Australian Reports of the Virus Spread

[lovetravellingoz]

The only link they could establish was work patterns. They reviewed days and days of security vision and the only link they could establish is the work activity of the security guy. They could not determine how the cleaner got it.

As drron indicated security vision may or may not help as it will not be 100% everywhere.

It will not be in toilets/bathrooms/changing rooms.

It may also not have 100% coverage of all public areas. Hotels are not Fort Knoxes and so their CCTV is not likely be all-embracing, and when their CCTV was destined it would it have had hotel quarantine in mind.

In addition staff and others often know where the "blind spots" are.

 

[Pushka]

It will not be in toilets/bathrooms/changing rooms.

Travellers in quarantine dont leave their rooms so that isnt at issue here. I would expect that CCTV had vision of every door where quarantined people were located. I dont understand why there is so much questionning of the SA Health findings.

 

[andye]

As has been demonstrated time again from the Portsea Couple to the SA Essential Worker who "guested" a 20 year old female in his isolation hotel (no real security) thus sparking the Thebarton Cluster and sending over a thousand people in isolation, or even to the ADF member in NSW who "guested" a lady in his quarantine hotel room overnight despite there meat to have been security.

History is full of examples of people taking enormous risks (reputational/legal/safety) to pursue their passions and impulses. Part of the imperfect human condition

 

[jase05]

Anna and Mark both have their fingers on the button

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1339101776302071810

 

[Pushka]

Anna and Mark both have their fingers on the button

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1339101776302071810

Just as SA announced all our border restrictions have been dismantled. The two hours at the Bowling club is a concern.

On the other hand maybe it might spur the TGA to sort out whether they approve the vaccinations with a little more urgency. At least the tracers have some time to sort it now. Maybe one of their kids works in Quarantine. But at least the data is within the last two days so hopefully that is it.

 

[Must...Fly!]

Just as Christmas was looking good.

May as well stack on the last remaining bit of pain that could possibly be inflicted in 2020.

 

[jakeseven7]

Sydney van driver who shuttles airline crew tests positive to COVID-19 in first community transmission case since Dec 3​

A van driver who shuttles airline crew to and from Sydney Airport has become the first case of COVID-19 contracted via community transmission in NSW since December 3.

NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard announced the "unfortunate" development at a press conference in Sydney on Wednesday morning, saying the positive test was identified after the man was tested on Tuesday.

Mr Hazzard said the driver, a 45-year-old man, began showing symptoms on Saturday.

He said the case has prompted the NSW government to seek talks with international airlines "within 48 hours", and the government's "inclination at this time" is to look into making changes to the quarantine requirements for air crew.

Two new COVID-19 cases in Sydney’s northern beaches, one in south-west

Three new cases of COVID-19 have been detected on Wednesday, two in Sydney’s northern beaches and one in the city’s south-west, NSW Health said.

www.smh.com.au

 

[andye]

A busy few days ahead for all my friends in the Northern Beaches testing centres

 

[jakeseven7]

Breaking: Two new COVID-19 cases found on Sydney's northern beaches​

Two new community transmission cases of COVID-19 have been detected in the northern beaches of Sydney, NSW Health said on Wednesday evening.

The source of these new infections is unknown and under investigation. At this stage, no links have been identified to other known cases.

An urgent health alert has been issued after it was revealed a Sydney man who tested positive to COVID-19 today visited a junior football event while infected.

More to come.

Two new COVID-19 cases in Sydney’s northern beaches, one in south-west

Three new cases of COVID-19 have been detected on Wednesday, two in Sydney’s northern beaches and one in the city’s south-west, NSW Health said.

www.smh.com.au

 

[N860CR]

If, nearly a year into this, any premier starts “slamming borders shut” because of two cases then it really reaffirms how badly we’ve managed the pandemic.

 

[jakeseven7]

Anna and Mark both have their fingers on the button

Well interesting QLD said they would not be closing for small single digit outbreaks (Anna buried Dr Young in the basement a few weeks ago!)

WA on the otherhand has silenced their CHO and will absolutely shut the border. Any minute now.
Just waiting... we have family on a PER bound flight from NSW imminently and they are very very worried.

 

[RAM]

How do you prioritise people who don’t express interest to you in returning home? In fact, how do you know they want to return at all?

If people don't express interest in returning home I wouldn't prioritise them.

For those that do - I suppose you take that they have gone through the process of registering with DFAT that they want to return home as an indication that they want to return home.

Or did I misinterpret your post?

 

[RAM]

That is concerning and effectively casts doubt on the whole hotel process. If you can't locate the leak, you can't fix the leak!

It is surprising that there has not been any public discussion about the reality of contagious diseases and quarantine.

The only way to ensure complete safety in addition to all PPE, hand washing etc etc - is for rooms to have negative air pressure & individual venting. Negative air pressure means that the air pressure within the room is lower than the access area to the room so air flow is from outside in. I believe that within the entire NSW hospital system there are less than 50 such beds/rooms statewide.

There is not one hotel room within Australia that has negative air pressure, let alone sole venting - instead it is a daisy chain set-up. Large floor plates may have 2 or 3 separate ac chains across a number of rooms & common areas - which goes a long way to explain the idea of 'hot hotels'. As was seen with the ill-fated Diamond Princess - CV spread across the entire ship despite the best intentions.

Which is why the earlier post about the hotel security worker not physically coming into contact with a CV positive traveller is credible unfortunately. Exactly the same deal with being on any airplane as the air is not vented at all to outside until some time after take-off & again before landing. During the flight the air is vented but it travels some distance & hence the high importance of keeping masks on at all times & preferably some kind of eye protection (clear glasses like safety glasses etc)

Pushka - "Travellers in quarantine dont leave their rooms so that isnt at issue here. I would expect that CCTV had vision of every door where quarantined people were located. I dont understand why there is so much questionning of the SA Health findings. "

Unless there have been many new cameras installed (which for some reason I doubt) the typical hotel CCTV only covers fire stairs & lifts on hotel room floors - designed as security measures not quarantine facility monitoring - people could easily move between rooms without being seen. Also that some people have tried to 'escape' for various reasons (was it in WA where the man left several times to visit his girlfriend earlier this year?) means that the 1% can ruin it (create more risk) for the 99% doing the right thing.

 

[Flashback]

Personally as someone who did come back to Oz on a regular flight, I am not a fan of the idea of having to get a negative CV test pre flight. I don't think there is appreciation as to how difficult that would be to get in some countries, coming from the US I would have struggled to produce that bit of paper. Even on the flight, I was not stressed about getting CV from other passengers as I kept my mask on for the majority of the 14 hours on the plane, only briefly taking it off to eat or drink. I changed my mask regularly. I was diligent about hygiene after bathroom use etc. There seems to be a lot of debate about the hotel quarantine as well which I do not understand how the process could be spreading the virus. Only people I saw or interacted with during the 14 days were medical staff for CV tests and police on day 13 to discuss departure. At times, to me, it feels like there is an over reaction in Oz to cases of CV that are identified in quarantine hotels. However, I do strongly belief that the hotel quarantine system needs to continue even though I would prefer home quarantine. I was a member of some FB groups for Australians in quarantine and based on some comments that were made, my take was given the opportunity rules would have been breached in a heartbeat.

Out of interest what kind of masks were you wearing on the flight? If it wasn't medical grade (N95 or similar) then it offered protection to other passengers from yourself, rather than the other way around.

 

[RooFlyer]

If people don't express interest in returning home I wouldn't prioritise them.

For those that do - I suppose you take that they have gone through the process of registering with DFAT that they want to return home as an indication that they want to return home.

Or did I misinterpret your post?

No, you are ok there. But let me add that an expression of interest, or even a strong desire in returning home to DFAT confers no particular priority.

 

[RooFlyer]

Out of interest what kind of masks were you wearing on the flight? If it wasn't medical grade (N95 or similar) then it offered protection to other passengers from yourself, rather than the other way around.

Interestingly, ( or not) I wore an N95 mask when I returned LHR-DOH-ADL back in March. Normal loaded flight; the crew wore surgical masks when serving to the seat, but few other pax wore any type of mask.

 

[Flashback]

Interestingly, ( or not) I wore an N95 mask when I returned LHR-DOH-ADL back in March. Normal loaded flight; the crew wore surgical masks when serving to the seat, but few other pax wore any type of mask.

Having just been in a travel clinic this morning and seeing them on display, the other type is FFP2 I think.

 

[jakeseven7]

NSW / WA border update, looks like NSW might be put back into the sin bin by WA.

QLD though is so far maintaining open borders, so that is something.... but the QLD CHO made these comments before the new Northern Beaches outbreak was detected and is considering her options now.....


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WA border fears after NSW local infections​

There are once again questions over Western Australia's open border arrangements after New South Wales recorded its first locally acquired COVID-19 infection since a hotel quarantine worker tested positive earlier this month.

WA Premier Mark McGowan's office said the state's Chief Health Officer (CHO) was liaising with NSW Health to seek the latest information about the locally acquired cases.

"The controlled border we have in place with all other states allows up to put up the hard border immediately if we need to," he said.

"If the advice comes back that we need to put up a hard border then we will."

WA border fears after NSW local infections

West Australian authorities are closely monitoring the situation in NSW after the state recorded three locally acquired COVID-19 cases within 24 hours.

thewest.com.au

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Queensland border with NSW will remain open despite coronavirus scare​

Queensland’s border with NSW will remain open “at this stage” despite revelations of a new community-acquired coronavirus cases in Sydney.

The Sunshine State’s acting premier, Steven Miles, said chief health officer Jeannette Young was in discussions with her NSW counterpart, and the health department was confident the airport case had been contained.

“The report is concerning,” Mr Miles told reporters on Wednesday. “(But) it sounds like they have identified it relatively early.

“The real test is not so much this case – the fact they found it could be a good thing. What the chief health officers now need to determine is what level of community exposure there has been to this person as well as what the link is to known cases.

“That’s what they will be working on over the next few days – we’ve talked about how important that first 48 hours is.”

These comments were made before another two cases were reported in NSW later on Wednesday, with a spokesperson for Mr Miles’ confirming to NCA NewsWire a call on the borders would not be made until Dr Young was able to again speak with her NSW counterpart.

NoCookies | The Australian

www.theaustralian.com.au

 

[oz_mark]

NSW / WA border update, looks like NSW might be put back into the sin bin by WA.

QLD though is so far maintaining open borders, so that is something.... but the QLD CHO made these comments before the new Northern Beaches outbreak was detected and is considering her options now.....

No change to the WA borders for the moment.

 

[Must...Fly!]

Anyone else with anxiety through the roof? Couldn't give a toss about 3 cases in a state of 7.5 million about 1,000km away, but with the WA government reactions of the past it feels impossible not to be very anxious!