A new national survey of over 13,000 Australians reveals that the health of Aussies is at risk as the pandemic pulls focus towards the more immediate COVID-19 medical care. The research, conducted by a group of experts at Monash University, found that people with symptoms of depression and anxiety, those who performed unpaid work, lived alone; were of low socioeconomic status, were living on government benefits, or who had personal experience of COVID-19 had 44–50 percent less access to necessary health/disability care during physical distancing restrictions caused by the pandemic. “Missed opportunities in routine healthcare can lead to much worse outcomes across a raft of medical conditions, including mental health, cancer and chronic disease,” first author of the study, Prof. Flavia Cicuttini, said. “Our findings can help doctors identify and prioritise Australians who may have missed out on potentially life-saving medical care for non-COVID related health issues during lockdowns, and may …