1377 cases, four deaths; world’s longest lockdown wipes $700m a week from Victorian economy
School Covid cases will no longer force students, workers and their families into strict 14-day lockdowns under changes to quarantine and isolation rules.
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Quarantine and isolation rules for positive cases in schools are set to change as Victoria’s vaccine rate improves.
Entire schools will no longer be plunged into 14-day shutdowns if there is a positive case, with a more targeted approach likely to be limited to the classroom of the case.
Chief health officer Brett Sutton said vaccination status, mask-wearing and the length of exposure to a positive case would all be considered, with aims to cause the least disruption possible.
It comes after amendments to isolation rules for supermarkets which were struggling to fill rosters as primary close contacts were forced to quarantine.
Prof Sutton said changes to the rules for other workplaces were on the agenda.
Victoria announced 1377 new cases and four deaths on Monday, bringing its active caseload to 12,711.
The latest infections include dozens of VCE students who were just hours from sitting a crucial test.
Health officials identified 33 positive cases among 8000 VCE students in virus hotspots ahead of Tuesday’s General Achievement Test.
“We may not have found these cases otherwise, so that goes a long way to help us hold the GAT as safely as possible tomorrow,” Acting Premier James Merlino said.
“The Department of Education is contacting these students and letting them know that they cannot sit the GAT and we’ll make arrangements for how they can sit their exams at a later stage, if indeed, they’re unable to sit any of their exams.”
The infected students will not be required to sit the test.
Mr Merlino said students who could not sit the GAT, or any exams, would get a derived examination score.
“So they get a derived score with the VCAA, working with the school and teachers regarding that student and that subject area,” he said.
“This is well-trodden. Schools are perfectly aware of this. It provides a fair score for students, but for those 33, they won‘t sit the GAT, and they may or may not sit the exams. It depends on when the exams start for those students.”
The latest deaths include a woman in her 70s and a woman in her 60s from Hume, a man in his 80s from Moreland, a man in his 60s from Manningham.
Nearly 31,000 Victorians were vaccinated on Sunday, while 67,789 people received a Covid test result.
At least 82 per cent of eligible Victorians have received one dose of their Covid vaccine, with 52.1 per cent fully vaccinated.
WHERE LATEST CASES ARE LOCATED
More than 42 per cent of Victoria’s new Covid-19 cases on Monday emerged from Melbourne’s northern suburbs.
Victoria’s chief health officer professor Brett Sutton said 582 of the 1377 infections in the past 24 hours could be traced back to the city’s north.
He listed the local government areas of Hume, Whittlesea, Moreland and Darebin as hotspots.
About 26 per cent of Monday’s new cases were from the west, with 352 infections across that part of the city.
Infections were recorded in Brimbank, Melton, Wyndham, Moonee Valley and Maribyrnong.
Professor Sutton warned the southeastern suburbs had been a case number growth area.
There were 293 new cases in the southeast in the past 24 hours, primarily in Casey, Greater Dandenong, Kardinia, Monash and Port Phillip.
INNER SUBURBS LAGGING IN JAB TAKE UP
Melbourne’s inner suburbs are lagging behind in the vaccination race but the state is heading towards the 90 per cent mark overall.
More than 90 per cent of residents aged over 16 have now received at least one Covid-19 jab in one in three local government areas.
But there are 11 council areas where the first-dose rate remains below 80 per cent.
It is 68.3 per cent in Melbourne, 72.5 per cent in Yarra, 73.5 per cent in Darebin and 74.5 per cent in Port Phillip.
The strongest growth rate over the last week was in the Covid hot spot of Hume, where 80.7 per cent of eligible residents have now received at least one dose.
PRISON OUTBREAKS WORSEN
Dozens of prisoners are infected with Covid-19, which has spread across four prisons, including a women’s jail, in just three weeks.
Concerningly, the virus has entered the general prison population at Ravenhall Correctional Centre, potentially exposing hundreds of other prisoners.
The surge in infections comes as the Herald Sun reveals a range of new measures introduced to try contain the prison outbreaks, including mandatory masks for some inmates.
The latest Corrections Victoria figures show 33 prisoners and 10 workers are currently infected with Covid-19.
They include 18 at the Melbourne Assessment Prison, eight at the Metropolitan Remand Centre, four at Ravenhall Correctional Centre and three at Dame Phyllis Frost Centre.
Six workers based at the Metropolitan Remand Centre and four based at Ravenhall Correctional Centre are also infected.
All four prisoners at Ravenhall Correctional Centre were in the general prison population when they tested positive to Covid-19.
The correctional centre has a 1300-inmate capacity.
“One has been managed under quarantine arrangements since developing Covid-19 symptoms while in the general prison population on 25 September 2021 and has now been moved to the prison’s isolation unit,” a Corrections Victoria spokeswoman said.
“The other three prisoners returned positive results as part of extensive surveillance testing of prisoners and staff, and are now in isolation.”
The other 29 prisoners tested positive while in quarantine and are now in isolation units.
The first Covid-19 case recorded in the prison system since the Delta variant arrived in Victoria was at the Metropolitan Remand Centre on September 12.
Movement at all the prisons has been restricted to enable contact tracing to occur.
Zoom calls have also been limited at Ravenhall Correctional Centre as authorities work to manage the outbreak.
Masks have not been mandatory for prisoners in Victoria throughout the pandemic.
However, internal emails seen by the Herald Sun show masks are now mandatory for prisoners who need to leave their cells for work in the locked down Metropolitan Remand Centre.
“Prisoners who are essential workers – Unit Billets and kitchen/laundry workers – will be required to wear N95 masks when out of cells, moving to and from work places and while working,” the memo read.
Other infection control measures place limitations on social opportunities for prisoners.
“Personal video visits will be suspended. Prisoner phone calls will be reduced in length from 12 minutes to eight minutes allowing more opportunity for prisoners to have phone calls,” the memo read.
“Prisoners are required to wear masks when using the phone (unless used in their cell) and phones should be wiped down after each use.”
Three-quarters of all adult prisoners have received their first dose of a Covid-19 vaccine and 52 per cent are fully vaccinated.
At least 81 per cent of staff have had a single dose and 62 per cent are fully vaccinated.
MOST LOCKED-DOWN CITY IN WORLD
Melbourne has officially suffered through the longest Covid-19 lockdown in the world, overtaking Buenos Aires, as former Victorian premier Jeff Kennett calls it a “terribly sad” day for the beleaguered city.
The 246-day title also comes with a whopping price tag – wiping $700m a week from the economy during statewide restrictions – on top of a dire cost to mental health, children’s educations and people’s livelihoods.
Mr Kennett said the day Melbourne went from being the most liveable city to the most locked down was an embarrassment.
“What it represents is a great deal of inconvenience, hardship, loss of industry, businesses and major events,” Mr Kennett said.
“Achieving the title (of most locked-down city) is nothing to be proud of – there’s a massive loss of trust in the leadership of Victoria.”
Mr Kennett said there was no pathway to re-establishing the lifestyles Victorians had up until January 2020.
He said fully vaccinated people should be given the freedom to go to restaurants and the theatre – where staff were also protected against the virus – and also to travel to regional Victoria.
Premier Daniel Andrews on Sunday defended his record, declaring he was very proud of Victorians for “giving so much” to save lives.
“It has been bloody tough,” he said. “We didn’t choose for this Delta strain to come to us from Sydney. No one is enjoying this, but we are so close to the end.”
He said people could make their own judgments about the lockdown – due to extend to 267 days before the state is expected to reach the 70 per cent double-vaccination rate on October 26. “Rather than reflecting on the past and playing silly political games, let’s all get vaccinated,” he said. “That is how you get the curfew off and all lockdowns off. That is how we get the community open.”
The state recorded 1220 new Covid-19 cases on Sunday – taking active cases to 11,785 – with three more deaths.
Mr Andrews again urged people to get vaccinated, saying it was “only a few more weeks” until the lockdown ended.
Opposition Leader Matthew Guy called for the curfew to end, saying the restriction wasn’t based on health advice.
“It is disastrous for our city, our state, that Melbourne has been in lockdown for so long,” he said. “Enough is enough.”
About 476 people are in hospital with Covid-19, 98 of them in intensive care and 57 of those on a ventilator. Only 5 per cent of those in hospital are fully vaccinated, including one person aged in their 20s.
Up to 70 per cent of new cases recorded on Sunday were under 40 years old. Almost one in three were in the western suburbs, including Truganina, Point Cook and Tarneit.
Royal Melbourne Hospital nursing unit manager Michelle Spence begged all Victorians to get vaccinated. “One of the saddest things I’ve seen in the last few weeks is people wanting the vaccination just before we put them on life support,” she said.
Jacqui Harper, from the Northern Hospital in Epping, said she had seen patients go from sitting in a chair to saying goodbye within an hour.
South Australia reduced its Victorian border bubble from 70km to 30km after a Mount Gambier woman who visited Casterton contracted Covid.
TUTORING BOOST FOR SCHOOLS
Victorian students will be offered extra help with their schoolwork through a boost to a tutoring program.
The state government is investing an extra $230m in the scheme.
The program involves 6400 tutors in government and non-government schools across the state.
It provides support to teachers and students, with learning disrupted by Covid-19.
“We need that support next year and that’s why I’m delighted to announce that a further $230m will be delivered to continue the tutor program for the whole of 2022,” Education Minister James Merlino said on Monday.
Most schools are set to receive the same allocation they got this year.
The allocation for Victoria’s “ very small schools” will increase from $15,000 to $25,000 as a minimum allocation, Mr Merlino said.
TRAM DISRUPTIONS AS DRIVERS ISOLATE
Three tram routes will face disruption on Monday after a “significant number” of Yarra Trams drivers based at the Brunswick depot were forced to get tested and isolate.
It is understood the drivers have been identified as close contacts of a positive case.
The Route 1 (East Coburg to South Melbourne Beach) and Route 19 (North Coburg to Flinders St) services are expected to be cancelled.
There will also be shortened tram service between Stop 14 Arts Precinct and Glen Iris on the Route 6 line (Moreland to Glen Iris).
In a statement, Yarra Trams said it was “working to support staff, and exercising an abundance of caution in the interest of tram drivers, other employees and passengers”.
It said it was working closely with the Department of Health as contract tracing continues.
On Friday, four tram routes were also disrupted after a tram driver tested positive to coronavirus, forcing staff at the Essendon and city depots to get tested and isolate.
Multiple bus routes were also been plunged into Covid chaos on Monday after two Transdev employees tested positive to the virus.
A “significant number” of Transdev drivers at North Fitzroy and Doncaster depots have been required to isolate.
As a result, services including routes to Bulleen, Melbourne University, La Trobe University, the Queen Victoria Market, Fisherman’s Bend, Elsternwick and Northland will run on reduced timetables.
Several services on bus routes 303 (between Ringwood North and City), 318 (between Deep Creek and City) and 903 (between Mentone Station and Heidelberg Station) will be cancelled.
It is not known at this stage when normal services will resume.
BONUSES TO RETAIN AGED CARE NURSES
Registered nurses will be offered cash incentives to continue working in the aged care sector.
The federal government will on Monday unveil a new $135.6m incentive scheme that aims to address a shortage of skilled workers.
From next year, full-time registered nurses will be eligible for a payment of $3700 each if they stay with the same aged care provider for a year.
People working in rural and remote areas will also be offered a bonus of up to $2300.
“This additional payment acknowledges the challenges faced by aged care nurses, particularly those working in rural and remote settings,” Aged Care Services Minister Richard Colbeck said.
“We also want to recognise those registered nurses who go above and beyond to deliver high-quality care to older Australians.”
More than 32,000 registered nurses work across the aged care sector nationwide.
However, new figures reveal one in three left the sector in the year to November last year.
Under the two-year initiative, part-time and casual registered nurses will also be eligible for the payment on a pro-rata basis, averaging $2700 a year.
Nurses who hold a postgraduate qualification, take on additional leadership or training responsibilities in their workplace will also be eligible to receive an additional payment of up to $2300.
Workers will be able to receive both annual payments if they are employed by the same provider during the one-year eligibility periods – November 1 and October 31, 2022, and November 1, 2022 to October 31, 2023.
Aged Care Minister Greg Hunt said the payments would help to attract and retain skilled, compassionate and professional registered nurses to aged care.
“We hope it encourages aged care nurses to continue working with older Australians and gives nurses in other sectors an incentive to explore a career in aged care,” Mr Hunt said.
COUNCIL MILLIONS FOR ‘BOLD IDEAS’
The mission to rejuvenate Melbourne has received a boost after the City of Melbourne committed $1.75m to ideas to kickstart business and events.
The council will take applications from businesses, interest groups and entrepreneurs that aim to entice workers and visitors back to the CBD.
Lord Mayor Sally Capp said the city needed “bold ideas”.
“We want to drive more visitors and economic activity in the city through these grant programs,” Ms Capp said.
The $1.75m City Activation Grants program will provide up to $50,000 to initiatives that encourage people back.
It is backed by the $100m Melbourne City Recovery Fund established by the council and state government.
A separate Business Events Support program will also provide grants of up to $10,000 for conferences, exhibitions and networking events.
Councillor Kevin Louey said: “Please come to us with your brilliant proposals”.
CHAPEL ST PRECINCT IN DOUBLE JAB PUSH
Chapel St is inspiring much-needed hope in Melburnians by launching a double-vaccination campaign.
The initiative, Double Jabbed & Ready To Chap, highlights the freedoms fully vaccinated people will enjoy, including shopping, dancing, dining and beauty.
Identical twins Laura and Rachel Brooker, will be double vaccinated by late October when restrictions are expected to ease. “The thought of sitting down in a cafe, shopping for clothes or finally getting a beauty appointment is music to our ears,” Laura said.
“This lockdown has been tough for everyone, it’s great that Chapel St Precinct is focusing on hope – it’s definitely needed and a good reward for being double vaccinated,” Rachel said.
Chapel St Precinct general manager Chrissie Maus said businesses in the area “have done whatever they can to survive” over the past 18 months.
“Thanks to the vaccines they can soon finally open their doors, and make a decent living to pay wages, rent and put food on their table,” she said.
“Small businesses need to be supported, and if you’re double vaccinated, Chaps is rolling out the red carpet – because your money supporting our local economy is appreciated now more than ever.”
The campaign was to show Melburnians – who will have lived through the world’s longest lockdown – there is light at the end of the tunnel when they finally leave lockdown late this month.
“If Dan Andrews and the Victorian government aren’t willing to dangle a ‘freedom carrot’ at their daily press conferences, Chapel St’s uplifting campaign is happy to pick up the slack,” Ms Maus said.
Chapel St Precinct chair Justin O’Donnell said it had been “especially tough” for Victorians to see NSW race ahead with reopening.
“This is the tale of two cities – Gladys Berejiklian talking about new freedoms and offering hope, while Melbourne’s case numbers overtake Sydney and our government continues its fear campaign,” he added.
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