Canberra lockdown sparks panic buying
Panic buying has ensued in Canberra as the ACT is plunged into its first seven-day lockdown in a year and MPs scramble to evacuate.
Panic buying has broken out in Canberra after a snap seven-day lockdown was announced with scenes of maskless shoppers sparking anger.
The nation’s capital will mandate masks from 5pm tonight indoors and outdoors with retail closed but supermarkets remaining open for essentials.
While many locals immediately masked up voluntarily, footage quickly emerged online of maskless shoppers cramming into a local supermarket.
An even greater concern is that the supermarket in question is in Gunghalin, the same suburb where the infectious man lived with his partner, who is now in quarantine.
The man visited a large number of sites while infected including bars in the city and locations in Braddon, Manuka, Mitchell, Cook, Kingston and Woden.
That’s sparked concerns that politicians and political staffers who have flown to Canberra for parliamentary sittings could be caught up in the exposure sites.
The Morrison government is now scrambling to organise flights to evacuate MPs from Canberra.
RELATED: Canberra to enter seven-day lockdown
Journalist Tegan George posted the Gunghalin supermarket footage on Twitter just hours after the ACT announced the lockdown.
The footage sparked concern from Melburnians and Sydneysiders who are currently in lockdown and required to wear masks.
“Totally bizarre seeing so many people not wearing masks,” Twitter user Ali Parker said.
“You are having a lockdown and congregating in a supermarket. Giving me the creeps watching this footage as a Melburnian.”
And so it begins … #canberra to enter snap 7 day #lockdown following a confirmed case of #covid19#auspolpic.twitter.com/vRRedJyuW4
— Tegan George (@tegangeorge) August 12, 2021
Earlier the ACT chief health officer confirmed there were already reports of panic buying at supermarkets across the nation’s capital.
“This will be the first time that the ACT has entered a lockdown of this nature since the early days of the pandemic,” ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr said.
“We have said throughout the outbreak in Greater Sydney that we would act quickly and decisively.
“We have seen that a short and immediate lockdown limits the potential spread of the virus, and is the best path to avoiding longer and more damaging lockdowns.”
ACT schools will close from Friday as teachers prepare to return to online learning.
Masks will be mandated indoors and outdoors for anyone aged over 12.
Exercise for one hour a day will be permitted. Family groups will be permitted to exercise together but visits to other households is banned.
It’s the first time Canberra has reported a Covid-19 case in the region for a year.
The region locked down last year for five weeks but has remained Covid free ever since despite outbreaks intestate.
Canberrans who have lost work will be eligible for disaster payments of up to $750 a week.
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