccination, remember to not take your aggression out on staff. They are there to help us. It’s not their fault that COVID is rampant, they will help you regardless of your opinion.”

Mackay Hospital and Health Service staff adhere to a strict PPE and infection prevention regime in the COVID ward. Image supplied: Mackay Hospital and Health Service

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