'Did I just see that?' Health chief’s swift apology after alarming mistake
A red-faced Dr Kerry Chant quickly apologised on Friday after she wiped her eye with her face mask during NSW's daily Covid-19 press conference.
The chief health officer was addressing reporters on the alarming spike of 44 locally acquired cases and interrupted herself as she urged people to adhere to the stay at home orders.
Broadcast to millions eagerly watching on across the nation, Dr Chant lifted her face mask to the corner of her eye and wiped it before quickly realising her mistake.
"Sorry, I have something in my eye. And I should not be using my mask for that," she said.
"If I could just get a tissue and apologies for that."
After a few seconds someone hands her a tissue and she turns her back to reporters as she wipes her eye.
People were quick to share their disbelief over the moment as they took to social media.
"Kerry Chant using her mask to wipe here eye is a visual representation of what's happening in Sydney right now. Life imitates art," one person wrote.
"CHO group chat must be blowing up right now," News Corp reporter Nick Bond said.
"Did I just see that? I guess we're in good hands!" another user tweeted.
"Gold standard, they say," another comment read.
Kerry Chant using her mask to wipe here eye is a visual representation of what's happening in Sydney right now. Life imitates art. #Auspol #COVID19nsw #COVID19 #NSWLockdown
— Zerene (@ZereneJoy) July 9, 2021
"It's not that hard," one user remarked.
The bizarre incident came as the NSW government faces mounting pressure over their handling of the latest outbreak fuelled by the highly-infectious Delta variant.
While on Friday Premier Gladys Berejiklian announced a tightening of restrictions, she and Dr Chant have faced criticism for a perceived lenient lockdown which some experts say has failed to adequately restrict the movement of Sydney's residents to suppress the virus.
On Thursday, The Australian Medical Association President Dr Omar Khorshid warned the premier was now at "a crossroads" and said "very difficult measures" place on residents would be needed to remove transmission from the community.
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