Australian Reports of the Virus Spread

[Must...Fly!]

If one assumes lockdown conditions in Sydney don't get harsher and even on modelling things go out to September (say end of October just to make is a worse case scenario), what do people think about that??? Its still a 4 month lockdown which is around the same amount of time that Melbourne went in lockdown last year.

I don't like it at all. But as I've been increasingly asking myself, is there an alternative? How different are the settings now to Melbourne's long lock down?

With Delta as infectious as it apparently is - and the whole "fleeting contact" thing - how harsh do you have to go to be sure to get to zero?

Keep in mind getting to zero most definitely should not be the goal now. The only goal should be keeping case numbers at a steady and potentially diminishing state such that the vaccine rollout can keep spooling up.

PS I type while on a train with someone coughing and spluttering all over the place...wonder if they've been COVID tested! Mask wearing is also not being observed very well.

 

[SydneySwan]

I am not sure if Gladys will reopen construction at end of July, with the rate of the numbers still going up right now.

But she has promised ................... Perrottet and the construction industry will be absolutely furious.

 

[HappyFlyerFamily]

I am not sure if Gladys will reopen construction at end of July, with the rate of the numbers still going up right now.

With the construction workforce in Sydney being about 300,000 (number courtesy of the NSW Deputy Premier at the NSW authorities's press conference I think 2 days ago), its a significant proportion to have tools down for any extended period.....and the NSW Premier/Health Minister has already stated what are the inputs to Crisis Cabinet decisions

 

[bcworld]

I think it's up to the State to assess compassionate entry? Or maybe SA Health doesn't point fingers at the Feds. Let's say South America then checked and yes, Argentina. Never been to South America and it shows . But if he was granted compassionate grounds (and he was) then likely he wasn't PR or citizen or he could simply have come back without permission needed.

Was compassionate entry even relevant for SA though? If is not a citizen or PR the compassionate entry was approved by the feds.

We know he spent his time in Sydney partially in the hotel and partially in hospital. At the time he entered SA there was no requirement for him to re-quarantine at home, provided his travel from Syd city to the airport met the requirements. That rule was changed after he travelled to require people who had HQ'ed in Sydney to then do 14 days home quarantine in SA.

The question I would have is was SA aware of the nature of his stay in Sydney...did they know about the hospital stay. Or, was he issued a standard exit letter for HQ by NSW Health?

 

[Pushka]

The question I would have is was SA aware of the nature of his stay in Sydney...did they know about the hospital stay. Or, was he issued a standard exit letter for HQ by NSW Health?

All good questions and many that others are likewise asking. Previously if there was a state border restriction then people had to serve two lots of quarantine. Of course with many weeks of zeroes, during that time this requirement wasn't needed. I believe SA Health were aware he'd spent 10 days in a PH in Sydney and this was during the days of the Bondi outbreak. If they didn't they aren't saying that. Needless to say, and too late, the double quarantine clause has now been re-inserted.

All day at Seppeltsfield winery on the 19th is now a Tier 1 site so all must isolate and test for 14 days. We aren't out of this yet.

 

[HappyFlyerFamily]

All good questions and many that others are likewise asking. Previously if there was a state border restriction then people had to serve two lots of quarantine. Of course with many weeks of zeroes, during that time this requirement wasn't needed. I believe SA Health were aware he'd spent 10 days in a PH in Sydney and this was during the days of the Bondi outbreak. If they didn't they aren't saying that. Needless to say, and too late, the double quarantine clause has now been re-inserted.

All day at Seppeltsfield winery on the 19th is now a Tier 1 site so all must isolate and test for 14 days. We aren't out of this yet.

What's the criteria for getting hauled into medi-hotel? Just for the information/benefit of those who visited the winery on the 19th.

 

[Pushka]

What's the criteria for getting hauled into medi-hotel? Just for the information/benefit of those who visited the winery on the 19th.

Being there for the lunch I guess? Service?

 

[Princess Fiona]

All good questions and many that others are likewise asking. Previously if there was a state border restriction then people had to serve two lots of quarantine. Of course with many weeks of zeroes, during that time this requirement wasn't needed. I believe SA Health were aware he'd spent 10 days in a PH in Sydney and this was during the days of the Bondi outbreak. If they didn't they aren't saying that. Needless to say, and too late, the double quarantine clause has now been re-inserted.

All day at Seppeltsfield winery on the 19th is now a Tier 1 site so all must isolate and test for 14 days. We aren't out of this yet.

To be fair to them (kinda sorta)
RPA isn’t the local public hospital for that area of Sydney (Bondi) it’s POW. But yep like you I’m very surprised that he wasn’t treated like a Covid-hotspot returnee rather than someone who had completed HQ elsewhere before getting to SA.

 

[Pushka]

To be fair to them (kinda sorta)
RPA isn’t the local public hospital for that area of Sydney (Bondi) it’s POW. But yep like you I’m very surprised that he wasn’t treated like a Covid-hotspot returnee rather than someone who had completed HQ elsewhere before getting to SA.

Needless to say, as of two days ago, the policy has reverted to the original - double quarantine. IF you are allowed in that is. We know of people stuck in Byron Bay and Broken Hill because SA Health are refusing them to return home to SA. It's all rather, troubling.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

NSW COVID cases In community whilst infectious, courtesy of CovidBaseAU,

Today: 48 whole, 22 part, 17 unknown, 37 never

Outbreak totals: 539 whole, 217 part, 115 unknown, 781 never

Percent of cases infectious in community:

• 16/7: 53%
• 17/7: 38%
• 18/7: 34%
• 19/7: 45%
• 20/7: 53%
• 21/7: 66%
• 22/7: 70%

 

[Princess Fiona]

NSW COVID cases In community whilst infectious, courtesy of CovidBaseAU,

Today: 48 whole, 22 part, 17 unknown, 37 never

Outbreak totals: 539 whole, 217 part, 115 unknown, 781 never

Percent of cases infectious in community:

• 16/7: 53%
• 17/7: 38%
• 18/7: 34%
• 19/7: 45%
• 20/7: 53%
• 21/7: 66%
• 22/7: 70%

View attachment 253750

The only people you should now have moving around are essential workers and people undertaking essential reasons to leave home and those people should be a relatively stable number who will be in the community in the current level of the lockdown.
If the numbers contracting Covid are increasing in this group then it would seem that there are an awful lot of background / unknown chains of transmission in the community still.
It’s all a bit depressing really.

 

[kamchatsky]

The only people you should now have moving around are essential workers and people undertaking essential reasons to leave home and those people should be a relatively stable number who will be in the community in the current level of the lockdown.
If the numbers contracting Covid are increasing in this group then it would seem that there are an awful lot of background / unknown chains of transmission in the community still.
It’s all a bit depressing really.

The problem is the definition essential. It is just way too widely defined to properly contain the virus. I just cannot see anyway we are out of it.

 

[HappyFlyerFamily]

The only people you should now have moving around are essential workers and people undertaking essential reasons to leave home and those people should be a relatively stable number who will be in the community in the current level of the lockdown.
If the numbers contracting Covid are increasing in this group then it would seem that there are an awful lot of background / unknown chains of transmission in the community still.
It’s all a bit depressing really.

I think NSW authorities' press conference today was inferring that this is increasingly the case - the people becoming positive are critical work and/or essential shopping + plus their households (which generally get a subsequent 100% strikerate).

Yes its very depressing - more so because the NSW government don't sound like they are consulting with business on contingency plans.

So in the coming week the number that are asymptomatic while out legally (ie the main two groups being critical work and essential shopping) will equal the number of non-isolating while infectious

 

[moa999]

The main problem with regards to controlling the outbreak is that the key number is the number of people infectious in the community is trending up.

Agreed.. although that number itself is misleading. Its anyone not quarantining 24/7.

Big difference if those people are healthcare workers, or someone staying at home 23/7 bar the occasional walk or once a week shop.

 

[moa999]

300,000 (number courtesy of the NSW Deputy Premier at the NSW authorities's press conference I think 2 days ago), its a significant proportion to have tools down for any extended period....

Its also a significant proportion that are highly mobile..

I read elsewhere someone saying direct all Pfizer doses to tradies... But even then NSW is only vaccinating about 60k a day

And that's doses not going to hospital staff, aged care workers etc.

 

[HappyFlyerFamily]

Agreed.. although that number itself is misleading. Its anyone not quarantining 24/7.

Big difference if those people are healthcare workers, or someone staying at home 23/7 bar the occasional walk or once a week shop.

Agree, but from the types of activity you mentioned as 23/7 its narrowed down to the once a week shops - its repeatedly been said no NSW example of becoming positive from exercise.

 

[HappyFlyerFamily]

Its also a significant proportion that are highly mobile..

I read elsewhere someone saying direct all Pfizer doses to tradies... But even then NSW is only vaccinating about 60k a day

And that's doses not going to hospital staff, aged care workers etc.

More privileges.......sigh, trying to jump the queue so tradies/constructions sites can work.

I'm certain across Australia the healthcare and aged care workforce are still way behind on a suitable vaccination rate. (no idea how the border workers are placed).

 

[lovetravellingoz]

This case is a little odd (or the article below is inaccurate- maybe they were tested on Tuesday?) in that it indicated that the person tested positive on Tuesday and so one would have thought should have been in today's figures rather than tomorrow's (Thursday).

Victoria: Casey Hospital staff member tests positive to COVID-19​

By Neelima Choahan, ABC​

​

An employee at Casey Hospital in Victoria has tested positive for COVID-19 on Tuesday following a community exposure, the hospital has said.​

​

The case was not included in today's Department of Health figures.​

​

In a media release, the hospital said the employee worked one shift during their expected infectious period, with their exposure linked to the existing community outbreak.​

​

The hospital said they did not believe the employee, who is not in a patient-facing role, had any interaction with patients. ​

​

The employee wore appropriate PPE during their shift and took a test as soon as they experienced symptoms.​

​

The hospital has furloughed 41 employees as a precaution and is awaiting their test results.​

​

Monash Health South East Public Health director Rhonda Stuart said the employee was being supported through the 14-day quarantine period.​

​

Professor Stuart said all employees at Casey Hospital were being kept informed about possible exposure areas and steps taken to manage and contain any risk while undertaking contact tracing.​

 

[bcworld]

Byron Bay wastewater detections

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1418178696163168260

 

[antycbr]

Byron Bay wastewater detections

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1418178696163168260

Byron is in the Queensland bubble. There has been times when the border bubble has been Tweed LGA only the current bubble is quite large stretching to Grafton south.