Coronavirus: Bunnings joins Woolworths mask stance as Vic COVID toll rises
A day after Woolworths urged customers to wear masks in stores across Australia, hardware giant Bunnings says it will do the same. It comes as Victoria braces for further restrictions as the state struggles to curb its COVID numbers.
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Bunnings will join Woolworths in encouraging customers in NSW, the ACT and Queensland to wear masks while in store from Monday.
A spokesman from Bunnings told News Corp that staff in all areas where there is a COVID-19 outbreak will be required to wear masks from Monday, and customers will be “strongly recommended” to do the same.
While the use of masks will not be mandated, customers would be provided with an option to purchase one as they enter the store, the spokesman said.
A social media video of a Melbourne woman arguing with Bunnings staff about a requirement to wear masks became a flashpoint issue this week, with politicians from across the spectrum denouncing the antics of the woman.
News Corp asked Coles if they too would be encouraging mask use by customers.
A company spokesperson said masks would be available to staff who desired them, but with regard to their use by customers, the company would follow the advice of State Government health experts.
It comes as Victoria could be headed for further restrictions after it recorded 627 new cases of coronavirus and eight deaths overnight.
Of these deaths two were men in their 50s, two were men in their 70s, three were men in their 80s, and one was a woman in her 70s. These deaths bring the state’s toll to 112.
“These numbers are still too high. It is important all of us acknowledge that these numbers are too high. We could not open up with these numbers,” Premier Andrews said today.
“It may well be the case … that we need to take further steps, that the steps we’ve taken are not enough to pull this up,” he said, adding, “Each and every step that we’ve taken along the way … has been to the best of our ability proportionate to the challenge we face.”
The Premier also said tonight’s Eid celebrations would need to look “incredibly different” this year for the Islamic community.
“Eid is very significant, a very holy and special time for the Islamic community but it needs to look incredibly different this year than it has ever looked. By staying apart we keep each other safe. By staying at home we keep each other safe,” he said.
“It already looks different, and it needs to continue to look different. I am very confident that the Islamic community will step up.”
Premier Andrews once again reminded Victorians who have tested positive to coronavirus to stay at home after the ADF and Department of Health officials carried out 130 unsuccessful visits to confirmed cases on Thursday. The cases have been referred to Victoria Police for investigation.
In addition to the federal government’s JobKeeper and JobSeeker payments, the Victorian government has introduced a $300 one-off payment available to those self-isolating while awaiting test results where sick leave or annual leave is not available to them, and a further $1500 payment for those who test positive and are required to self-isolate for 14 days but are not eligible for federal payments or sick leave from their employer.
Premier Andrews said that as of Friday, 5,200 Victorians have applied for the $300 one-off payment. Of these applications, 4,200 have been paid out.
On Thursday, Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews announced Melbourne’s restrictions would expand across the state, with large areas of Victoria now required to wear a face mask or covering when leaving the house, and all at home visits banned until further notice.
QUEENSLAND RECORDS NEW CASE
Anyone who has dined at a Korean restaurant in Sunnybank in the last two weeks are being encouraged to be tested for coronavirus after Queensland recorded one new case overnight.
The new case is a 27-year-old male who lives in Bellbird Park and is currently in quarantine. The man is believed to have contracted the virus from a relative who dined at the Matong Sein Korean restaurant in Sunnybank.
One of the man’s relatives, who attended the restaurant and may be the source of infection works at the Bolton Clarke aged care facility in Pinjarra Hills.
Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has asked anyone who has been to the restaurant or is experiencing symptoms to be tested as soon as possible.
Three women who returned from Victoria into Queensland will appear in the Brisbane Magistrate’s Court on 28 September for charges on providing false information and fraud charges.
The 19-year-olds returned to Queensland after travelling to Melbourne to attend a party, and returned via Sydney. The women are believed to have lied on their border declaration forms in a bid to circumvent quarantine rules.
During this morning’s press briefing Queensland Police Commissioner Katarina Carroll said people making comments about the women’s culture and ethnicities are “not productive at all.”
“People doing the wrong thing come from all walks of life, backgrounds and community groups. So it is important, especially in these times, that community groups actually come together rather than fracture,” Commissioner Carroll said.
Queensland will close its border to residents travelling from greater Sydney from 1am on Saturday.
MORRISON HOLDS CRISIS TALK WITH ANDREWS
Crisis talks between Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews on Thursday night reportedly included the option of New Zealand-style lockdowns for the state.
It comes as Victoria braces for 627 new coronavirus cases and up to seven deaths today, following its worst day yet on Thursday where 723 new cases and 13 deaths were reported.
The Prime Minister could not rule out further restrictions as the Government’s expert medical panel met to discuss what measures could be put in place to help the state.
If a New Zealand-type model was adopted, businesses bar essential services would be banned from opening and residents’ movements would be further restricted.
Speaking on 2GB on Friday, Mr Morrison said there was still “a lot of work to do” to contain the spread of coronavirus.
However, he ruled out the Commonwealth being given authority of the state, saying that had not been considered.
Mr Morrison went on to condemn two Queensland women who allegedly lied about being in Victoria on their border forms, saying their actions were “absolutely regrettable”.
“I hope it’s a lesson for everybody,” he said, adding this was how the virus spreads and puts vulnerable people at risk.
Mr Morrison said although New South Wales had “some challenges”, it did not have cases without a known source. This compares with about 50 a day in Victoria.
Mr Morrison, state and territory leaders will on Friday receive a national security briefing ahead of a National Cabinet meeting next week.
He said while they might have a “slight disagreement” here and there, the working relationship was “strong”.
“My job is quite straightforward and that is to work with everyone I can to keep Australians safe,” Mr Morrison said.
Mr Morrison also encouraged Muslims celebrating the Eid al-Adha festival not to gather in large groups, adding that he and wife Jenny had not been to church since February.
That would mean closing all businesses except for essential services, such as supermarkets and chemists, and also potentially restricting the movement of residents even further.
YOUNG PEOPLE COULD BE CAUSING CASE SPIKES: WHO
The scale of economic devastation from the pandemic was laid bare on Thursday as Western economies recorded historic slumps, just as resurgent caseloads forced many countries into agonising new trade-offs between health and financial stability.
Six months after the World Health Organisation declared a global emergency, the novel coronavirus has infected more than 17 million people across the globe.
The WHO warned Thursday that young people are “not invincible” and were helping to drive resurgences in many places that had largely curbed the disease.
“Spikes of cases in some countries are being driven in part by younger people letting down their guard during the northern hemisphere summer,” said WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
COVID-19 has killed more than 667,000 people, and is forcing governments into a persistent balancing act between saving lives and preventing economic devastation.
Nowhere is that challenge more evident than the world’s hardest-hit nation — also the world’s biggest economy — with the United States posting a second-quarter loss of 9.5 per cent compared with the same period a year ago, the worst figure on record.
If that trajectory carried through the entire year, its economy would collapse by nearly a third (32.9 per cent), the data showed.
Historic contractions were also recorded in Germany (10.1 per cent), Belgium (12.2 per cent), Austria (10.7 per cent) and Mexico (17 per cent).
Across the globe, companies were also taking a hit with Volkswagen, oil producer Shell, UK bank Lloyds and Japanese consumer electronics giant Panasonic all reporting huge losses.
With travel down to a trickle, aerospace giant Airbus said it burned through more than 12 billion euros in cash in the first half of the year, with a net loss of 1.9 billion euros and plans to cut production by 40 per cent.
Global daily cases are now approaching the 300,000 mark, with the curve showing no sign of flattening — it took just 100 hours for one million new cases to be recorded.
The US surpassed 150,000 deaths, while the second-worst-hit country Brazil reached 90,000.
In Japan, Tokyo’s governor called for restaurants, bars and karaoke parlours to shut earlier as the Japanese capital reported a record number of new infections.
“The current situation is more serious than before,” said Yuriko Koike. “There were several clusters in Tokyo … We have no time to waste.” Several French and Dutch cities, including tourist favourites Biarritz and Amsterdam, also announced new face mask requirements.
Sweden, whose controversial softer approach to curbing coronavirus has received worldwide attention, said it would encourage people to keep working from home into next year where possible, as the country passed 80,000 recorded cases.
FRESH VACCINE HOPES
A coronavirus vaccine developed by Australian researchers has passed phase 1 clinical trials, and has developed an immune response in human subjects.
The vaccine, dubbed Covax-19, was tested on 40 people this month and has become the first candidate to clear phase 1 trials in Australia, The Australian reports.
Developed by Flinders University professor Nikolai Petrovsky, the vaccine is now set to move into phase 2 trials where it would be tested on as many as 500 people.
“We have confirmed that the Covax-19 vaccine can induce appropriate antibody responses in human subjects,” Prof Petrovsky said, according to The Australian.
“We now have preliminary safety data showing there were no significant systemic side-effects in any of the subjects.
“We also have permission to immunise subjects who have already had COVID-19 to see if we can further boost their immunity and prevent them getting reinfected.”
The vaccine is among few across the world that have progressed from phase 1 trials. However, unlike two other vaccines in development by the University of Oxford and US biotech company Moderna which have now progressed the phase 3 testing, those who received Prof Petrovsky’s experimental vaccine did not report significant side effects or fever.
Phase 2 trials for Covax-19 could begin in September.
WOOLIES URGES MASK WEARING
Shoppers will be “strongly encouraged” to wear a mask while in any Woolworths store across NSW and the ACT from Monday.
In a statement Woolworths Group chief executive Brad Banducci said given the increasing number of COVID-19 cases across NSW, face coverings will be recommended in stores from August 3.
People in hotspot areas in Queensland will also be encouraged to wear face coverings.
As well as supermarkets, the guidance also applies to Big W, Dan Murphy’s BWS and ALH Hotels.
“The safety and wellbeing of our customers, teams and communities is our top priority,” Mr Banducci said on Thursday.
“Even though wearing a face covering is not mandatory in NSW, ACT or Queensland, as the largest private sector employer with stores in almost every community, we feel it’s important we lead the way in helping reduce community transmission of COVID-19.”
Mr Banducci said the company was asking its “teams” to “lead by example” and wear masks.
“Masks and face coverings are a highly visible symbol of the persistence of COVID-19,” he said.
“By encouraging and role modelling their use, it will further support the steps we need to collectively take to stop the spread of the virus and keep our team and customers safe.”
The Woolworths announcement marks a significant shift for the supermarket chain.
Asked on July 10 if they would be making masks mandatory, a company spokesman said it was not under consideration.
WOMEN CHARGED ENTERING QLD AFTER VISITNG VICTORIA
On Wednesday, Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk announced Queensland would close its borders to anyone trying to enter the state from greater Sydney in a bid to control the outbreak.
Meanwhile, three women who allegedly travelled from Melbourne to Brisbane via Sydney have been charged by detectives for multiple serious offences, including one charge for allegedly lying on their declaration pass to gain access into the state.
Police allege Olivia Winnie Muranga, Diana Lasu and one unnamed woman, deliberately provided false information on their Queensland border declarations to gain access back into Queensland after travelling to Victoria, The Courier Mail reports.
The women have all been charged with one count each of providing false or misleading documents – Section 364 of the Public Health Act (maximum penalty – 100 penalty units or $13,345) and fraud (dishonestly gain benefit / advantage) – Section 408C (1)(d) of the criminal code (maximum penalty five years’ imprisonment).
Police can also confirm that all three women are now co-operating with QPS and Queensland Health officials.
Two of the three women tested positive for COVID-19, as well as a relative of one of the women.
All three women are currently in quarantine and are due to appear in the Brisbane Magistrates Court on September 28.
FORMER PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE DIES OF COVID-19
Meanwhile, Herman Cain, a US businessman and one-time Republican presidential candidate, has died after a month-long battle with coronavirus, his website announced. He was 74.
Mr Cain died in an Atlanta-area hospital, where he was admitted in early July.
Mr Cain, a co-chair of Black Voices for Trump, attended a rally for Donald Trump in Oklahoma last month, at which several campaign staffers tested positive for the novel coronavirus.
It is not clear if that is how Mr Cain contracted COVID-19.
Mr Cain established himself in the corporate world at Burger King and Godfather’s Pizza as its CEO.
He then tried his hand at national politics, spicing up the 2012 race for the Republican presidential nomination with his lively interviews and debate performances.
After briefly leading in the polls, Mr Cain suspended his campaign following allegations of sexual misconduct, which he denied.
US President Donald Trump said America mourned the loss of 150,000 people to “this horrible and invisible enemy” as he paid tribute to Mr Cain.
“He was a very special person I got to know him well and unfortunately he passed away from a thing called the China Virus,” he said.
Mr Trump also singled out the growing cases in Australia and some other countries as proof the ”plague” was “more infectious that anybody had ever seen”.
“The virus was said to be under control but new cases have risen,” he said at the White House.
“Places where they thought they’d really done great,” he said, referring to Australia, China, Belgium, Japan and Hong Kong.
“It came back and in a couple of cases came back very strongly.”
He said since June there had been an increase of “nearly 30 times” in Australia.
“These were countries that were doing very well. Leadership was being praised,” he said, before going on to claim US states were starting to see some reductions in spread.
It comes as a member of the White House pandemic task force and director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases recommended that Americas now wear googles in addition to masks.
Dr Anthony Fauci suggested that people wear goggles or face shields as an added measure of protection against contracting the coronavirus, according to a report.
“If you have goggles or an eye shield, you should use it,” Dr Fauci, 79, the top US infectious disease expert, told ABC News.
When asked if eye protection will become a formal recommendation at some point, he said, “It might, if you really want perfect protection of the mucosal surfaces.”
“Theoretically, you should protect all the mucosal surfaces. So if you have goggles or an eye shield you should use it.”
The US remains hardest-hit with more than 150,000 people dead. Brazil has recorded more than 90,000 deaths, and Britain and Mexico both with more than 45,000 deceased.
Economies around the globe reported record slumps on Thursday (local time) and companies from banks to car makers warned of losses in the latest fallout from the pandemic that has infected more than 17 million people across the globe.
Six months after the World Health Organisation declared a global emergency, countries around the globe are struggling to control infections even as they seek to restart damaged economies.
– with AFP
Originally published as Coronavirus: Bunnings joins Woolworths mask stance as Vic COVID toll rises