Covid updates, cases NSW and Victoria
Victorians could be forgiven for thinking today’s drop in numbers indicates a peak has been reached. The reality makes for sobering reading.
Welcome to our Covid coverage for Monday.
NSW residents are enjoying hard-earned freedoms as restrictions were finally lifted today after more than 100 days of lockdown.
The state reached 90 per cent vaccination rate for first doses on Monday but there were eight deaths and 496 new cases.
In Victoria, there was speculation that the state may have reached its peak after daily cases climbed to nearly 2000 over the weekend before dropping back down to 1612 on Monday.
But a leading epidemiologist says the peak is more likely still three or four weeks away.
There’s some concern in South Australia where a woman flew in to Adelaide from Melbourne on Sunday before testing positive.
The live blog has closed for the day but you can catch up on the biggest stories below.
Three new cases in South Australia
South Australia has listed three new infections today, including one in a medi-hotel, one truck driver and a fly-in-fly-out worker who arrived in Adelaide from Melbourne.
The woman in her 30s flew in on JQ778 on Sunday afternoon. Passengers and crew on that flight have been told the flight is a Tier 1 exposure site and ordered to get tested and isolate.
South Australian COVID-19 update 11/10/21. For more information, go to https://t.co/mYnZsGpayo or contact the South Australia COVID-19 Information Line on 1800 253 787. pic.twitter.com/jdWfXKibys
— SA Health (@SAHealth) October 11, 2021
Victoria has not yet reached its peak
A dip in infections in Victoria is encouraging after daily new cases of coronavirus neared 2000 over the weekend.
There were 1612 new locally-acquired cases of Covid-19 on Monday, but hopes that the state’s current outbreak had reached its peak may be premature.
University of South Australia epidemiologist Professor Adrian Esterman told news.com.au there may be a few more weeks to run before the current wave starts its downward trajectory.
“I think there is still 3-4 weeks to go before we get to a peak,” he said.
“The Reff (reproductive number) is way to high at the moment at 1.21. Need it much closer to 1.”
Eight Victorians died from Covid-19 overnight, including a man in his 40s, a man in his 60s, two men and two women in their 70s and two men in their 80s.
It comes as the Premier Daniel Andrews shared the state’s latest vaccination ad — encouraging Victorians to get the jab if they want to participate in the things they’ve missed out on for so long.
To get back to the pub, back to big family dinners, back to live music and back to all the things we love - your vaccination is your ticket.
— Dan Andrews (@DanielAndrewsMP) October 11, 2021
Get double dosed, so we can all get back to the things we've missed: https://t.co/XeXaiKcZpqpic.twitter.com/OQG4r9eXML
Queensland reaches important vaccine milestone
BREAKING: Queensland has reached the 70% first dose vaccination rate.
— Annastacia Palaszczuk (@AnnastaciaMP) October 11, 2021
This is a big step towards our goal of 80% double doses for Queenslanders.
We need as many Queenslanders vaccinated as possible, book in today 👇https://t.co/CI33Hki0Nlpic.twitter.com/9GLz07FnYU
Canberra to become one of the ‘most vaccinated places in the world’
The ACT is set to reach the milestone of 90 per cent of its eligible population being fully vaccinated by the end of the month.
The territory is on course to become one of the most vaccinated cities in the world.
It is now is approaching 98 per cent first vaccination and now at 71.1 per cent second dose.
ACT chief minister Andrew Barr said there would be a renewed focus during the next four days to get even more jabs in arms.
“The next four days are about those remaining first doses, and with the interval of three or four weeks we’re looking forward to see the fully vaccinated figures match the first-dose figures. What this means is Canberra will be among the most vaccinated places in the world,” he said.
There were 32 new cases detected in the ACT in the past 24 hours.
Victoria to open for the summer
Mr Foley has announced that Victoria will be open this summer — but it won’t be open for the unvaccinated.
“We can also announce that with Victoria preparing to open in time for summer, based on our implementation of the national plan for reopening, we’ll also be launching today a new campaign to remind everyone that your vaccination is your ticket,” he said.
“Dine in, sport, travel, work, but perhaps most importantly of all, reconnecting with family and friends and those we love. As they announced as part of the Victorian roadmap to deliver the national plan and to protect the community and the health system, we know that the safest way to do that is to apply those measures to Victorians who are vaccinated.
“If you are not vaccinated, these freedoms won’t apply to the same way that it will to those Victorians that are vaccinated.”
Victoria hits impressive vax numbers
Mr Foley said Victoria is “well on the way to becoming one of the world’s most vaccinated jurisdictions”.
“As of yesterday, we were sitting at 86% of Victorians aged 16 and over had received their first dose. This includes 93% of people aged over 50, and more than 95% of people aged 70 and over,” he said.
“And indeed, that age group, between 12 and 16, 64% of that group are now single dosed and an increasing number of them are in fact double dosed. And just reflect on the fact that less than a month ago, that group became eligible.”
Pfizer and Moderna now available to every adult in Victoria
Mr Foley said more certainty around vaccine supply means Pfizer and Moderna vaccine are available to eligible people of any age through state-run vaccination centres.
“This change, which is now in effect, has been made possible by the relative certainty we now have for both Moderna and Pfizer and the extraordinary number of young people who have come forward over the past three and a half weeks,” he said.
More details on Victoria’s deaths
The Victorian health minister Martin Foley is speaking now and has given details of the eight deaths the state recorded today.
They were a woman in her 70s and a man in his 60s from the Darebin area.
A man in his 40s from Port Phillip.
A man in his 80s from Maribyrnong.
A man in his 80s from Brimbank.
A man in his 70s from the city of Melbourne.
A man in his 70s from Glen Eira.
And a woman in her 70s from Whittlesea.
More details on NSW’s Covid cases and deaths
NSW recorded 496 new locally acquired cases of Covid-19 in the 24 hours to 8pm last night.
NSW Health is reporting eight deaths: six men and two women.
One person was in their 40s, one in their 50s, three in their 60s, one in their 70s, one in their 80s, and one in their 90s.
Four people were from western Sydney, two from south western Sydney, one from Sydney’s north shore, and one from Sydney’s inner west.
A woman in her 90s from south western Sydney died at Liverpool Hospital. She had received two doses of a vaccine and had underlying health conditions.
She was a resident of the Allity Beechwood Aged Care Facility in Revesby, where she acquired her infection. It is the sixth death linked to an outbreak at this facility.
Of the 496 locally acquired cases, 113 are from South Western Sydney Local Health District (LHD), 82 are from Hunter New England LHD, 94 are from Western Sydney LHD, 38 are from Illawarra Shoalhaven LHD, 36 are from Sydney LHD, 42 are from South Eastern Sydney LHD, 23 are from Nepean Blue Mountains LHD, 21 are from Central Coast LHD, six are from Southern NSW LHD, 13 are from Western NSW LHD, 13 are from Northern Sydney LHD, five are from Mid North Coast LHD, four are from Northern NSW LHD, four are from Far West LHD, one is in a correctional setting and one is from Murrumbidgee LHD.
‘It is a freedom day’ says Dom
Former premier Gladys Berejiklian refused to call today “freedom day” but it’s clear Mr Perrottet feels differently.
“I see it as a day of freedom. It is a freedom day. Businesses are opening up. But that means it needs to be done in a measured and safe way,” he said.
“Let’s not get caught into semantics about how we want to classify the day. What is most important is for the first time in a long time, people are getting the opportunity to go back to work.
“Businesses who have been closed and businesses who have been crippled are excited today about having the opportunity to open once again. And what a fantastic thing that is.
“People can call it whatever day they want to call it. I just think it’s a great day for the people of our state based on the efforts and sacrifices that everyone has made.”
Dom trying to reopen international border sooner
The NSW Premier is speaking now.
He said he is trying to bring the reopening of international borders forward to address labour shortages in NSW. He said we cannot live as “a hermit kingdom”.
“We’ve been in discussions with the federal government in terms of labour shortages. It will face our state and the nation. It was probably an issue we had prior to the Delta outbreak. So it’s a challenge we’re going to face moving forward,” he said.
“We’re working with the federal government at the moment, in terms of trying to bring forward that date for the opening of our international border.”
1612 new cases in Victoria, 8 deaths
The numbers are bouncing around in Victoria — with a drop in the number of new cases today.
There were 1612 new local cases in today’s figures and eight deaths. The previous day there were 1890 cases dectected.
Some 34,279 vaccines administered and 73,138 test results were received in today’s figures.
496 new cases in NSW, 8 deaths
The state continues to see cases decline, and it has now hit more than 90 per cent of adults getting their first jab.
Some 90.3% of people aged 16+ have had one dose and 73.5% of people aged 16+ have had two doses.
There were 498 new cases picked up in the state yesterday — with two of those picked up in overseas travellers.
There are 769 people in hospital with Covid and 153 people in ICU.
Wild scenes as NSW comes out of lockdown
The weather is abysmal in Sydney but it hasn’t stopped late-night revellers and shoppers enjoying their first few hours out of lockdown in style.
Kmart stores in Blacktown and Mt Druitt saw dozens of shoppers queuing before midnight in lines which snaked 50m from the entrance.
Inside the store in Mt Druitt, the line for the check-outs could be seen snaking around the building.
This is Kmart Mt Druitt at midnight 11/10/21, this footage, taken from Facebook, shows hundreds of people. For the record Mt Druitt was named as an area of concern yesterday in the @NSWHealth update. 🤦â€â™€ï¸ #freedumday#covidnsw#nswlockdown#nswcovidpic.twitter.com/0Flt469Oj6
— billyboy.com.au (@Billyboy_Kids) October 10, 2021
There were also snaking lines outside pubs at the cusp of midnight and some were greeted with champagne at the door.
With only double-dosed residents allowed to enter non-essential venues in NSW, police set up a late-night roadblock along Parramatta Road as well as other main routes into the city to prevent unvaccinated lockdown rule breakers from heading into the CBD to join the festivities.
A staff member at Sydney’s Tattersalls club in the CBD even welcomed patrons inside by popping a champagne bottle as the clock struck midnight.
Footage online shows revellers rushing inside and flashing their digital Covid-19 vaccination certificate at the door to gain entry.
In the city’s west, dozens of excited locals arrived en masse at Canterbury Leagues Club with huge lines sprawling way out into the parking lot.
Back in inner city Paddington, demand was so high for Alan Buki’s salon that he too opted to open at midnight, welcoming in a string of patrons ready for a fresh haircut.
Gyms are also back open, so some Sydneysiders headed out for a late-night workout to start chipping away at their lockdown bellies.
Alan Buki and his customers just couldn’t wait a minute longer - opening up at 12.01am. Happy freedom day Sydney #FreedomDay@SBSNewspic.twitter.com/BgAX6vDAO4
— Massilia Aili (@MassiliaAili) October 10, 2021
#freedomday my #happyplace 🥰 pic.twitter.com/jMCJwVQTQM
— Natalie Lennon CA (@nat_lennon) October 10, 2021
I’ve missed the simple pleasures, such as morning double espressos reading the newspaper. Just not the same in a takeaway cup. 🙠to @NSWHealth & community for getting us to phase 1. pic.twitter.com/4ujBlytSte
— Greg Dore (@GregDore2) October 10, 2021
Premier urges caution
The NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet has urged Sydneysiders not to go too crazy as the city opens up.
Speaking to ABC Breakfast this morning he said today was an “exciting” day for the state but that there will be challenges.
“I think that it’s a big day for our state after a long 100 days of lockdown,” he said.
“There’s going to be challenges as we move through this and the first state in the nation that’s going down a path where those coming out to visit pubs and restaurants and cafes need to be double vaccinated. That will have its challenges along the way.
“But I think if everyone treats it and each other with respect and kindness during this period, we’re going to open up safely.”
He warned residents against going too hard so early on — saying we won’t know what impact reopening will have on case numbers for another two weeks.
“We want to make sure that we don’t go backwards. There are obviously rules still in place as we stage the opening up. People need to be patient as well because there will be challenges as we go through this period,” he said.
“But there are a number of restrictions still in place. Vaccination has been key to us being able to open up. There’s obviously a lot of excitement but it certainly has to be tempered by making sure that we continue to look out for each other.”
Covid scare at Brisbane Airport
Queensland has had its first major Covid scare in almost a week after an infected NSW passenger flew into Brisbane Airport without a valid border pass.
Queensland Health on Sunday night announced the airport as a close contact site after the passenger arrived on Virgin flight VA917 from Sydney on Friday morning.
‘Everyone’s so f***ing terrified’
As restrictions ease in Sydney, a paramedic has warned of rising anxiety in hospitals.
The 25-year-old medical worker, who spoke to AAP, said that this was the “scariest part of the pandemic so far” in Australia.
“Everyone’s so f***ing terrified, all of us in the southwest (of Sydney) she said.
“Look at London – hundreds of people are dying a week and they’re just going about it like there’s no problem. I don’t think Australia is ready for that.
“It feels like all the things that need to be in place aren’t and now it’s like ‘Oh well, we’ll see how it goes’.”
Despite the warning, there are some positive signs.
Covid hospitalisations and ICU admissions have plunged dramatically in the last fortnight as high vaccinations rates ease the pressure on Sydney hospitals.
The improvement has been so dramatic, St Vincent’s Private Hospital has been able to close one of its temporary Covid wards, breast screen services are reopening across the state and non-urgent day surgery has recommenced.
The number of patients in hospitals with the virus has plummeted 32 per cent from a peak of 1266 on September 21, down to 794 yesterday.
International travel could open on November 1
Australia’s international borders could re-open for vaccinated travellers in NSW as early as November 1 under a fast-tracked plan announced today by Prime Minister Scott Morrison to allow us to “take our lives back”.
The proposal outlined by the Prime Minister follows discussions with the new NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet about fast-tracking the rollout of home quarantine.
The move away from 14 days of hotel quarantine for vaccinated travellers is regarded as a crucial step before international travel can start ramping up to pre-pandemic levels. Trials are currently away in several states.
Canberra prepares to join NSW
The ACT will have to wait a few more days before it can join NSW and start easing Covid-19 restrictions.
The territory, which is due to start lifting its stay-at-home orders on Friday, reported 30 new cases on Sunday. Of these, only seven were in quarantine for their entire period of infection.
The ACT has 15 patients in hospital, including six in intensive care, with five of those requiring ventilation.
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