Premier delivers major Covid-19 update
Premier Peter Gutwein has announced the state’s hotel quarantine capacity will double despite months without a case of Covid-19 in Tasmania. HERE’S WHY >>
Tasmania
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Premier Peter Gutwein has announced the state’s hotel quarantine capacity will double despite months without a case of Covid-19 in Tasmania.
According to Mr Gutwein, the decision was spurred on by two key factors - the situation in Afghanistan and Tasmanians stranded interstate.
“We have no cases in Tasmania, although we must keep continuing to stay vigilant so we can keep delta out of the state,” Mr Gutwein said
“In terms of the unfolding crisis in Afghanistan, we have a lot of Tasmanians, Australians, and the world looking on in shock at what is happening.
“With other (repatriation) flights coming into the country, one of the options that has been proposed is to take on one repat flight.
“If you’re coming out of Victoria there is an opportunity to quarantine at home, because that’s currently at risk level two. NSW is far more problematic.”
“At the moment we’re looking to double our hotel quarantine so that more Tasmanians can come home.”
“If we take Afghan refugees, if we take a repat flight, the chance of having covid on either of those flights would be very high.”
Australian Premiers and the Prime Minister will be discussing the unfolding Afghanistan situation at national cabinet later today.
Mr Gutwein said while the Covid-19 delta strain is expected to reach Tasmania in time, he was confident systems in place would help mitigate disaster.
He would not rule out lockdowns but said if vaccination targets were reached, they may become a thing of the past.
“If we were to have a Delta outbreak here in Tasmania we would deal with it and our economy would move on,” he said.
“I would hope that lockdowns would be a thing of the past once vaccination rates reach 80 per cent (vaccinated).
“Before Tasmania can move through the next levels of the national plan, 70 per cent of the country needs to have been vaccinated.
Young people are finally next up in line for the state’s vaccine blitz, with registrations for all those aged 16 and upwards opening this weekend.
Health department secretary Kathrine Morgan-Wicks said they also planned to roll out jabs for those aged 12 to 15 in the coming weeks, in light of advice from the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation handed down this morning.
“We will announce details next week of super vaccine clinics for our 12 to 15 year-olds in all regions in October. Bookings will open up in September,” Ms Morgan-wicks said.
“Our primary aim is to make sure students are able to access a vaccination with a minimal disruption to their education.”
Prime Minister Scott Morrison confirmed earlier today children aged between 12 and 15 will be eligible for Pfizer vaccines from September 13.
NSW has recorded 882 new cases and two deaths today while Victoria has recorded 79 new Covid-19 cases.
Gutwein welcomes refugees
The Tasmanian government has signalled its willingness to take in Afghan refugees, despite a “very high” chance of bringing Covid into the state in the process.
On Friday, Premier Peter Gutwein said they were considering plans to take in one repatriation flight into the state alongside roughly 150 refugees fleeing the Taliban.
Mr Gutwein said there was a good chance that some of the passengers would be infected with the coronavirus, however they would be setting up quarantine facilities to handle it.
“With other [repatriation] flights coming back into the country, one of the options that has been proposed is we might take a repat flight coming from another country to enable quarantine to be opened up in one of the larger centres on the mainland to take additional refugees.
I do want to get Tasmanians ready for it, because if we take afghan refugees, if we take a repat flight, the chances of there being Covid on either of those flights would be very high.
Multicultural Council of Tasmania chair Datta Mahambrey said he applauded the Tasmanian government for its proactive approach, but said the federal government needed to do more.
Mr Mahambrey said that he and members of the Afghan community had been pleading with the state government to take in refugees being terrorised by the Taliban.
He said he was proud of Tasmania for leading the way in their humanitarian efforts.
“I’ve got to give credit where it’s due, and it’s nice to see a state government taking a proactive step in a domain which could be argued to be a federal government issue,” Mr Mahambrey said.
“We are a nation with conscience, we are a nation which believes in freedom and liberty, and unfortunately [the federal government] may have chosen to turn a blind eye to those who have helped us.
“A lot of these people are the ones supporting NATO services as interpreters and working as support for our armed forces, and now they’re stranded there and at the mercy of the Taliban.”
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