Standing-up drinking likely to be allowed in SA, hard border with Victoria dropped within two weeks
Standing-up drinking will likely be allowed in SA and the state’s hard border with Victoria dropped within two weeks, the Premier says.
Coronavirus
Don't miss out on the headlines from Coronavirus. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Victoria’s hard border closures are set to ease, while standing-up drinking in pubs and clubs will also be allowed within a fortnight.
In a series of highly anticipated decisions, the Transition Committee yesterday advised more coronavirus bans could ease after it debated hospitality restrictions, Victoria’s fourth consecutive day of no new COVID cases and hotel quarantine rules. Meanwhile, another two people who recently returned from overseas have tested positive for the virus.
Australian Hotels Association SA boss Ian Horne hoped new electronic contact tracing systems would allow for bans to be further eased within weeks and would be “cost neutral” for venue owners.
BREAKING standing up drinking due to return in a fortnight, premier @marshall_steven says as electronic contact tracing to be introduced #Adelaide #coronavirus #COVID19 #saparli pic.twitter.com/dmFBqTkVPi
— Andrew Hough (@andrew_hough) November 3, 2020
Authorities gave assurances patrons’ privacy would be protected in the new “rapid” contract tracing systems, such as quick response (QR) codes and driver’s licence scanning.
But SA Health could not say last night if outside firms would control the data.
“We are still working through the finer details of how a QR reader will work,” a spokeswoman said. She said privacy and protection of data would “be paramount”.
Calling for sick people to continue having COVID tests, chief public health officer Professor Nicola Spurrier said systems would help quickly contain any future outbreaks.
“My team has to get every single person in quarantine within 48 hours if we are to stop transmission,” Prof Spurrier said. “If we don’t stop that chain of transmission, it can get out of control very, very quickly.”
Under new rules signed off by Police Commissioner Grant Stevens, weekly cross- border community virus tests also ended at midnight last night. Mr Stevens, who is also state COVID-19 co-ordinator, confirmed hospitality venue attendance would be “dumped” after a month.
“We are not going to come in heavy handed,” he said.
“If we see a blatant disregard for the directions that put people’s safety at risk, then we will take action.”
Prof Spurrier said authorities wanted to return to a softer border arrangement, in which all Victorian residents could quarantine for 14 days.
Currently, only those seeking to relocate permanently to SA, students and essential workers can travel.
“For the sake of a couple more weeks and for the safety of South Australians, we all need to be a little bit more patient,” she said. “Christmas is coming, and the festive season, and we all want to be in a safe place at the same time across Australia.
“I think we can feel quietly confident as a nation that we really have got on top of this.”
Announcing the changes a week after suggesting hospitality bans were at adequate levels, Premier Steven Marshall said the state’s hard border with Victoria would likely be dropped within two weeks, subject to no further mysterious cases emerging.
“Victoria has been doing extraordinarily well recently … we’re still waiting to see what the full implications of the increased mobility will be,” he said.
SA Health today reported two people, a woman in her 30s and a man, aged in his 50s, tested positive on the 12th day of their hotel quarantine after arriving from the United Kingdom.
They are among 13 “active”, or infectious, patients recovering in Adelaide’s various medi-hotels – the highest rate in six months.
The Premier yesterday reiterated Schoolies celebrations at Victor Harbor would not go ahead this year but gatherings of up to 50 people would be allowed inside homes to celebrate the end of Year 12.
