Covid SA: Omicron has arrived in SA as premier declares urgent review on iso times

With news of Omicron in SA so too came the shock direction all close contacts must quarantine for 14 days. Now, the Premier says he’s urgently reviewing that order.

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The state government is urgently reviewing quarantine restrictions with hope fully vaccinated people linked to Omicron exposure sites this week will be out of isolation for Christmas.

Potentially thousands of people face Christmas in isolation despite being fully vaccinated as more Omicron exposure sites are identified and all close contacts are ordered into a fortnight of quarantine regardless of vaccination status.

Late on Saturday night, SA Health confirmed two cases of Covid announced on Friday were the Omicron variant.

Premier Steven Marshall said the sudden new requirement for all close contacts to quarantine for 14 days announced on Friday is being reviewed by chief public health officer Professor Nicola Spurrier.

Previously vaccinated close contacts of Covid cases had to isolate for seven days, unvaccinated for 14, but with two confirmed Omicron cases all must isolate for 14 days if deemed a close contact of an exposure site linked to the variant.

“I am very hopeful we can get it back to seven days,” he said. “We would like to get this down to seven days (for fully vaccinated) as quickly as possible.”

Premier Steven Marshall at the Covid press conference at the State Administration Centre. Picture: Brenton Edwards

Mr Marshall stressed the decision to quarantine all close contacts of Omicron cases for 14 days even if vaccinated had been made on national health advice.

He was hopeful this would change.

“If we can get this from 14 days to seven very soon a lot of people will be very relieved.

“I fully appreciate how frustrating it is but we have to be careful we don’t have a massive Omicron outbreak for Christmas.

“We have made it clear there will be no more statewide lock downs or lock outs.

“I am hopeful we can lift further restrictions by the end of the year.”

Mr Marshall also downplayed the risk of this week’s Ashes Test at Adelaide Oval becoming a superspreader event as interstate arrivals attend, despite a change which means arrivals from “moderate risk” areas no longer have to isolate while awaiting results of their arrival Covid test.

He also downplayed risks of a Christmas shopping slump as people worry about being forced into quarantine for Christmas.

“There will be people anxious in the lead up to Christmas but we are trying to contain it,” he said.

Mr Marshall noted “catastrophisers” who he said claimed hospitals would be swamped as borders opened had been proved wrong with just two people in hospital - neither in ICU.

He noted the Wayville vaccination hub is closed “for maintenance” over Christmas but would be ready for a surge in demand as children aged 5-11 become eligible for the vaccine from January 10 and booster shots for fully vaccinated people have been brought forward.

The high risk exposure sites associated with the current Omicron cases are:

• Bakery on O’Connell, North Adelaide Tuesday December 7, 11.20pm–Wednesday December 8, 12.50am.

• Chicken Shack Seafood and Grill at Plympton Tuesday December 7 2pm –3pm

• Super Cheap Auto at Kilburn, Wednesday December 8, 12pm–1.45pm

• Oliver’s Pets and Plants, Glengowrie, Tuesday December 7, 8.30am–5.30pm.

There were seven new cases of COVID-19 reported by SA Health on Saturday – three of them locally acquired.

Saturday’s cases are four men aged between and 20 and 40 and three women between the ages of 20 and 60.

One of the cases acquired the virus interstate, while three cases acquired their infection locally – all are known contacts of previously reported cases.

The remaining three cases were acquired locally but are as yet unlinked to other known cases.

Of the seven cases, five were vaccinated, while two were unvaccinated.

A man in his 30s has been transferred to the Royal Adelaide Hospital in a stable condition on Saturday.

Another man in his 30s, and a woman in her 50s remain at the RAH in a stable condition.

SA Health also announced a new exposure location on Saturday evening, the Mayfair Hotel (Den Restaurant) on Monday December 6, 4–8pm.

SA has recorded a total 998 cases to date.

CRICKET MATCHES CANCELLED AFTER POSITIVE CASE

A Senior Port Adelaide Cricket Club player has tested positive for Covid, sparking the cancellation of eight senior and junior matches across Adelaide on Saturday as a precaution.

It is the first time the pandemic has directly forced the withdrawal of community sporting matches in Adelaide since the first case was detected in SA in February 2020.

Genomic testing is yet to determine whether the positive test result is Omicron-related.

The affected player, aged in his 20s, attended training Thursday night at Port Adelaide and was in the clubrooms after training.

There was possible contact with junior players on that training night.

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