Australian Reports of the Virus Spread

[drron]

That's fine, but I note that this is from the Nick Coatsworths of this world....

Yes a fellow who is a true infectious disease consultant as well as having a higher degree in International public health who has consistently called for high vaccination rates.
And has railed against experts who give out false information about vaccines even before the recent outbreaks.

Top doc’s grim warning of COVID return

Australia’s former deputy chief medical officer, Dr Nick Coatsworth has called on Australia to prepare for the return of COVID-19 cases as we gradually re-open our borders.

www.news.com.au

And has stuck by the AZ vaccine against persistent attacks.An early example.Note the main arument against him was Victoria's nebuliser man subsequently found to not be the problem.

Infectious diseases expert defends Australia's decision to use AstraZeneca vaccine on Q+A

As cases from Melbourne's Holiday Inn coronavirus outbreak grow, Australia's top infectious diseases expert Nick Coatsworth is told he is "wrong" to say there is still debate about aerosol transmission.

www.abc.net.au

 

[moa999]

If curfew assists police in identifying people who are going to/from other households this weekend, or deters them from doing so, is it just theatrics?

But how does an 8pm curfew do that?
Plenty of other time during the day to break the rules.

Take it to the extreme and say you make a 23 hour curfew.
How busy do you think the supermarkets and jogging routes will be during that hour.

I live in a built up area and have been regularly doing my shopping after 8pm to reduce contact, as the supermarkets are busy (but not as busy as they once were) during daylight hours.

 

[HappyFlyerFamily]

Just a snapshot of Sydney/NSW over the past few days.

It seems the numbers are getting worse and worse. Given the information today, I guess what might be happening is before a higher proportion were not critical workers up to about 19 or 20 July, when the number fully isolating dropped through the floor. The fully isolating percentage are probably mainly comprising household contacts and partially isolating are those going out on the daily shop. The asymptomatic testing does look like its picking up more cases - effectively record testing numbers for the past 3 days.

PS 6th death announced at today's NSW authorities press conference - to be formally reflected in tomorrow's numbers.

Date	Local acquired	Overseas acquired	Isolating during infectious period	Partially isolating during infectious period	ICU	Ventilator	Death
15-Jul​	65​	2​	29 (45%)	7 (11%)	19​	5​
16-Jul​	97​	1​	46 (47%)	17 (18%)	18​	5​
17-Jul​	111​	6​	69 (62%)	10 (9%)	18​	6​	3rd
18-Jul​	105​	4​	69 (65%)	7 (7%)	18​	7​	4th
19-Jul​	98​	2​	54 (55%)	17 (17%)	24​	7​
20-Jul​	78​	1​	37 (47%)	8 (10%)	27​	11​	5th
21-Jul​	110​	2​	37 (34%)	17 (15%)	23​	11​
22-Jul​	124​	0​	37 (30%)	22 (18%)	28​	14​
23-Jul​	136​	5​	53 (39%)	17 (13%)	32​	14​
24-Jul​	???						6th

 

[RAM]

So we are talking about no consumption outside cafes and no playgrounds, despite supermarkets and fast food being open and kindergarten/child care still open too in Vic.

Doesn't make much sense. But also shows how difficult/impossible this may be to contain

In shops/supermarkets/chemists etc people are supposed to be wearing a mask (properly) at all times.

Outside a cafe/coffee shop people are allowed to be maskless while eating/drinking with NSW's Clayton's Lockdown. Every day there are photos of the beach areas, Centennial Park (complete with multiple coffee vendors) with crowds not social distancing, around half maskless as they're exercising.

Meanwhile back where this outbreak first came to attention in Bondi Junction (but did not source from originally, source never found by the contact tracers) there are 27 active cases living there and just daily testing of 100 people (yesterday).

When was the last time Bondi Junction was called out for testing? After all that was the revelation last Saturday that a worker at Westfield Bonid Junction carried the infection to Fairfield, genetically linked.

I may have missed it but is there anything officially about exactly where the breach was with the 90yr old man who was in RPA & carried CV to Adelaide?

 

[MEL_Traveller]

To those advocating for “harsher lockdowns”, what do you actually want to see? We’ve become so conditioned to this “lockdown mentality” that we seem to have blurred the line between something that is required and something that is simply a form of punishment.

That's quite a different perspective. I don't know anyone, at any time, that has considered lockdowns a form of punishment. Not even our (Liberal) opposition leader has mentioned 'punishment'.

If anyone sees this as punishment rather than a genuine attempt at health management i guess that might explain such high numbers of non-compliance?

 

[lovetravellingoz]

Transmission between (not in) households was mentioned in the NSW press conference today.

If curfew assists police in identifying people who are going to/from other households this weekend, or deters them from doing so, is it just theatrics?

Plus also I think that Greater Sydney is still on the 10km (314 km2 vs 78.5km2 for 5km) restriction, plus anywhere with their LGA? So again that potentially allows more spatial as well as temporal mixing as it is difficult to enforce no visiting another household.


If the goal is to minimise mixing in order to minimise transmissions, we will have to wait and see what the measures that Dr Chant is said to be working on over the weekend, and which will not be announced till next week. Given the interval time between cases of Delta, that is quite a significant delay to try and slow down the rate of transmission without any significant change other than the LGA one.

Gladys seemed to flagging lockdown till October, and to keep things flowing with more vaccinations (both AZ and Pfizer) as well as focussing those vaccines in the higher risk areas (an excellent idea), including to get more under 40's vaccinated more quickly.

From memory significant protection is about 3 weeks after vaccination, and with Delta more so 3 weeks after the second dose. So that for most new vaccinations going to be well after October commences. What happens in the meantime? NSW at best at present is going sideways. It actually seems to be getting worse.

A lot is going to depend on the Greater Sydney population actually going and getting AZ. Overcoming virus spread, and in turn being able to get lockdown measures relaxed, also needs to be a community effort. The more mixing that occurs, and the less vaccinations that are achieved, the slower it will all be. But you really do not want to rely on more vaccinations solving the problem.

 

[RAM]

And then add that it will get worse before it gets better.

Don't be rude about Gladys & Brad's finger pointing!

Silver lining - they took Kerry out of solitary confinement today! She must have promised to be a team player again.

 

[N860CR]

That's quite a different perspective. I don't know anyone, at any time, that has considered lockdowns a form of punishment. Not even our (Liberal) opposition leader has mentioned 'punishment'.

If anyone sees this as punishment rather than a genuine attempt at health management i guess that might explain such high numbers of non-compliance?

Was that meant to be an answer?

Again, what do you want to see done to make the lockdown "harsher" and what will it achieve?

 

[lovetravellingoz]

Covid goes to Dreamworld...

By Jessica Riga, ABC News

COVID case visited Dreamworld in Queensland​

Dreamworld has confirmed that a positive COVID-19 case visited the theme park on Friday July 16 from 10:30am until 2:00pm. ​

​

Queensland Health has advised that any guests who visited Dreamworld during that time should monitor their health and, if they develop the mildest of COVID-19 symptoms, get tested. ​

​

Dreamworld team members who came into direct contact with the positive guest are being identified, asked to isolate immediately and to present a negative test before returning to work.​

​

"Dreamworld's number one priority is the health and safety of guests and team members, and the park operates under a Queensland Health approved COVID safe plan," Dreamworld said in a statement.​

 

[andye]

Covid goes to Dreamworld...

By Jessica Riga, ABC News

COVID case visited Dreamworld in Queensland​

Dreamworld has confirmed that a positive COVID-19 case visited the theme park on Friday July 16 from 10:30am until 2:00pm. ​

​

Queensland Health has advised that any guests who visited Dreamworld during that time should monitor their health and, if they develop the mildest of COVID-19 symptoms, get tested. ​

​

Dreamworld team members who came into direct contact with the positive guest are being identified, asked to isolate immediately and to present a negative test before returning to work.​

​

"Dreamworld's number one priority is the health and safety of guests and team members, and the park operates under a Queensland Health approved COVID safe plan," Dreamworld said in a statement.​

Given the close queuing there is a chance of outdoor transmission

 

[Princess Fiona]

Where is the ring of steel needed. I am not aware of any spreading out to the regional areas by anyone other than essential workers.

There are people in shopping centres claiming not to have mobile phones so can’t check-in.
In fact I just witnessed an extended family being turned away by security for that exact reason at my regional shopping Centre.

We have also had a takeaway food van from Sydney set up in the Main Street in Newcastle.
The letter from our MP to the MOH fell on deaf ears as they are “essential workers”.
Numerous other examples.

As we are within the 50km buffer zone of the lockdown areas there is no requirement for essential workers traveling here to be tested.

Right now we are feeling very vulnerable.
Thankfully there has been no cases here but it could happen anytime.

 

[RAM]

Where is the ring of steel needed. I am not aware of any spreading out to the regional areas by anyone other than essential workers.

There have been a number of removalists breaking the borders as well as going into/out of Sydney despite orders not to.

More to the point though is the movement of boats out of Northern Beaches and harbour moorings - and no I don't mean super yachts. A friend reported around a dozen have slipped their moorings since the weekend before last from the view from her unit. She did not notice any leaving during daylight hours (working from home & her desk is looking out over the boats), but next morning another gap has appeared. I wonder what the boat numbers up at Byron has been doing?

 

[Jmrocky]

Given the close queuing there is a chance of outdoor transmission

Outside school holidays and on a weekday, it's pretty quiet. I was there earlier in the year and it was quiet during the week with very little lines.

 

[RAM]

What the heck! The CHO gave advice this morning that there might be a threat to other states. This morning!? So only now its a 'national emergency'.

Scott will not be amused!

Only he can make unapproved announcements. AFAIK no State can declare a 'National Emergency', but hey, this is NSW!

Post automatically merged: Jul 23, 2021

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.

No, no examples, just 396 unlinked cases so far.

A bit like that statement, made so often by AJ - you don't catch CV on a plane.

 

[RAM]

That's the thing. It's well over the usual incubation time which seems to be 5 - 8 days at the most. It's now 12 days!

But Gladys keeps saying that 'contact tracing are in top of it'. She got very heated yesterday with a reporter who challenged her by mentioning days.

Last night's new venues went back to July 12th & 13th. I wonder how many people get their car serviced by Mercedes Benz in that timeframe?

At another dealer (servicing around 110 vehicles/day) still operating - none of the mechanics wear a mask. Until I kicked up a fuss (June 24th) they were not even asking customers to wear a mask when coming inside & waiting. Another customer, who was, thanked me. He revealed he's 88 and had only just got his 1st AZ dose after a long wait for a booking.

 

[moa999]

Meanwhile back where this outbreak first came to attention in Bondi Junction (but did not source from originally, source never found by the contact tracers) there are 27 active cases living there and just daily testing of 100 people (yesterday).

Technically the first local spread was Vaucluse.
But I suspect the reason the authorities are not greatly concerned is that the majority of those active cases are in a single unit block in Bondi.

And multiple days of public testing has resulted in a very low positive rate - unlike in the SW which is being targeted for good reason.

That said I am aware of an Eastern Suburbs pharmac_ near me (this pharmac_ is in Potts Point, just near the fountain) that recently had two positives visit (on Tue and Wed this week)

Also some interesting perspective on NSW Health decisions on whether a site is close or casual.

https://www.facebook.com/394254394029753/posts/3976376842484139

 

[hydrabyss]

There are people in shopping centres claiming not to have mobile phones so can’t check-in.
In fact I just witnessed an extended family being turned away by security for that exact reason at my regional shopping Centre.

We have also had a takeaway food van from Sydney set up in the Main Street in Newcastle.
The letter from our MP to the MOH fell on deaf ears as they are “essential workers”.
Numerous other examples.

As we are within the 50km buffer zone of the lockdown areas there is no requirement for essential workers traveling here to be tested.

Right now we are feeling very vulnerable.
Thankfully there has been no cases here but it could happen anytime.

I am on the Central Coast and only a stones throw from the Newcastle border and have to think the lockdown has done enough of a job to keep it out of both areas. If cases where to start showing here then something would have to be done regarding Newcastle to keep it out.

 

[JessicaTam]

[mod hat]
Off-topic posts derailing the thread have been removed, and infractions issued.

Everyone is well aware by now that there are separate threads for different COVID discussions.
[/mod hat]

 

[antycbr]

PM waffling on in his presser after National Cabinet. Has anything actually been decided? I couldn't tell.

The other states (rightly so in my opinion) refused the prioritisation of NSW for Pfizer.

 

[bcworld]

Apparently it was not requested officially.

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1418471136405245952