Queensland is grappling with the worst COVID-19 wave yet, prompting a renewed push for people to mask up through winter.

There are 983 people in hospital with COVID-19, including 24 in ICU, setting a grim new record.

Queensland chair of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners, Dr Bruce Willett, fears there are some losing sight of the impacts of COVID-19.

He has called for people to consider working from home more and wear masks.

“I think we are all concerned about the so-called COVID complacency .. we are really looking at the peak numbers now, COVID is happening now,” he told Neil Breen on Brisbane Live.

He said while many people recover, a small but significant number of people will end up in hospital.

“We are seeing huge numbers of people in hospital, equivalent to one of the big Brisbane hospitals full of people with COVID and that puts a tremendous strain on the system.”

In indoor venues such as supermarkets and airports, he says people should consider wearing a mask, to help protect themselves and others and flatten the curve.

“Is it really a lot to give up, to just pop on a mask in those circumstances to keep not only yourself safe, there are people out there who either can’t get vaccinated for some reason or require extra vaccinations, and it’s really looking after our fellow citizens and the health of our whole health system.”

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