Two COVID records took place in the ACT on Thursday as experts call on governments to do more for public health policy.
Hospitalisations of COVID-19 patients hit 122, of those two are in the ICU unit but none are on ventilation which has contributed to the ongoing issue of bed block.
Clinical director for medicine at Canberra Hospital Ashwin Swaminathan expected bed block to continue as respiratory viruses were dominating the season.
"Bed block is an ongoing issue for the hospital, it is due to the ... high numbers of patients coming through the emergency department due to the circulating respiratory viruses in the community," he said.
"We also have significant workforce pressures due to COVID and non COVID illnesses affecting doctors, nurses, allied health staff and associated staff, so all of those factors impact on our ability to impact on patient flow."
The number of active cases is another ACT record, reaching 6730 people with the disease while one man in his 50s passed away from the virus. University of South Australia epidemiologist Adrian Esterman raised concerns over the lack of public health policy which could be contributing to further spread.
"Our state and territory governments for the last few months have been telling the general population that it's all over. You don't need to worry any more, you don't have to wear face masks anymore, just get on with your lives as normal and ... everyone in the general public wants that to be the case," he said.
"People really don't care anymore and unfortunately it's not quite over yet."
While Professor Esterman said the lack of compliance is concerning, he predicts it may get to a stage when governments will have to respond in some way.
"There might be a time when hospital numbers get so high, especially with the flu season hitting us as well, that state and territory governments will have to do something," he said.
"The worst case scenario I think would be a reintroduction of face mask mandates in certain settings but I think that would be very helpful."
Peter Collignon, an epidemiologist from the Australian National University said it was "a matter of debate" on whether to implement more education health policies over restrictions.
"I think there are benefits in limiting density of indoor crowds and I think there are benefits in wearing masks and there's obviously benefits in getting vaccinated but whether you fine people now for not doing it, that's a separate issue," he said.
In a statement ACT Health said there are "a number of public health campaigns in-market that promote COVID smart behaviours", including digital, out of home and radio advertising.
"ACT Health takes a careful and considered approach in relation to public health restrictions and all public health measures, which are regularly reviewed to ensure they are proportionate to the level of risk associated with COVID-19," a spokesperson said.
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