Victoria’s first day of week-long Covid lockdown as warnings issued for Melbourne exposure sites
The state government has defended the “creative” customer check-in records used by businesses as criticism mounts over contact tracing and QR code enforcement.
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The Covid-19 response commander has defended Victoria’s QR-code efforts amid mounting criticism over the state’s contact tracing.
Up to 16 different check-in systems, including the state government’s own app, have been allowed to operate until Friday.
The government’s delay in switching to a single system was on Thursday slammed as “beyond irresponsible” by Federal Liberal Senator Jane Hume.
But speaking to 3AW’s Tom Elliott on Friday, Jeroen Weimar defended the state’s decision to previously allow multiple QR code apps.
“We took a policy at the end of last year to allow a number of different players into the market …we saw some quite creative solutions,” he said.
However, Mr Weimar acknowledged “it took too long” for information to be transferred from the third party systems to assist with Victoria’s contract tracing.
He added it was not necessary for the mandatory check-ins to be adopted at Woolworths and Coles, as the supermarket giants were voluntarily “encouraging their customers to check in.”
Meanwhile, the list of exposure sites continues to grow.
The Department of Health said one of Friday’s positive cases worked during their infectious period (without symptoms) for a large food distribution centre.
They visited multiple food stores and groceries across metropolitan Melbourne on May 18 and 19 and on other days.
Authorities have highlighted several new exposure sites which they consider particularly “high risk”.
They include:
- Star Car Wash 1 in Mill Park
- Healthy India in Reservoir
- Epping Spices & Nuts Grocery Store in Epping
- Khalsa Sweets and Snacks in Epping
- Indiagate Spices & Groceries Meats in Epping
- Dosa Hut in Craigieburn
- Sabrini Foods in Carrum Downs
- Marmara Halal in Dandenong
- Bestway Supermarket in Dandenong
- Vicfields Summerhill Shopping Centre in Reservoir
A flu vaccination and child immunisation centre was deemed a Tier 1 exposure site on Friday after a Covid-positive person attended the venue.
According to the DHHS website, the case attended Preston City Hall to get a flu jab on May 22 between 9.30am and 11am.
Anyone who visited the Gower St venue at these times should contact the Health Department, get tested, isolate and quarantine for 14 days.
It comes as Victoria recorded four new community transmission cases of Covid-19.
All four new cases are linked to the current outbreak.
Two new cases have also been identified in hotel quarantine, bringing the state’s total active cases to 39.
As a seven-day “circuit breaker” lockdown was announced to give authorities a chance to get on top of the outbreak, Victorians rushing to get a Covid jab have faced frustrating delays on phone booking systems and long lines at vaccination hubs.
People aged over 40 are now eligible for the Pfizer jab but must book.
But those calling the hotline are being warned of lengthy wait times, getting an engaged tone or simply being hung up on by the automated computer system.
A glitch is also stifling people trying to use the federal government’s eligibility checker.
The website portal on Friday morning is advising people in the age group that they’re not yet eligible for the Pfizer jab in Victoria.
In the past 24 hours, 47,000 people got tested and more than 17,000 vaccines were administered.
More than one million vaccines have now been administered in Victoria.
In total, 15,000 primary and secondary close contacts of positive cases have asked to isolate.
1452 people are primary close contacts within the Whittlesea and Port Melbourne outbreaks.
There are 30 positive cases across the two outbreaks and more than 150 public exposure sites as authorities scramble to identify close contacts of positive coronavirus cases.
Testing chief Jeroen Weimar revealed five key exposure sites of particular concern had been identified.
They are:
- Sporting Globe, Mordialloc
- Three Monkeys, Prahran
- Somewhere Bar, Prahran
- Palace Hotel, South Melbourne
- The Local, Port Melbourne
“We’ve got a number of locations where we just don’t think we’ve got hold of all the people who were in those venues,” he said.
“It’s important to get hold of them now.”
Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton said there was no indication anyone caught the virus from the impacted Prahran bars, however the Sporting Globe case triggered a cause for concern.
“We’re now seeing, in the case of the Mordialloc club, an example of community transmission,” he said.
“We have not seen that in Victoria for a number of months now so it is significant that we really need to focus on.”
One of the new positive cases is believed to have picked up the virus while at the Sporting Globe in Mordialloc on Sunday May 23 between 6.15pm and 9.45pm.
Mr Weimar said 77,000 calls were made to vaccine hotline within 15 minutes after the state government yesterday revealed the vaccine eligibility would be expanded.
“It did cause a few challenges,” he said.
But Mr Weimar said authorities were working around the clock to ensure Victorians could vaccinated.
“We’re getting people vaccinated so we don’t have to go through this world again,” he said.
SUPERSTRAIN MAY OUTRUN AUTHORITIES
Melburnians are enduring their 160th day in lockdown after a snap “circuit breaker” was imposed on the state, with a coronavirus superstrain threatening to outrun health authorities.
Victorians have been ordered to stay in their homes for seven days except for five reasons – to provide care, for exercise, authorised work, essential shopping and to get vaccinated.
Jabs are now being offered to over-40s early, in a desperate bid to turbocharge the stuttering vaccine rollout.
But businesses have reacted with fury to a fourth shutdown, saying it would “break” some and cost the economy $1bn with no JobKeeper for workers this time, and operators denied rent relief.
With the total cases increasing to 26, Acting Premier James Merlino on Thursday revealed that 14,000 close contacts and more than 150 exposure sites were overwhelming tracers.
“Unless something drastic happens, this will become increasingly uncontrollable,” he said.
“The time between catching the virus and passing it on is faster than ever. Here in Victoria we’re seeing not only how quick it is, but how contagious as well.”
Mr Merlino tried to deflect any blame by attacking the federal government’s vaccine rollout and South Australia as the source, while mounting a defence of Victoria’s much-maligned “gold-standard” contact tracing system.
Remarkably, the government’s single QR code system only on Friday becomes mandatory for businesses — just as they are forced to shut up shop.
Another 12 cases of the fast-moving Indian variant were detected on Thursday, taking the outbreak to 26.
The new cases were three men in their 40s, four men in their 30s, two men in their 20s and three women in their 20s.
One of the first infected patients, an elderly person, is now fighting for life in ICU on a ventilator.
Chief health officer Brett Sutton said the virus’s average transmission period had been five to six days in 2020, but with the new variant it was being passed on within one day.
“It really is rapid and that’s led to the exponential increase. You do not want this to move unmitigated. It is at least as infectious as the UK variant and possibly more infectious,” Prof Sutton said.
“This is the time for lockdown.”
Despite Mr Merlino flagging Victoria could come out of the lockdown early, Prof Sutton said: “I do think we have to ready ourselves for the seven days of this lockdown.” He said it was “hard to know” how many extra cases would emerge, with at least 40 suburbs visited by one confirmed case.
Of particular concern were the risks posed by Chapel St nightclub exposure sites and Stratton Finance, a firm in Port Melbourne where 10 per cent of the workforce had tested positive.
“I don’t think we’ll see hundreds, but I absolutely expect more,” Prof Sutton said.
All of the cases in the current cluster have been linked, and can be traced back by genomic sequencing to a Wollert man who unknowingly caught Covid-19 in a South Australian quarantine hotel.
After leaks from Victoria’s disastrous hotel quarantine program sparked the second wave last year, Mr Merlino was on Thursday quick to point out the latest outbreak had come from across the border.
“The reason why we are dealing with this outbreak … is because of a hotel breach in South Australia,” he said.
“That is not a criticism, it’s just a fact.”
Opposition Leader Michael O’Brien said the lockdown had “dealt a huge blow to Victorians”.
“A blow to mental health, a blow to small business, a blow to our economy – a blow to our confidence,” he said.
“Victorians are tired. We’re worn out. We’re fed up. We need a plan out of this latest lockdown and a plan for our economic recovery.”
Prime Minister Scott Morrison said both levels of government were working “hand in glove” for Victorians.
“The only thing that matters is their health, safety, jobs and protecting them and getting them through these next few days ahead,” he said.
Federal Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese said Victorians “should never have been put in this situation – because the federal government should have fixed quarantine”.
“Australia stands with Victoria at this extremely difficult time,” he said.
“It’s particularly tough because this could have been avoided.”
EXPOSURE SITES CONTINUE TO GROW
Another busy Melbourne supermarket has been shut down on Friday due to coronavirus concerns.
Coles in Yarraville was closed about 12.30pm after is was revealed a Covid-positive person visited the store on Sunday, May 23 between 3pm and 3.30pm.
Shoppers were hastily ushered out of the building after the store was notified by head office they needed to close.
The supermarket has been classified as a Tier 2 site.
“We have been advised the risk to customers and team members is low, however we have temporarily closed the store to carry out a deep clean,” a Coles spokeswoman said.
HOME LEARNING NEW FRUSTRATION FOR PARENTS
Families have expressed frustration as schools once again transition to remote learning and Victoria battles the new outbreak.
After a tumultuous lost academic year due to lockdowns, schools are once again closed, with only vulnerable pupils and the children of essential workers allowed onsite. But childcare centres and kindergartens will remain open.
More than 200,000 Victorian students lost up to 21 weeks of face-to-face learning in classrooms due to lockdowns last year.
State schools will have a pupil-free day on Friday, so staff can prepare for remote learning next week.
Catholic schools also have a pupil-free day on Friday, with online lessons starting Monday.
Independent schools told most parents they would return to remote learning from Friday until next Thursday, with some teachers doing all lessons online.
Some independent schools will begin remote lessons on Monday.
Lee Garfield, whose two children attend Albert Park Primary School, said remote learning would again be “horrendous”.
“I’m really not looking forward to it. You have to be with the kids all the time. It takes a big toll on my partner and I’ve got a lot going on at work, it’s going to be an intense time in the house,” he said.
Christina Allan, from Melbourne’s southeast, whose three children will undertake remote learning, said her family was “frustrated” after Thursday morning’s lockdown announcement.
“This is so challenging for my family and for others out there. We’re scared it could go longer than seven days,” she said.
But Marianthe Hargreaves, said son Sebastian, 8, was feeling a lot more relaxed about remote learning.
“It was quite stressful initially, but the systems are in place now and it should be seamless,” she said.
Australian Education Union Victorian Branch president Meredith Peace said the union had always encouraged Victorian schools and its members to follow the advice of the state government and health authorities. “As disruptive as a lockdown may be, it is necessary to ensure the safety of both staff and students as well as the broader community,” Ms Peace said.
Education Minister James Merlino said his message to parents and carers was “trust your school and your child’s teacher”.
“They know what they are doing. They did a brilliant job last year and earlier this year they will do a brilliant job again,” Mr Merlino said.
He added support would also be available for students who struggled during the latest bout of remote learning.
“This year we’ve got more than 5600 tutors as well as our existing teaching staff and other education support staff,” he said.
But opposition education spokesman David Hodgett slammed the state government for placing schools into remote learning, saying it would affect coming assessments including the GAT.
“I feel for all the year 11 and year 12 students – it’s stressful enough without learning being compromised and SACs being cancelled or delayed. Not to mention the GAT is scheduled for June 9,” he said.
Originally published as Victoria’s first day of week-long Covid lockdown as warnings issued for Melbourne exposure sites
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