Covid-19 Australia: Second Australian dies after blood clots linked to AstraZeneca
A woman in her fifties is dead after blood clots to the brain linked to the AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine.
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A 52-year-old woman from NSW has died after a “severe form” of blood clotting in the brain linked to the AstraZeneca vaccine.
Chief health officer Paul Kelly said it’s only the second death after 3.6 million doses administered across Australia.
“My heart goes out to the family, and all the friends and colleagues of this particular person,” Mr Kelly said on Thursday.
“In terms of the AstraZeneca rollout … it remains an incredibly important part of our vaccine rollout. The AstraZeneca vaccine, with our large numbers of doses that are available here in Australia … is absolutely key in relation to us becoming safe from Covid as a population here in Australia, and that remains the case.”
He revealed there were also four news cases of blood clots linked to AstraZeneca.
In total there have been 15 cases of serious blood clots out of 3.6 million doses.
There were another 33 confirmed or probable cases that were less serious.
“These events remain concerning and we are looking at them very closely, we are looking at it with concern including this unfortunate event in New South Wales,” Mr Kelly said.
A NSW woman, 48, died after receiving the AstraZeneca vaccine in April. The medicines regulator said her death from rare blood clots was “likely” linked to the vaccine.
The Therapeutic Goods Administration says it reviews all deaths reported after a vaccination is administered and compares them with expected natural death rates.
“To date, the observed number of deaths reported after vaccination is actually less than the expected number of deaths,” the TGA said in a statement.
“Each year in Australia, there are about 160,000 deaths, equating to 13,300 a month or 3050 each week. In the most recent reporting year, two-thirds of these deaths were in people aged 75 years and over.”
SHOCKING TRUTH BEHIND LOCKDOWN DODGERS
A couple who fled Melbourne during the city’s lockdown and drove into Queensland before testing positive to Covid-19 did not have an exemption to enter the Sunshine State, health authorities confirmed.
The pair were reported to have spent several days in regional NSW before moving north to Queensland on June 5.
A 44-year-old woman tested positive in Caloundra on June 8, almost a week after she first developed symptoms, while her partner was confirmed as a new case on Thursday.
Queensland still regards Melbourne to be a Covid hotspot, with travellers from the southern state’s capital required to complete hotel quarantine on arrival.
The woman and her husband left Victoria on June 1 after a hard lockdown was announced and travelled through regional Queensland centres Goondiwindi and Toowoomba.
On Wednesday, authorities reserved judgment on the two until further information about their declaration and exemption status was revealed, with police emphasising the prime concern was unearthing close contacts of the two.
“Of course we are going to investigate the circumstances of what’s happened here,” Queensland Police Deputy Commissioner Steve Gollschewski said.
“We’ve got a couple that have come from Victoria when Victoria is in a lockdown.
“All the aspects of how that’s occurred, including what’s happened in the other states, we will do in a co-operative manner with our colleagues in Victoria and NSW.”
But on Thursday, Queensland chief health officer Jeannette Young confirmed her department had not given the couple permission to forego strict directives.
“No, they didn’t come through the exemption process, so it’s now up to police to investigate whether they came through any other process,” she said.
The couple were both transported to Sunshine Coast University Hospital to be quarantined, while 17 close contacts of the pair were identified.
The other 15 were at venues at the same time as the couple as they travelled into the state.
“Of the 17 immediate close contacts, three have tested negative already, we’ve got those results,” Dr Young said.
“But we need to continue all of that testing.”
Dr Young said it appeared as though the couple were at the end of their illness, which means the risk was lower than initially feared.
“Because I believe this risk is a little bit lower, I haven’t asked all of our vulnerable facilities to go into lockdown at this stage,” she said.
VICTORIA RECORDS FOUR NEW CASES
Victoria recorded four new local cases of coronavirus on Thursday as Melburnians prepare to come out of a two-week lockdown.
“The four new locally acquired cases are from the same household and investigations into acquisition source are underway,” the Department of Health said.
There are now 78 active cases and 180 exposure sites across the state.
Melburnians will be released from a two-week lockdown at 11.59pm on Thursday, but harsh Covid-19 measures will remain in a bid to keep the community virus-free.
Acting Premier James Merlino confirmed the new changes on Wednesday.
It comes after thousands of regional Victorians were being urged to monitor for Covid-19 symptoms after viral fragments were found in sewage in Bendigo.
Residents and recent visitors to the suburbs of California Gully, Eaglehawk, Epsom, Huntly, Jackass Flat, Maiden Gully, Marong, North Bendigo and Sailors Gully between June 3 and 7 should get tested if any Covid-19 symptoms develop.
The Victorian Department of Health said the detection of fragments of coronavirus was of “interest” as there were no confirmed cases in the area.
Despite the good news that Melbourne will ease out of lockdown, Victoria’s chief health officer Brett Sutton was still cautious.
“We have to recognise it remains a reasonably volatile situation,” he said.
“The idea of a snap back to absolutely no restrictions whatsoever, no one has done that after significant community transmission.
“We have to move by increments, safely, but with the minimum restrictions that we know will continue to control this.”
JACINDA ARDERN’S TRAVEL BUBBLE WARNING
Australians who break the trans-Tasman travel bubble rules will face consequences, New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has warned.
It comes as three Melbourne residents were caught trying to get into New Zealand to attend a funeral during Victoria’s coronavirus lockdown.
All three have returned negative COVID-19 tests, but they will still be required to undertake 14 days of quarantine of which they will have to pay for.
Travel from Victoria to New Zealand was halted after the latest Melbourne coronavirus cluster emerged.
New Zealand director general of health Ashley Bloomfield told a press conference on Wednesday that the three drove from Melbourne to Sydney and then flew to Auckland last week.
The family appear to have broken the trans-Tasman bubble rules – which could lead to a $4000 fine or six months in jail – as well as the Victoria lockdown rules.
Ms Ardern said that their mandatory stay in quarantine was a punishment, regardless of whether police pressed charges against them.
“Ultimately they were stopped at the border, and they were put into managed isolation,” Ms Ardern said
“That demonstrates that even when we have people who are making a deliberate attempt to get through, that will be picked up.
“There’s multiple points in the system where we can pick people up, and in this case, we have.”
Asked why they shouldn’t be charged, she said “there are consequences”.
“To anyone considering breaching the rules that we have in place – in this case, the family has been picked up, and they’ve been put into a managed isolation facility.
“As for fines, those decisions do sit elsewhere.
MELBOURNE’S 25KM RULE AFTER LOCKDOWN ENDS
Melbourne’s lockdown will end 11.59pm Thursday, but residents will be restricted from travelling more than 25km from their homes in a move to stop any city exodus over the Queen’s Birthday weekend to regional Victoria.
It comes as one new local case of Covid-19 was detected after 28,484 tests on Tuesday. The case has been linked to an existing outbreak and has been in quarantine.
“On the advice of the chief health officer, we can announce some significant steps,” Acting Premier James Merlino said at a daily briefing on Wednesday.
A new range of measures will include students returning to school as early as Friday morning.
Masks will remain compulsory indoors, with definite density limits for offices.
Restaurants and cafes will be limited to 50 people, with gyms to stay closed.
However, visitors to the homes will remain off limits, and outdoor gatherings will be capped at 10 people.
Mr Merlino said it was “a good day” for Melbourne but warned “know this isn’t over yet”.
“Until we have widespread vaccination across Victoria and across our country, the virus will still be with us. So we can’t let complacency creep in, and I am asking everyone to keep doing the right thing. Follow the rules, check-in, get tested if you are feeling unwell,” he said.
“Any symptoms, any symptoms, please go and get tested. That is the most important thing you can do, and if you are eligible, please get vaccinated.
Melburnians have been able to leave home for five reasons under the lockdown announced on May 27, while regional Victorians were granted some freedoms last week.
From Friday morning these are the other changes which apply to Melburnians:
- The five reasons to leave home will no longer apply.
- The only reasons to go further than 25km will be for work, education, caregiving or getting a vaccination.
- Still no visitors in homes.
- Masks will no longer be required outdoors unless you cannot maintain a 1.5 metre distance.
- Masks must still be worn in all indoor settings.
- Funerals are limited to 50 people, weddings are limited to 10.
- Religious ceremonies will be capped at 50 people inside.
- Office workers will be able to return with 25 per cent or a cap of 10, whichever is greater.
- Restaurants and cafes can reopen for seated service with up to 100 people per venue and a maximum of 50 inside.
- Retail can reopen in line with density limits of one person per four square metres.
- Beauty therapy can also resume for treatments where masks can be worn.
- Community sport can return to training.
- Auctions can happen outdoors, with a maximum of 50 people.
- Some entertainment venues and community facilities will also open in line with density limits and additional caps.
MOVE TO ALLOW COVID REWARDS
Australians could begin to see more Covid-19 vaccine rewards on offer after the nation’s medicine’s watchdog introduced a raft of new measures to improve the information and promotion of jabs.
In a statement on Monday, the Therapeutic Goods Administration said the new arrangements — to be in place until the end of 2022 — will give health professionals and businesses more flexibility to contribute to the national conversation about vaccines.
“Health professionals can enhance vaccine uptake by publicly supporting vaccination and countering misinformation. Logistical information about when and where to be vaccinated can continue to be communicated,” the TGA said.
“Businesses can supplement government public health campaigns through offers of practical support (including rewards) that encourage Australians to be vaccinated.
“Organisations can also generate their own “informational materials to support Covid-19 vaccination, provided the content is consistent with Government messaging and does not contain:
– References to specific brands of vaccines, or compare different COVID-19 vaccines
– Statements that Covid-19 vaccines cannot cause harm or have no side effects
– Any statement that is false or misleading
– Promotion of any vaccine that has not been approved by the TGA
“Such rewards can be monetary or for example, include store vouchers, discounts or frequent flyer points, but cannot include alcohol, tobacco or medicines (other than listed medicines),” the statement read.
“It is up to the business or organisation providing the rewards to determine whether they are to be exclusively made available to their employees, or alternatively only members of a scheme (such as an car association or frequent flyer scheme) or to all Australians.”
But the TGA warned that any offer of a reward cannot be made exclusive to those who have a vaccination after the reward has been announced.
“Any rewards offered must be made available to those who have already commenced their vaccination schedule.”
– with Andrew Koubaridis, Sue Dunlevy, David Aidone, Emily Cosenza, Jack Paynter, Erin Lyons
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