SA’s transition committee says it hopes to have more information on Omicron by end of week

SA authorities hope to have more information by the end of the week on Omicron and its effects on SA but are cautiously optimistic borders will remain open for Christmas.

Covid coordinator Grant Stevens says SA authorities are cautiously optimistic borders will remain open for Christmas, as they come under fire for their flip-flopping health rules.

“It’s currently a holding pattern until we get that evidence we need to make a proper assessment,” Mr Stevens said after a transition committee meeting on Tuesday morning.

“We are cautiously optimistic that the current settings we have in place are sufficient.

“Every day that passes give us access to more information, Professor (Nicola) Spurrier has indicated we might have something specific by the end of this week in terms of certain aspects but not the full picture of Omicron.

“There’s not a specific number but more about the nature of how the virus spreads and where it is in the community.

“We’re not seeing a huge explosion of Omicron in NSW.”

Grant Stevens, Stephen Wade, Steven Marshall and Nicola Spurrier at a Covid press Conference. Picture Simon Cross

Christmas plans in South Australia are in chaos, according to travel and hospitality industry leaders, who say the state is becoming an “unreliable destination” due to ever-changing restrictions and testing requirements.

SA reopened its borders on November 23 to fanfare and emotional reunions but since then, Omicron entered the country and new rules were introduced.

Confusion and anxiety about being locked inside or outside of SA has led to cancellations “in the thousands” for corporate and personal Christmas parties across 6000 hospitality venues, said Australian Hotels Association chief executive Ian Horne.

“There is a continuing flow of cancellations, people are just getting extraordinarily nervous,” he said.

It follows lengthy wait times for Covid-19 tests, as South Australians experienced up to five hours of twiddling thumbs across multiple sites on Monday. That has prompted calls for the urgent introduction of rapid antigen tests as proof a person does not have Covid.

Multiple overseas travellers arriving in SA were caught up in confusing rules on Monday, being ushered to hotel quarantine despite being fully vaccinated with approved home quarantine arrangements. High-profile people were among those reportedly caught up in the confusion, including pro golfer Wade Ormsby, and Julia Gillard.

Mr Horne said changing rules despite consistent calls from hospitality leaders to ease restrictions was “undermining the confidence significantly of the industry”.

“We’re sending the eastern seaboard the message that South Australia is becoming an unreliable destination,” he said.

Travel industry leader Phil Hoffmann said a constant changing of the state’s stance to Covid-19 was confusing.

He said a large number of corporate visitors have cancelled trips because they were nervous about being locked in SA or becoming caught up in changes to border rules.