‘Still kicking’ – Covid forces unvaccinated Pauline to finish campaign from home
Unvaccinated One Nation leader Pauline Hanson is off the federal election campaign trail after testing positive to COVID-19.
One Nation leader Senator Pauline Hanson is seen speaking to the crowds during protest against the Queensland Government's mandatory vaccination laws on the Gold Coast, Saturday, November 27, 2021. A series of rallies will be held across Australia against mandatory vaccination. (AAP Image/Darren England) NO ARCHIVING
“I’m up to s**t, I’ve got COVID,” she told KIIS-FM Sydney radio on Thursday.
The diagnosis means the Queensland senator cannot campaign in person and will be in isolation on election day on Saturday.
Senator Hanson confirmed she was not vaccinated against the virus.
“I haven’t been to hospital. I’m still kicking. I’m alive,” she said.
Independent MP Andrew Wilkie also tested positive to the virus earlier this week, forcing him to cancel his final campaign appearances.
Meanwhile federal government data shows more than 60 aged care residents in Australia are dying with COVID-19 every week.
While many think the Omicron wave of the virus has passed, the health data gathered by a union reveals 596 aged care facilities have recorded at least one COVID death this year.
“How can we lose more than 350 senior Australians to COVID since the election campaign was launched and no one is talking about this,” United Workers Union Aged Care Director Carolyn Smith said on Thursday.
“The Omicron crisis continues to play havoc with active outbreaks in more than 750 aged care facilities, distressing locked-up aged care residents, devastating families and causing unbearable workloads for aged care workers.
“For aged care workers working double shifts in full PPE there has been no let-up and the aged care crisis is in full swing.”
Almost 60,000 new cases of COVID-19 and 53 deaths were reported nationwide on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, aged care workers in South Australia and Queensland will walk off the job on Friday in a continuation of industrial action for higher wages and more care time.
“Aged care workers are continuing to turn up to care for residents while these political leaders are only turning up for campaign photo opps,” Ms Smith said.
