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The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
National
Melissa Davey Medical editor

Greg Hunt accused of being disrespectful and playing down Covid deaths in aged care

Greg Hunt Covid-19 Annie Butler
Ambulance attendants wearing full protective clothing prepare a gurney to transport aged care home residents to hospital in Sydney
An ambulance crew prepares to transport aged care residents to hospital. Greg Hunt has been criticised for saying 60% of people who have died with Covid were in palliative care. Photograph: Sean Foster/Getty Images

Aged care workers have described comments by the federal health minister, Greg Hunt, on Covid deaths in the sector as “astonishing” and “disrespectful”, and say the significance of those deaths is being downplayed by politicians.

On Monday, Hunt addressed a growing number of deaths in aged care, with 473 Covid-related aged-care deaths recorded in January alone.

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