19 days until SA reopens – but authorities still can’t answer crucial questions on the new rules

The countdown to our grand reopening is on ... but SA Health is still refusing to answer seven key questions on new rules for borders, businesses and Covid outbreaks.

Concerns are growing over what the state’s great reopening will look like after November 23, with SA Health refusing to answer a list of seven questions while details are “worked out”.

Business owners and cross border communities are anxious about looming issues, such as what will happen when a positive case comes in, how vaccination will be proved, and what the border crossing process will be.

On Wednesday, SA was officially declared Covid-19 free for the first time in more than nine months.

SA Health reported zero active, or infectious, patients in any of its medi-hotels. The last time SA was Covid free was February 1 this year, but authorities expect Delta strain outbreaks when the state reopens on November 23.

Premier Steven Marshall and chief public health officer Professor Nicola Spurrier announced South Australia’s road map out of Covid on October 26.

Modelling by the Doherty institute released on Monday showed the health system can more than cope with hospital admissions once the state reaches an 80 per cent vaccination rate, with restrictions like mask wearing still in place.

The Australian Hotels Associations South Australian chief executive Ian Horne said countless unknowns for businesses remain including what happens to a venue will be if a positive case is detected.

“It’s very unclear,” he said..

“Staff don’t have the capacity to check on every patron’s vaccination status, are we going to see double vaxxed staff who’ve been in touch with a case quarantined? And will there be any financial assistance then?”

Sonia Clark with Zoe Gelman-Malan, assistant manager at Daughter in Law – an Adelaide bar that offered a free drink to people who are vaccinated and can prove it. Picture: Tom Huntley

“We need to sit down with the transition committee as a matter of urgency; people’s jobs are on the line,” Mr Horne said.

Business SA chief executive Martin Haese welcomed open borders but said his members still have questions.
“What happens if there is a positive COVID-19 outbreak within a business? Is there a distinction between a staff member or a customer? What if all my staff are double vaccinated? Will I be shut down? What do I do? Who do I contact? How do I do a deep clean?… Who will pay?”

Premier Steven Marshall, flanked by Health Minister Stephen Wade and Professor Nicola Spurrier. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Naomi Jellicoe

Paula Gust, leader of “Cross Border Callout” said that cross border communities with Victoria and NSW fear they will be the first to reckon with the reality of open borders.

“It’s driving us all insane its just a constant guessing game,” she said.

“We’re running out of time; we’re worried all of our hard work is going to be ruined and we’ll be considered the same as Melbourne once we inevitably get cases,”

Police Commissioner Grant Stevens said on Tuesday that the definition of close contact was still being decided by officials, 20 days before Covid is expected to enter the state.

“Things will be as they were, but the difference will be that people will be coming in from the eastern states of Australia, a lot of people will be travelling in without any real restrictions,” he said.

An SA Health spokeswoman said both questions on border compliance were best answered by SA Police.

A spokesman for SA Police said “police will safely conduct compliance checks at border sites to ensure travellers are fully vaccinated from 23 November”.