Beaches near capacity amid clamp down on restrictions as Cup Day a scorcher
Active cases in Victoria have plunged to just 38, 11 less than New South Wales, leading experts to push for a further easing of restrictions this weekend. It comes as the state recorded zero cases for the fourth consecutive day.
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Victoria has recorded no new COVID-19 cases overnight and no deaths. It is the fourth straight day of zero cases.
The rolling 14-day average for Melbourne remains on 1.9.
It’s the first time Victoria has had four days of zero cases since February 26 to 29.
There are now two mystery cases over the past week, one more than Monday.
Two Victorians are in hospital receiving care.
Health Minister Martin Foley said Victorians deserved to celebrate on Tuesday but the price was “a COVID-safe summer of eternal vigilance”.
“Making sure Victorians are safe, stay safe and stay open is our shared challenge,” he said.
It comes as the number of active cases dropped to 38 and people continue to show out for testing in good numbers, especially around the north outbreak.
The state government also revealed sewerage testing was ongoing, but was not showing any worrying trends so far in terms of coronavirus detection.
Victoria’s Commander of Testing and Community Engagement Jeroen Weimar commended those who come forward to get tested.
“In order to maintain what we’ve just won, in order to maintain these zero case levels and to continue to enjoy days out in the park, we must make sure that any of us, no mare how slight our symptoms, please come forward to get tested,” he said.
Mr Weimar warned that there may still be undetected cases across Melbourne.
“I suspect that there will be others out there that we haven’t found yet, but that’s where the ongoing message around testing is important,” he said.
ACTIVE CASES DROP, EXPERTS PUSH FOR EASED RESTRICTIONS
Victorians are living under stricter restrictions than New South Wales, despite the state now recording more active community cases than its southern counterpart.
New South Wales has recorded 49 active community cases compared to 38 in Victoria, which saw zero new cases for the fourth day in a row this morning.
As the state waits to see which restrictions will change, leading epidemiologists have revealed which they believe are safe to go with outdoor mask wearing at the top of their list.
Australian National University Infectious Diseases Physician and Microbiologist Peter Collignon said Victoria did a “great job” to get numbers down, but it’s time for some rules to relax this weekend.
He doesn’t think we need to “wear a mask all the time, including outside, while you have low levels of virus in the community”.
“Outside there’s very little evidence you transmit a lot and an insistence on having masks, providing you’re physically distancing - is that going to achieve much?” he said.
“All in all, if we continue to see zero or really low numbers over the next week, we could ease a lot of restrictions, providing we keep indoor crowds to low levels.”
But he was adamant the population should wear masks indoors, such as “in the office or public transport, where transmission occurs” and that some rules are still needed.
“We can’t go back to normal, we need to still limit indoor crowds in restaurants and bars, and keep the numbers down of people in the home.”
Deakin University Epidemiologist Professor Catherine Bennet agreed on masks and said public adherence to the rule already appears to have dropped.
“It could be time to ease wearing a mask outdoors when you’re away from people,” she said.
“The numbers are so good and with the weather picking up, it’s harder for people to comply when they’re out and about.”
The professor also pointed to the ‘ring of steel’ as a measure she hopes will go, pointing out people from New South Wales - which has more community transmission - were allowed to visit regional Victoria.
“I think they should look at the ring of steel and the 25km distance rule,” she said.
“It would be good to see Melbourne and regional Victoria’s rules more aligned.
“I think it’s a safe step, we’re tracking so well this week and hopefully will continue to.”
She said Victoria was now “argurably in a better position than NSW” and not only are our numbers “promising”, but the story behind those figures too.
Professor Peter Collignon said Victoria appears to be heading for an elimination strategy and questioned the long-term benefits.
“I think they’re going for an elimination strategy without stating it,” he said.
“I think suppression to low levels as NSW and the commonwealth did is better.
“Until we get a vaccine that is 90 per cent effective, we will have this problem for two to three years, because it is so widespread it so easy to come back.”
“When so many people can have it mildly or be asymptomatic, it’s very difficult in large inner city areas to achieve and sustain elimination.”
“I worry about the sustainability of lockdown and the cost of severe and prolonged lockdowns, when there’s no guarantee it is better in the medium to long term.”
He said Victoria’s strategy may have been worth it if the state continues to have no new cases for two months, and NSW’s numbers rise, but he feels this is “not likely”.
“Restrictions are with us for a while to come,” he said.
“I believe it should be portionate to what’s happening in the community.”
The government has repeatedly denied they are chasing an elimination strategy.
BEACHES NEAR CAPACITY AMID RESTRICTIONS CLAMP DOWN
Councils along Melbourne’s bay urged beachgoers to stay away from the crowded sand throughout Tuesday.
Port Phillip Council has issued hourly updates on the crowds that flocked to its 11km of foreshore.
By 2pm, the council said: “West Beach is probably the only area left with space and we may need to start diverting crowds away from St Kilda if numbers keep increasing.”
Two hours later, all beaches were “near capacity”
The council then said: “As we near 5pm, the beaches remain full and parking at capacity. As families head home over the next few hours, space may open up.”
Bayside Council also urged people to head to other beaches after Dendy St Beach and Half Moon Bay were overwhelmed.
The mounted branch, public order response team and water police were also used to clamp down on illegal activity or breaches of coronavirus restrictions, which caps outdoor gatherings at 10 people.
For those heading to the beach Mr Foley warned to take additional masks.
“Wet masks aren’t effective,” he said.
“You do not need to wear them while you’re swimming, but we’d encourage anyone who’s going to the beach, anyone who’s going out today to take a couple of masks as wet masks are not effective.”
Mr Foley also encouraged people to stay away from protests saying it’s their democratic right “but now is not the time”.
Victoria Police said it would have a “highly visible presence” across Port Phillip Bay as part of Operation Summersafe – an annual crackdown on beach crime.
“We know many people will be particularly keen to get outside and enjoy the sunshine over the coming days but police ask that you do so safely,” a spokeswoman said.
“Police will not allow anyone to engage in criminal or disruptive behaviour, particularly those that have a negative impact on the rest of the community.
“Anyone planning on heading out and about must adhere to the latest Chief Health Officer directions and police will continue to enforce these rules.”
Councils will also have local laws officers patrolling beaches, with Bayside chief executive Mick Cummins warning beachgoers will be moved on if large crowds gather.
“If we do start to see numbers get to a point where it becomes a bit of a problem we’ll be calling on the extra resources that Victoria Police have rostered on for the next two days,” Mr Cummins said.
“Trying to block every single access point is going to be a very difficult task, but I’m
confident the overwhelming majority of people are going to do the right thing.”
Police Minister Lisa Neville said anyone caught blatantly disobeying the Chief Health Officer’s directions would be fined.
“Please follow the directives in place that will ensure we can keep opening up – we’ve done such a great job as a state and we need to continue that work,” she said.
The warning comes after thousands of Melburnians flocked to bayside beaches on Monday, including Elsternwick construction worker Anthony Robinson.
He said Melbourne had done well to suppress the virus compared to his hometown, Sheffield in the United Kingdom.
“We’re just so happy to be back at the beach, doing some paddleboarding,” Mr Robinson said.
“You’ve got to be sensible with the rules. Australia has done it well.
“My uncle (in the UK) went into hospital, got the virus and died within a week.”
University student Lauren Van Velzen said she was surprised when police asked her to wear a mask while sunbaking with two friends.
“We didn’t really know what to do with the masks,” she said.
“We can sit down for a meal and not wear them, so it’s weird to have to wear them on the beach.”
Department of Health and Human Services guidelines stipulate that masks can be removed while swimming, but must be worn by people playing in shallow water with children.
Authorities also urged beachgoers to carry spare masks in case they become wet or damaged.
While Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton has flagged that mandatory masks rules could be eased, Transport Infrastructure Minister Jacinta Allan said on Monday they were here to stay.
She also said any decision about whether or not to extend Victoria’s state of disaster, due to expire on Sunday, had not yet been made.
The 14-day case average dropped to 1.9 in Melbourne and zero in regional Victoria, where there are no active cases.
Just one mystery case remains in the state, from the Heidelberg West area.
In the Deer Park area authorities are continuing to investigate a case reported on Friday.
Of the 49 active cases remaining across the state just two Victorians were in hospital with none in intensive care.
ASYMPTOMATIC TESTING MAY RAMP UP
Victorians may be called upon to be tested even if they don’t have symptoms, under the state’s new surveillance testing response plan.
DHHS’ Jerome Weimar on a Tuesday said there was strong testing numbers, so far, despite four days of zero, but said “it’s important we hold the line” and people in hotspot areas will be told to get tested if necessary.
“We are looking at different testing modalities at the moment,” he said.
“We are very confident from the point of view of testing and if I look at there is a willingness of Victorians to come out and get tested and do the right thing is pretty good.
“And I think that’ll give us gives us confidence that we can we can stay on top of this in the way that we have been over the last few months.”
Her termed the strategy as “aggressive suppression”.
“We are not heading for elimination and no one should think we are on top of his.”
He also flagged the mask policy would not end soon saying “we’ve got 31 active cases that we know about there will be other cases out there in the community, they may be asymptomatic they may be at a very low level, they may all be connected, they may not be connected.
“It’s our job to be really vigilant but, and that’s why for all of us Victorians you know we can’t now get into a mindset that says, well, it’s probably over.
“So now I don’t need to bother getting tested anymore and that’s why it’s so good to say that, you know what, 30,000 people yesterday 230,000 people over the last two weeks, said I have a sore throat runny nose, I’ll get tested.”
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