Australian Reports of the Virus Spread

[Gremlin]

From what I have read there have been quarantine breaches in many states. Though in Victoria the consequences have been disastrous.

I understand this has contributed to some (not all) states reducing their intake in order to get their own house in order.

In other news that may or may not be unrelated, I understand NSW is reducing its quarantine capacity further down to 350 a day.

 

[drron]

An interesting bit of news from the USA.Kentucky gets you to sign a letter agreeing to self isolate and ask permission to leave your home for 14 days if you test positive.If you don't it's ankle bracelets for you.

 

[SydneySwan]

I understand this has contributed to some (not all) states reducing their intake in order to get their own house in order.

In other news that may or may not be unrelated, I understand NSW is reducing its quarantine capacity further down to 350 a day.

See my post 3948 on this. Costs are the primary reason.

 

[Gremlin]

See my post 3948 on this. Costs are the primary reason.

Costs are the primary stated reason.

 

[get me outta here]

What else could a Govt have done to discourage it, the Court hadn’t stopped it?

Was it 10,000 (?) people attending the MEL march and it was known before hand it would be very many. Obviously, issuing fines was out if the question. I had heard that there would potentially be repercussions for the organisers of the Sydney marches and maybe Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Canberra, Darwin, Perth too, but I don’t know what came of that.

In NSW, it was the Court that allowed the BLM March to proceed.

It was basically an unstoppable tide. It didn’t seem to matter who signalled what to whom across Australia, those marches were going ahead.
it is very lucky, their masks, being outside and social distancing that they have not been found to be responsible for sources of the outbreak.
There is another one planned so we shall see what happens with that.

This is incorrect.

Yes, some who attended have subsequently been diagnosed as having COVID-19 but the state government has generally been at pains to stress they are unlikely to have contracted COVID-19 during that rally.

The main problem with the rally in Melbourne were the poor state government signalling, an example of which was the Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews urging people not to attend the Melbourne protest even if they would not be stung with COVID-19 fines.

This really made light of the first lockdown and giving the impression were no longer "all in this together".

 

[SydneySwan]

Costs are the primary stated reason.

Do you know this or are you guessing? I have a mole who assured me it is costs.

 

[jase05]

The ABF guys just said today is nudging up towards 400 in Victoria but they haven’t heard an exact number yet

 

[blackcat20]

The ABF guys just said today is nudging up towards 400 in Victoria but they haven’t heard an exact number yet

I'm hearing 375

 

[Gremlin]

Do you know this or are you guessing? I have a mole who assured me it is costs.

It might be a little more than guessing.

Look, cost was definitely the primary driver for NSW in the decision to initially cap at 450. And, ditto in the decision for NSW to move to a 'user-pays' model. Both of those decisions stripped a lot of cost away from NSW taxpayers. I don't disagree with any of that.

But there are quite a few fixed costs of the quarantine program that don't scale back when supporting 450 a day vs 350 a day. In fact, some of the fixed costs might even increase from where they were if you choose to 'redesign' certain aspects of the program. Maybe the government will end up paying more for 350 a day than it previously did for 450 a day, but the wider community might end up paying a smaller price in the long run - if you get my drift...

 

[HappyFlyerFamily]

According to news.com.au....3 shopping centres underwent a deep clean (Reading it maybe 2 centres and 1 store)


Three Sydney shopping centres have been forced to undergo deep cleaning after being linked to confirmed COVID-19 cases, becoming the latest in a growing list of businesses to be impacted by the outbreak.

Cabramatta Plaza in the city’s southwest underwent a deep clean overnight after a confirmed coronavirus case visited the Ledang Family Medical Centre located inside Cincotta Discount Chemist in the plaza.
The customer was in the store from 4.50pm to 5.10pm on July 17.
Carlingford Court in Sydney’s northwest also closed for cleaning overnight after a confirmed virus cases visited a nail salon in the centre.
The person visited the store between 9am and 10.30am on July 18.
“The team at Vanity Nails is continuing to work closely with the NSW Health, and, as a precautionary measure, the store will be thoroughly cleaned and sanitised overnight tonight Monday 20 July,” centre management said in a statement.
A confirmed virus case also visited Big W in Carnes Hill Marketplace in Sydney’s southwest on July 14 at about 4.20pm for 20 minutes.
The Big W store underwent a deep clean overnight and is due to reopen on Tuesday.

 

[Pushka]

What else could a Govt have done to discourage it, the Court hadn’t stopped it?

Was it 10,000 (?) people attending the MEL march and it was known before hand it would be very many. Obviously, issuing fines was out if the question. I had heard that there would potentially be repercussions for the organisers of the Sydney marches and maybe Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Canberra, Darwin, Perth too, but I don’t know what came of that.

In NSW, it was the Court that allowed the BLM March to proceed.

It was basically an unstoppable tide. It didn’t seem to matter who signalled what to whom across Australia, those marches were going ahead.
it is very lucky, their masks, being outside and social distancing that they have not been found to be responsible for sources of the outbreak.
There is another one planned so we shall see what happens with that.

It was the message that Governments sent (as did SA) by approving it! The protest could still have proceeded without consent from the Govt, and the Police be on hand to ensure as much as possible that separation etc was maintained, and not act further than that unless obvious significant offences occurred.

The Act of consent was enough for many to question why they should likewise not do things that they hold dear to them and necessary for their sanity. SA was lucky in that by and large we are a conservative bunch.

 

[JessicaTam]

That "Black LIves Matter" rally where thousands of people, against all advice from the Commonwealth, were in close proximity, especially when speeches were being delivered at the top of Bourke St, Melbourne. Has been admitted as source of some transmission.

Notwithstanding the debunking of that statement that has already occurred, don't forget that rallies were held in many major centres around AU. Singling out Melbourne to suit your argument is just disingenuous.

 

[RooFlyer]

Tas Premier has just announced voluntary testing of those in hotel quarantine on days 5 and 12. About time, but a pity its voluntary.

First case in 61 days yesterday, young person who had returned from Melbourne and was in hotel quarantine.

 

[jakeseven7]

The ABF guys just said today is nudging up towards 400 in Victoria but they haven’t heard an exact number yet

They have stated they are looking at trends more than absolutes now, seeing where the numbers are coming from and checking to see that the case numbers are not increasing exponentially which has been the hallmark of other outbreaks around the world.

Unfortunately with so many aged care homes infected there are going to be a steady stream of case numbers there.

 

[RooFlyer]

That "Black LIves Matter" rally where thousands of people, against all advice from the Commonwealth, were in close proximity, especially when speeches were being delivered at the top of Bourke St, Melbourne. Has been admitted as source of some transmission.

Notwithstanding the debunking of that statement that has already occurred, <snip>

I haven't read all the posts, so I'm not sure where the 'debunking' occurred. But I have read this:

Victorian health authorities have confirmed a link between two COVID-19 cases in people who attended the Black Lives Matter protest in Melbourne’s CBD just over a month ago, and the cluster of at least 242 cases in public housing towers in the city’s inner northwest.

But the Department of Health and Human Services has refused to say whether members of the cluster, which includes the protest attendees, live in the public housing towers.

 

[moa999]

I would imagine finding suitable buildings in the right location at an affordable price could be an issue.

Agreed. Not many City hotel rooms with windows or balconys.
And the numbers in the early days were thousands of rooms at a time.

Once again the big difference in NSW v VIC.
VIC - allowed 'guests' out for cigarette breaks and fresh air/limited exercise
NSW - locked in room for 14 days

Whether it was police/ADF or security guards the Vic policy vastly increased the risk of transmission (and I suspect your regular police/ADF member wouldn't get much more than 10min on PPE training either)

 

[Robert K]

In taiwan people just quarantine at home. They track your phone, and do check in calls so you don't just leave phone at home. If you don't pick up, they send the police. And if they catch you leave your house they fine you AUD$50,000 (which is 3x yearly salary of a uni grad)

Taiwan has been back to business as usual for months.


All this slap of the wrist and pocket change fines are hardly going to deter people.

People that know they have covid, and still go out should be prosecuted the same way people who knowingly spread AIDs do.

 

[get me outta here]

I am saying that not approving it would not have been possible.

It is a question of future influence.
A Premier could hardly say absolutely nothing. And none of them could not stop it. This is not only about Victoria.

Some people think that the Black Lives Matter marches had negative influences on others in the community.
Those selfish ignorant opportunistic idiots acting very badly in their jobs may well have done so anyway.

Outbreaks have NOT occurred all over the country after marches -Including in those conservative States.

It was the message that Governments sent (as did SA) by approving it! The protest could still have proceeded without consent from the Govt, and the Police be on hand to ensure as much as possible that separation etc was maintained, and not act further than that unless obvious significant offences occurred.

The Act of consent was enough for many to question why they should likewise not do things that they hold dear to them and necessary for their sanity. SA was lucky in that by and large we are a conservative bunch.

 

[SydneySwan]

Heard NT Chief Minister on ABC radio saying he expected internal border restrictions to be in place for 3 years!

 

[get me outta here]

In SYD city hotels, there were guards taking people downstairs for cigarettes and to get fresh air this is well reported.

Agreed. Not many City hotel rooms with windows or balconys.
And the numbers in the early days were thousands of rooms at a time.

Once again the big difference in NSW v VIC.
VIC - allowed 'guests' out for cigarette breaks and fresh air/limited exercise
NSW - locked in room for 14 days

Whether it was police/ADF or security guards the Vic policy vastly increased the risk of transmission (and I suspect your regular police/ADF member wouldn't get much more than 10min on PPE training either)