Australian Reports of the Virus Spread

[Must...Fly!]

There is no doubt that Victoria dislike for the NSW approach played a significant factor in closing the border with such minimal case numbers.

NSW has shown (so far) to again be the best jurisdiction in suppressing a covid-19 outbreak.

 

[hydrabyss]

It was widely reported last month that "Premier Dan Andrews said New South Wales' reluctance to enforce mask-wearing and tough restrictions made his decision to set up border checkpoints"and then close borders to all of NSW not just the hotspot of NB. He is now reconsidering opening to regional NSW (what were by his own states definition always green zones) because masks are now in play.

I didnt say it was the sole factor, but it was *part*, if NSW had mandated masks when Vic first started complaining about the lack of them (influence by media) Vic probably wouldnt have a hard border.

There where some news articles floating around like this one which appears to make mask wearing an issue for other states.
I am just glad NSW got the numbers down to zero due to their own actions not what others where telling them to do.

Coronavirus Australia: States close borders to NSW

 

[OATEK]

You really need to get over this. Vic is not trying to force any other State or Territory to do anything except the current domestic border arrangements.

Vic does have the legislative means nor do they have an Air Force, Army etc to impose its will. Victoria's last navy ship the HMVS Cerberus is beached at Half Moon Bay.

Vic is not going to force any state to do anything. Nor would other states do something just because Victoria demands it.
They may suggest what they would like, and indeed have suggested a national approach that they desire on several things, but many controls are either up to each state or the Federal Gov for others.

However sometimes one state's choice may give another state no choice though as they will be affected anyway. ie Vic saying no to NZ flights, but with other States saying yes, it gained NZ arrivals anyway.

We get the parochialism that goes with Covid-19 in Australia, and pariculalrly the deep emotions that the major outbreak in Vic brings to the fore.

This quote suggests that Vic/Andrews wants to bring about changes:
The Victorian Premier said he wants to push mandatory COVID-19 testing of flight crew, treating them as if they are “no different” to returned travellers, and pre-flight testing at Friday’s meeting.

He said it’s part of a bigger plan to keep the “hyper-infectious” UK strain of the coronavirus out of the wider community.

“I‘m back to make sure that those things that we have led on become part of our national coronavirus response,” he told reporters on Thursday morning.

Daniel Andrews pushes plan to keep UK virus strain out

Daniel Andrews has returned from leave ahead of a crucial national cabinet meeting where he says he will push for Australian jurisdictions to join Victoria in adopting certain hotel quarantine measures.

www.news.com.au

Now you might object to "force" with all the hyperbolic statements about the former Vic navy, but can we agree that Vic is trying to bring about change for the whole nation?

 

[Pushka]

Now you might object to "force" with all the hyperbolic statements about the former Vic navy, but can we agree that Vic is trying to bring about change for the whole nation?

just a shame he wasn't onboard with that approach when SA proposed it months ago

 

[RooFlyer]

With an opinion like that I will cease replying to any further posts by yourself.

Whew. The continued nit-picking was getting tedious. I'm happy to read a diversity of opinion, especially, like you I believe I am not an expert or all-knowing in the whole virus/epidemiology thing.

Parochialism in this thread has approached that of the football sometimes

 

[HappyFlyerFamily]

just a shame he wasn't onboard with that approach when SA proposed it months ago

According to someone (the report I read said WA Premier), it was raised in September by the Vic Premier and WA Premier (I guess in National Cabinet) but the PM was not supportive at that time.

 

[SydneySwan]

Parochialism in this thread has approach that of the football sometimes

I agree but most of the state premiers are leading by example in this regard.

 

[Lynda2475]

Some stats from SMH re the growing cases in NSW HQ:

There were 31 cases arriving in Sydney from Britain between November 8 and Boxing Day. The travellers who had hoped to spend Christmas in Australia and escape Britain’s worsening COVID-19 crisis will instead spend weeks in health hotels.

That compared with 69 British COVID cases arriving in the six months between March 29 and September 30. Britain is second only to the US in terms of the number of COVID imports to NSW, overtaking India, NSW Health’s surveillance reports show.

NSW Chief Health Officer Dr Kerry Chant said two coronavirus cases in quarantine had so far carried Britain's more infectious mutant strain.

Victorian Police Minister Lisa Neville said her state raised their concerns about the more virulent British strain at a meeting of the nation's health ministers this week. Ms Neville said the national cabinet should consider closing borders if modelling deemed it necessary.

 

[Pushka]

According to someone (the report I read said WA Premier), it was raised in September by the Vic Premier and WA Premier (I guess in National Cabinet) but the PM was not supportive at that time.

Don't know about September but this from ABC today:

"South Australia's Premier will again lobby National Cabinet for the introduction of pre-flight COVID-19 testing for all returning international travellers, amid ongoing concerns about new strains of the virus.

Key points:​

• Steven Marshall previously raised the idea of mandatory pre-flight testing in November
• He will raise it again on Friday, along with Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews
• It comes amid concerns about the threat posed by new strains of the virus

Steven Marshall previously raised the idea in November as part of an eight-point plan in the wake of South Australia's Parafield cluster.

Under the plan, which would have to be approved by National Cabinet, all returning travellers would be required to undergo mandatory coronavirus tests.

They would then have to return a negative result before boarding their flights."

 

[Lynda2475]

AP just put Greater Brisbane into a 3 day lockdown because of the cleaner case and mandatory masks.

She has declared Greater Brisbane a hot spot, 4 reasons to leave home but still allowing 2 visitors in the home.

Funny though no sign of masks amongst the presser participants i.e JY, Police, Health Minister all maskless whilst standing waiting to speak, whereas in Vic and NSW at times where masks are mandted they wear them whilst waiting to speak.

JY admitted they havent been able to locate some close contacts.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

We get the parochialism that goes with Covid-19 in Australia, and pariculalrly the deep emotions that the major outbreak in Vic brings to the fore.

This quote suggests that Vic/Andrews wants to bring about changes:
The Victorian Premier said he wants to push mandatory COVID-19 testing of flight crew, treating them as if they are “no different” to returned travellers, and pre-flight testing at Friday’s meeting.

He said it’s part of a bigger plan to keep the “hyper-infectious” UK strain of the coronavirus out of the wider community.

“I‘m back to make sure that those things that we have led on become part of our national coronavirus response,” he told reporters on Thursday morning.

Daniel Andrews pushes plan to keep UK virus strain out

Daniel Andrews has returned from leave ahead of a crucial national cabinet meeting where he says he will push for Australian jurisdictions to join Victoria in adopting certain hotel quarantine measures.

www.news.com.au

Now you might object to "force" with all the hyperbolic statements about the former Vic navy, but can we agree that Vic is trying to bring about change for the whole nation?

Yes, as I clearly stated that on Tuesday and on other days.

Including quoting Dan as per your quotes above.

Vic has recommended changes be made on a national basis.


But there is a huge difference between seeking and encouraging changes to forcing changes.

And moreso when on many measures states can and will decide what they will do anyway.

Implying that a person of Chen's standing and credibility would just be on such an expert commiittee as an extra vote to exert the will of Dan Andrews is just tinfoil hat stuff. Plus ignores that 2 people will not be able to force a committee of 25 to do anything.

 

[antycbr]

AP just put Greater Brisbane into a 3 day lockdown because of the cleaner case and mandatory masks.

She has declared Greater Brisbane a hot spot, 4 reasons to leave home but still allowing 2 visitors in the home.

NSW needs to close the border to this threat! </sarcasm>

I didnt expect they'd go so hard on this.

Surely the whole Hotel Quarantine arrangement will have to move remotely soon with this level of disruption to our third biggest city, after multiple breaches in Sydney and a PPE failure in WA?

Bringing highly infectious people into the centre of our cities is lunacy. A remote facility, with staff remunerated on a FIFO basis. $200k/annum is nothing compared to what happens to the economy during a lockdown. The states showed leadership before and if the Commonwealth won't they should step up.

 

[Pushka]

The cleaner in Qld. So she developed symptoms and was tested on that day. So why do they think she was infectious for the five days prior? I thought it was the 24 hours prior to symptoms or has that changed now? In which case it's pretty much impossible to contain.

 

[HappyFlyerFamily]

Yes, as I clearly stated that on Tuesday and on other days.

Vic has recommended changes be made on a national basis.


But there is a huge difference between seeking and encouraging changes to forcing changes.

And moreso when on many measures states can and will decide what they will do anyway.

Implying that a person of Chen's standing and credibility would just be on such an expert commiittee as an extra vote to exert the will of Dan Andrews is just tinfoil hat stuff. Plus ignores that 2 people will not be able to force a committee of 25 to do anything.

It might have been fairer if the Victorian Government had said Dr Cheng in his independent role as virus expert will be putting forward proposals to AHPPC and the Victorian Government supports it.....

 

[Lynda2475]

I didnt expect they'd go so hard on this

They have been having trouble locating some close contacts, using this as a tactic to keep people home to find them - implies thwt people havent been checking in or give correct contact details.

 

[HappyFlyerFamily]

AP just put Greater Brisbane into a 3 day lockdown because of the cleaner case and mandatory masks.

She has declared Greater Brisbane a hot spot, 4 reasons to leave home but still allowing 2 visitors in the home.

Funny though no sign of masks amongst the presser participants i.e JY, Police, Health Minister all maskless whilst standing waiting to speak, whereas in Vic and NSW at times where masks are mandted they wear them whilst waiting to speak.

JY admitted they havent been able to locate some close contacts.

Seems like doing a similar time based lockdown as per Northern Beaches, just added masks

 

[lovetravellingoz]

The cleaner in Qld. So she developed symptoms and was tested on that day. So why do they think she was infectious for the five days prior? I thought it was the 24 hours prior to symptoms or has that changed now? In which case it's pretty much impossible to contain.

Several days and peak infectious can be before symptom onset.

Also if symptoms are mild at first one may not notice them initially. Also when the person is interviewed they may have gone in for a runny nose but on prompting then realise that they had a lost of smell or taste earlier.

 

[Must...Fly!]

1 case and a lockdown

My goodness

 

[HappyFlyerFamily]

NSW needs to close the border to this threat! </sarcasm>

I didnt expect they'd go so hard on this.

Surely the whole Hotel Quarantine arrangement will have to move remotely soon with this level of disruption to our third biggest city, after multiple breaches in Sydney and a PPE failure in WA?

Bringing highly infectious people into the centre of our cities is lunacy. A remote facility, with staff remunerated on a FIFO basis. $200k/annum is nothing compared to what happens to the economy during a lockdown. The states showed leadership before and if the Commonwealth won't they should step up.

While moving quarantine makes some sense, it doesn't seem that logic is being filtered into AHPPC recommendations - the rumour is pre-tests, quarantine staff measures and international flight crew measures.

 

[Lynda2475]

It might have been fairer if the Victorian Government had said Dr Cheng in his independent role as virus expert will be putting forward proposals to AHPPC and the Victorian Government supports it.....

Which is what i said last night, announce independently in his AHPPC role at the AHPPC not in his Vic role at a Vic presser as a Vic policy they want everyone else to adopt. Prof Chen is choosing to align himself with Andrews government which weakens his image. It is not a conspriracy theory, no tin foil hat required, Vic pressers are a matter of public record.

ABC journalist asked CMO Paul Kelly this morning re national guidelines for PPE for transport drivers and cleaners at HQ, as this is where leaks are happening. Let"s hope this gets some focus today, as if with correct PPE use even if the virus is present in travellers simething a pre-flight test cant guarantee (especially if it its done 72 hours out, surely rapid test during boarding makes more sense than a swab 3 days out).