COVID-19 drugs confusion, healthcare workers' warning, and Australia's cricket trailblazer

There are fears some people are missing out on live-saving COVID-19 treatments, healthcare workers are 'burnt out' amid the latest virus wave, and there are fears the global response against HIV is in 'severe danger'.

Alana King was part of Australia's squad, winning the 2022 ICC Women's Cricket World Cup Final match between Australia and England. Source: Getty / Hannah Peters

Good morning, it’s Rayane Tamer here with SBS News’ Morning Briefing.

Why people are missing out on COVID-19 antiviral medication

Community health workers have raised significant concerns that many Australians are unaware that antiviral treatment is available to reduce serious symptoms of COVID-19. Community pharmacist Veronica Nou runs a pharmacy in a western Sydney suburb where more than 60 per cent of residents were born overseas. She says she hasn't had a single customer who was aware that the life-saving medication was on the market. The Department of Health said it was translating its public health campaign into 32 languages on radio, social and digital channels.

Hospitals are buckling under increased pressure due to COVID-19 infections

It's the alarm healthcare workers have been sounding for the past two years: hospitals are struggling to cope with rising admissions due to serious COVID-19 infections. Monash Health emergency physician Gabriel Blecher warned people won't understand the extent of the backlog until they desperately need care themselves. With little done to ease the pressure off staff that have been hammered since the pandemic began, Dr Blecher said they're "sick of working at hospitals". He's concerned about staff turnover too, with "nurses leaving us faster than we can hire them".

There are fears the global response to HIV is in 'severe danger'

The world's response to battling HIV has slowed down due to limited resources that have been redirected to control the COVID-19 pandemic. There were 1.5 million new HIV infections last year — a million more than global targets — and while the rate of infection fell between 2020 and 2021 by 3.6 per cent, it's the smallest annual drop since 2017. These warnings have come from a new report that was released at the International AIDS Conference in Montreal. Experts say the response to battling the virus is in severe danger" and the world risks "veering off track to end the global HIV epidemic".

Alana King's sights on gold, inspiring the next cricket generation

As a cricket-mad child, Alana King stood out, and not just for her ability. She was one of only a few girls, and children from the sub-continent, playing the sport. It's been an incredible year for King: winning the Women's Big Bash League earned her an Australian call up, eventuating in wins at the Women's Cricket World Cup and Ashes. Now she's competing at the Commonwealth Games and inspiring the next generation.

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