‘Every possibility’ Victoria will follow Sydney’s infection trajectory Victoria records 190 new cases
Nadia Bartel has been called out at the Covid press conference, with a senior minister saying the socialite “should be embarrassed” by her actions.
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More than 400 children in Victoria are now infected with coronavirus after the state recorded a further 190 cases in the past 24 hours.
Of Victoria’s 1301 active cases, 205 are aged less than nine years old, Tourism and Sport Minister Martin Pakula said.
Another 213 are aged between 10 and 19.
In total, 103 of the new cases are linked to known outbreaks and 87 are under investigation.
There are 76 people with coronavirus in hospital in Victoria, 23 are in intensive care and 14 are on a ventilator.
None of the people in hospital are fully vaccinated.
It comes as Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton said there was “every possibility” Victoria would follow Sydney’s infection trajectory as cases rise.
“I think a lot of people are a bit concerned now that we’re on the same trajectory as Sydney and we’re maybe three or four weeks behind Sydney,” he said.
“I mean, could we be. That is a scenario. There’s every possibility that we’re following a slow and steady increase in the way that New South Wales has.”
The new figures follow the Victoria recording 208 cases on Friday as numbers continue to climb despite a harsh sixth lockdown.
A total of 49,548 test results were received and 35,464 vaccine doses were administered.
It comes as the Moderna Covid vaccine has been granted provisional approval by Australian regulators for 12 to 17-year olds, following in the footsteps of the United Kingdom, Canada, the European Union and Switzerland.
It comes after the Therapeutic Goods Administration granted provisional approval for people aged 18 years and older on August 9.
In a statement, the TGA said the Moderna Covid-19 vaccine, also known as Spikevax, has “shown strong efficacy preventing symptomatic COVID-19 and severe COVID-19 in clinical trials”.
“The decision to provisionally approve the vaccine for use in this age group was informed by expert advice from the Advisory Committee on Vaccines (ACV), an independent committee with expertise in scientific, medical and clinical fields including consumer representation.”
The news, announced on Saturday morning, means two vaccines have been approved for young people, with Pfizer also cleared by the TGA for people aged 12 and up earlier this year.
Under the current stage of the vaccine rollout, people aged 16 years and older are eligible for a vaccine based on their age.
The Covid vaccine is currently available to people aged 16 years and older, and children aged 12-15 years old who are considered at a higher risk of severe illness from Covid.
Those at a higher risk are children with specific underlying health issues including severe asthma, diabetes, obesity, cardiac and circulatory congenital anomalies, neuro-developmental disorders, epilepsy, immunocompromised and trisomy 21; Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and children who live in remote communities.
NADIA BARTEL SHOULD BE ‘EMBARRASSED’
Minister Pakula was asked about high-profile Victorians flouting lockdown rules, following a video of WAG Nadia Bartel sniffing a white powder off a plate at a social gathering that came to light this week.
The social media star appeared to be in breach of lockdown rules in the video, with the minister saying it was a matter for police as to if she would be charged.
“It’s not good that anyone flouts the rules, it makes it more dangerous for the entire community, it makes it more likely that these sorts of restrictions will be in place for longer.
“Obviously when it’s someone with profile … in some ways it makes it clearer that that sort of conduct is not acceptable.
He said those in the video, which has been extensively viewed, “should be appropriately embarrassed”.
“It serves as a warning to all of us,” he said.
REGIONAL VICTORIA COULD LEAVE LOCKDOWN EARLY
Minister Pakula confirmed on Saturday that the government would be looking at the state of play in regional Victoria over the next week.
“Nothing has changed in that regard,” he said.
He said businesses who were receiving Covid-19 support would continue to receive support for the next fortnight, even if lockdown eases this week or the next.
Regional Victoria remains likely to beat Melbourne when it comes to benefits for the vaccinated population.
“There’s not a concrete date about when that will be in place,” he said.
“In terms of a trial for those sorts of small gatherings which might take place in a double-vaxxed environment, we think it makes sense for that to start in regional Victoria.”
‘RING OF STEEL’ TO BE REPLACED
Professor Sutton said the ring of steel term had been “overused”, touting a new method to protect regional Victoria from Melbourne if it leaves lockdown early this week.
“We’ve got a different descriptor which is probably more appropriate, it’s a mobile, agile, monitoring and surveillance program with Victoria Police that really looks at different roads different routes out,” he said.
“It’s probably significantly more effective.”
He said rather than having fixed points on the road that cause traffic delays that “highly motivated” breachers could circumvent with back roads, the new system would “pick up anyone, at any time, on any road”.
NSW CASE NUMBERS HIT GRIM NEW HIGH
NSW has recorded 1533 new coronavirus cases and four deaths overnight.
It comes after the state recorded 1431 cases and 12 deaths on Friday, with a warning that cases could still spike over the next two weeks before starting to slowly decline.
There were fears Octobers would be the worst month in NSW for case numbers and hospitalisation rates. The Premier has repeatedly been probed about whether there are enough beds for sick people.
More to come.
SAINTS GO MARCHING IN TO VACCINE CLINIC
More than 20 St Kilda players have been vaccinated.
The footballers turned up to get their jab at the Genesis Medical Centre in Bentleigh as part of a drive to encourage more young people to get the vaccine.
Among the group was captain Jack Steele and teammates Cooper Sharman, Jack Billings and Mason Wood.
Meanwhile, North Melbourne is on track to have almost every member of the football department fully vaccinated by early October.
More than nine in ten have had their first jabs including AFL coach David Noble and AFLW coach Darren Crocker, with the club executive all vaccinated.
North Melbourne football boss Ben Amarfio told the Herald Sun a strong education program had seen the players and football staff flock to be vaccinated.
Only a handful of players and staff with health issues are yet to have their first dose as the club continues its education program for those not yet vaccinated.
Read the full story here
SWINGING BACK INTO PLAYGROUNDS
Before the rain rolled in, kids around Melbourne were swinging, sliding and climbing their way into the weekend, after the controversial playground ban was lifted on Thursday night.
Kids under 12 were allowed back on play equipment from 5am on Friday, with many families heading out early to their local park before school, work and forecasted rain.
Newport mum Katrina Verso said her daughter Billie, 6, was a “monkey” on the playground and on Friday had the “biggest smile I’ve ever seen”.
“(The ban) was terrible … she felt trapped in the house,” Ms Verso said.
“This is the happiest she’s been in two weeks.”
Only one parent, guardian or carer can accompany children to a playground, with adults also restricted from removing their masks to eat or drink.
Ms Verso said the one-adult rule was a “bit tough”.
“But I do understand it. If only one parent’s coming, it can halve the numbers at the park and halve the opportunity for spread,” she said.
“It’s not about lingering around the park. It’s about the kids having a bit of exercise.”
Each and every city playground must now have a QR code but the laminated code at Dennis Reserve in Williamstown had been fixed to a round pole, preventing phones from recognising the square.
“It doesn’t seem to be working,” Ms Verso said.
Williamstown mum Louise Clarke said she would take her kids, aged 7 and 4, to a playground daily before the ban came into effect on August 17.
“They need the fresh air and they need the run around,” Ms Clarke said.
“I get (the one-adult rule) but I think it’s going to be hard to manage though. I feel for the police.”
Newport dad Joel Kilgour said it was “disappointing” he could not take his kids Evie, 5, and Hamish, 2, to the playground as a family with their mum.
“But we understand. We hope that there’s a further easing of restrictions and we can all come here soon,” Mr Kilgour said.
“They were so excited this morning when we told them that they could go to the park.”
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