Northern beaches COVID-19: Authorities urge people to ‘stay at home’ as cases surge to 17
Avalon RSL has become the focus of the search for a possible COVID-19 super spreader, with 17 people catching the virus on the northern beaches. The region is in lockdown just days out from Christmas
Manly
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The COVID-19 cluster on the northern beaches has grown to 17 cases forcing health authorities to urge people to “stay at home” after a “super spreader” is believed to have visited the Avalon RSL on December 11.
All residents within the Northern Beaches Council area have been advised to remain in their homes “as much as possible”, keep to their household group and avoid all unnecessary gatherings, just days out from Christmas.
They are also urged to avoid unnecessary travel outside of the northern beaches.
The dire directions come as testing across the region — after five people tested positive in the past 24 hours — has led to an explosion in positive COVID results.
Authorities have been focusing on Avalon RSL as the most likely source of the COVID-19 outbreak that has exploded to 17 new cases on the northern beaches.
Health Minister Brad Hazzard told the Manly Daily he feared it was the result of “effectively a super spreader”.
“The comments from NSW Health officials indicate that someone has attended the Avalon RSL and may well have been effectively a super spreader and health is working on that theory,” he said.
The explosion in cases led Mr Hazzard, also Wakehurst MP, to make an impassioned plea to his fellow northern beaches residents
“Our residents on the beaches have always been a fantastic team when it comes to any of the big issues, as a lifelong local resident this is probably one of the biggest issues we have had to face
I am certainly asking all locals to listen and heed the message from NSW Health. The old joke that none of us like to move past the Spit Bridge or Roseville Bridge is now a serious message. Just stay on the beaches for the next few days while NSW Health sorts out the issues.
“A high priority is keeping our local community safe which means stay home if possible, work from home, if possible and at least for a little while try not to go out to restaurants café and clubs and gyms until NSW Health gets a handle on what’s going on.
“As a lifelong local, I would just say to everyone on the beaches, this is the time to be really, really careful. If you don’t need to be out and about, don’t do it.”
It is understood NSW Health senior officials have a strong suspicion that the virus has come form an international source.
Officials are waiting on the genomic sequencing to confirm their suspicions and it is expected
NSW Health will make announcement on Friday morning.
NSW chief health officer, Kerry Chant said on Thursday that people who visited the popular club had been infected by an “unknown person”.
“The hypothesis is that there is an unknown person that was present at the Avalon RSL that was the source of infection,” Dr Chant said.
“What we are hypothesising that is potentially an exposure source.”
Health NSW advises:
- Work from home and remain at home as much as possible
- Do not visit friends or relatives in aged care facilities or hospitals unless essential
- Avoid unnecessary gatherings
- Keep to your household group
- Avoid visiting high-risk venues including clubs, restaurants, places of worship and gyms
- Avoid unnecessary travel outside the Northern Beaches area.
It comes as an aged care worker at Pittwater Palms at Avalon is one of the five people in the region to have tested positive.
A number of aged care homes on the northern beaches have been directed not to accept visitors until the mystery source of new COVID cases is identified.
Health Minister Brad Hazzard revealed the aged care worker, aged in her 50s, and her husband, who both live around Palm Beach, had tested positive to the virus.
She contracted COVID-19 at the Avalon Bowling Club on December 13.
A third man, a drummer in a band who played at Avalon RSL last Friday, is also in isolation having received a positive result on Thursday morning.
The drummer, in his 60s from Frenchs Forest, is in the band called Nothing Too Serious, which had “travelled extensively” to play gigs at Penrith RSL and the Kirribilli Club as well as Avalon RSL.
Dr Chant said tracing information suggested the woman in her 60s, whose case was announced on Wednesday night along with a man she shares a house with, had picked up the virus at Avalon RSL and then went to the bowling club two days later, at the same time as the aged care worker.
Dr Kerry Chant warned anyone who had been at Avalon RSL — which is temporarily closed — on December 11 for the entirety of the day should get tested.
“It is critical anyone at that RSL club gets tested,” she told reporters.
“Our working hypothesis is that someone at that RSL club was potentially the source of infection for a number of subsequent cases so it is critical we identify any individuals that may be positive there.”
She also urged anyone who had been at Penrith RSL on December 13 between 1-6pm and The Kirribilli Club between midday and 3pm on December 14 to get tested.
It comes as hundreds of people have been lining up at Mona Vale Hospital and a pop-up testing clinic at the Avalon Recreation Centre.
Authorities said the two people with the virus, announced on Wednesday night, had visited numerous cafes, public changing rooms, a massage parlour and a supermarket while infectious.
Before the two most recent cases, health authorities were calling for people who had been in the same venues at the same times as one or both of the first two peninsula COVID cases to self-isolate for 14 days over the Christmas period – even if they get a negative result.
TAKING THE TEST
Meanwhile, at a special pop-up COVID testing site at Avalon, which opened at noon, queues stretched back more than 200m even before the doors opened.
Waiting in line to be tested within the Avalon Recreation Centre, Liam Mitchell, of Clareville, was in the line.
He works as a part-time bartender at Avalon beach RSL club which is closed temporarily to allow its staff to be tested
“It sucks, aye,” Liam said
“I don’t want to miss out on Christmas. I’m supposed to be going to Byron Bay on Boxing Day.
“And I don’t want to miss beers with the boys.“
A local, who asked to be named as Sam, said he was in one of the clubs a couple visited at the weekend.
“There goes Christmas,” Sam told the Manly Daily.
“It’s buggered.
“Even if I get a negative result I still have to self isolate for 14 days, and that takes us right over Christmas.“
Sam and his partner said they had seven guests invited for Christmas lunch, as well as a bunch of friends popping in and out on Christmas Day.
They have already been in touch with them to say that Christmas lunch is cancelled for this year.
“We can’t go anywhere, can’t have anyone over, that’s it“ Sam said.
“Christmas is gone for this year, but there will be Christmas next year and Christmas the year after that.“
Cousins Angie Carter and Eliza Cutrie, both from Avalon, where in line for a test at the recreation Centre because they had visited the nearby Woolworths supermarket when the COVID positive couple were in the store.
The pair had just popped in to buy some apples for a function at the Avalon Surf club.
“We were only in Woolies for about two minutes,“ Angie said.
“It’s just bad luck.“
But Eliza and Angie agreed that they should get a COVID test as soon as possible after hearing the news about the positive couple.
“Obviously it’s a bit inconvenient, but we have to have the test to make sure okay“ Eliza said.
Outside the testing centre at Mona Vale hospital people were being told by health officials that they would have to queue for up to three hours this morning.
In the line, which stretched for about 150m, married couple James and Katie Freeman, from Mona Vale, joined the end of the queue at about 11am.
Ms Freeman, who works as a nurse at North Ryde Hospital, said she wanted to be tested as a precaution.
“If the northern beaches becomes a hotspot I want to make sure that I’m negative before I go back to work,“ she said
Mr Freeman, who works in hospitality and hadn’t visited any of the venues they were visited by the positive couple, decided to get tested just in case.
“We haven’t got any symptoms, but we’re coming up to a busy period over the holidays so I want to make sure everything is okay.“
Mr Hazzard said he would like testing numbers to increase to 15,000-25,000 per day in light of the new cases.
And as the peninsula community flocked to testing centres, he issued a statement of thanks.
“I want to thank the local community, it is a part of my community and I want to thank you for coming out and doing what we all know is the right thing to do, and that is get tested and do it as quickly as possible,” he said.
“If you have any symptoms at all. Cough, cold flu, even fatigue … you do need to go along and get tested.
“My message as a fellow local, but also the Health Minister is get out and get tested if you have any symptoms at all you will be doing everyone a favour including yourself.”
Testing is also still underway at Northern Beaches Hospital, where the number of staff had been doubled to cope with demand.
The hospital was averaging 70 tests an hour after opening early.
Manos Pitsikoulis, Michael Welsh and George Pitsikoulis were doing their bit.
“We’re Avalon locals so that’s why we’re getting tested, there’s been a few cases there,” Mr Welsh said.
“It’s better to be safe then sorry. We came here because we’ve been told it’s like a six hour wait at the Avalon testing clinic.”
Robin Townsend of North Curl Curl said she and her children came to get tested because they were showing symptoms.
“We have been getting symptoms like a cough and runny nose. With everything we heard on the news this morning we thought we better get tested. I have my two children in the car with me and one of them has health issues. We’re just being extra vigilant”.
HEALTH ADVICE
People who have visited the following northern beaches locations should get tested immediately and isolate until they receive a negative result:
Woolworths Mona Vale, 25/29 Park St, Mona Vale, 13 December, 12-12.30pm
Aldi Mona Vale, 13 Bungan St, Mona Vale, 13 December, 12.45-1.30pm
Avalon Beach Surf Life Saving Club, 13, 14 and 15 December, 9-9.30am
Palm Beach Rockpool, LOT 1 Rock Bath Rd, Palm Beach, 14 December, 9:30-10:30am
Woolworths Avalon, 74 Old Barrenjoey Rd, Avalon Beach, 14 December 5-5.30pm
Chemist Warehouse, 4/74 Old Barrenjoey Rd, Avalon Beach, 14 December 5.20‑5.25pm
Commonwealth Bank, 47 Avalon Parade, Avalon Beach, 15 December, 12-12.15pm
Mitre 10, 49 Avalon Parade, Avalon Beach, 15 December, 12-12.20pm
Roof Racks World, 13/87 Reserve Rd, Artarmon, 15 December, 2-2:30pm
HongFa BBQ Restaurant, Dee Why, 15 December 4.30-4.45pm
Dee Why Fruit Market, 33 Oaks Ave, Dee Why, 15 December, 4.45-4.55pm
North Avalon Cellars, 4/3 N Avalon Rd, Avalon Beach, 15 December, 6-6.05pm
Careel Bay Dog Park and Hitchcock Park, Barrenjoey Rd, Avalon, 16 December 7‑7:30am
Palm Beach Pool, LOT 1 Rock Bath Rd, Palm Beach, 16 December, 8am-9am
Brot and Wurst, 1442 Pittwater Rd, North Narrabeen, 16 December, 2pm-2:05pm
Avalon Beach Post Shop, 45 Avalon Parade, Avalon Beach, 16 December 3.30-3.50pm
COUNCIL CLOSURES:
Northern Beaches Council has taken strong measures to protect the health of the community following the advice of NSW Health in response to a number of active COVID cases on the Northern Beaches.
Mayor Michael Regan sad a number of venues would be closed for the next three days “in the interest of everyone’s health and safety” which was “really important while the contact tracers continue to do their work and NSW Health get more of a sense on where we stand”.
“The community should be assured we will maintain all essential services like waste collection, childcare, Meals on Wheels, road maintenance as well as customer service online and on the phone,” he said.
Facilities and services which will be temporarily closed until Sunday, December 20 include.
· Skate parks and playgrounds
· Community sporting activities in parks and reserves
· Outdoor gyms
· Manly and Warringah aquatic centres
· All community centres
· Glen Street, Dee Why and Forestville library branches and community libraries
· Glen Street Theatre
· Manly Art Gallery and Museum
· Creative Space in North Curl Curl
· Manly Visitor Information Centre
· Kimbriki Buy Back Centre and the Eco House & Garden
· Environmental centres and programs
· The Aboriginal Heritage Office in Freshwater
· Council managed golf and tennis courts
Beaches and rock pools will remain open for now but will be closely monitored and closed if required.
“These are very challenging times. We appreciate everyone’s cooperation and understanding as we manage these difficult circumstances in the interests of the health of our community,” Mayor Regan said.
Professor Robert Booy, an infectious diseases expert, told the Today Show this morning that people should remain “alert, active but not alarmed”.
He said people should encourage each other to social distance, wash hands regularly and wear
“There’s a lot we can do and we’ve done well, but we don’t want COVID of Christmas,” he said.
WHERE TO GET YOUR TEST:
Avalon pop-up, Avalon Recreation Centre, 59 Old Barrenjoey Rd, Avalon and will open from midday (8am to 10pm)
Newport Pop up, Newport Community Centre, 11-13 The Boulevard, Newport open from 2pm (8am to 10pm)
Warringah Aquatic Centre Drive-through, 1 Aquatic Dr, Frenchs Forest NSW 2086 open from 3pm (8am to 10pm)
Other Northern Beaches testing centres are located at:
Mona Vale Hospital, Gate 3 Coronation Street, Mona Vale – walk-in clinic – open 7.30am-5.30pm seven days a week – staffing increased to assist with testing demand
Brookvale Community Health Centre, 612-624 Pittwater Road, Brookvale – open 8am-6pm 7 days
Northern Beaches Hospital, 105 Frenchs Forest Road (West), Frenchs Forest, (Rear of Emergency Department) – open 8am- 5pm 7 days
These sites are operational until 10pm, however if needed they will continue past 10pm to continue providing testing to the community.
To find your nearest clinic visit
https://www.nsw.gov.au/covid-19/how-to-protect-yourself-and-others/clinics or contact your GP.
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