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Live Breaking News: Sydney facing weeks more lockdown as daily case numbers hit triple digits

A woman has hurled abuse staff at a chicken shop in Sydney's Covid-19 epicentre, after they refused to serve her for not wearing a mask.

Ally FosterAlly Foster
@allyjfoster
less than 2 min read
July 12, 2021 - 9:28PM
NSW records 112 COVID-19 cases in "absolutely critical" phase

NSW has recorded 112 new Covid-19 cases overnight – with 34 of those infectious in the community – bringing the total number in the outbreak to 678.

 

Premier Gladys Berejiklian said today it would be "almost impossible" for the lockdown to end as planned at 11.59pm on July 16. She was asked whether, as some experts have recommended, the lockdown may be extended by "at least" another three or four weeks.

"Look, that depends on how quickly our community responds to those cases that are infectious in the community," she replied. "It is really up to us. The health expert advice will be based on what those numbers look like. I can't be clearer than that."

This live blog has now ended. You can find yesterday's blog here.

Updates

One of the creators of the troubled AstraZeneca vaccine says it's up to regulators and young people to decide whether it is safe for them to take.

Oxford Professor Catherine Green appeared on Ten's The Project on Monday night to spruik a new book co-authored with her colleague Sarah Gilbert about the creation of the vaccine.

"I have to ask – how exactly did you find time to write a book while saving the world from a virus?" host Waleed Aly began the interview.

"Well, it's an easy book, because it's about what we actually did over the course of 2020," she said.

Prof Green was asked what her message was to people hesitant about receiving the vaccine after hearing about blood clotting issues, including today's news of a 72-year-old woman in Adelaide who died.

"Any case of a significant side effect, that's very tragic," she said.

"What we're trying to do in the book is to say that medicines are not risk-free. This is of course true. No medicine is risk-free and no decision we take in life is risk-free. It's really important we judge benefits against risks of a population, and not taking a vaccine is also not risk-free."

She pointed out that in the UK, the "ravages of Covid-19" had left "more than 130,000 people dead".

Source: Channel 10
Source: Channel 10

"Covid is a very serious disease and every individual and every regulator has to balance the risk of getting vaccinated with the risk of not getting," she said.

Prof Green was then played a clip of Queensland chief health officer Jeannette Young urging young people not to get the vaccine, saying she didn't want "an 18-year-old in Queensland dying from a clotting illness who, if they got Covid, probably wouldn't die".

"Is it safe for young people to take?" host Carrie Bickmore asked.

"So, I mean, regulators are making that decision across the world," Prof Green replied.

"It's exactly what I just alluded to. There has to be this discussion about risks and benefits and given that young people, particularly in countries where Covid is not circulating very much, are at a very much lower risk of Covid, the risk-benefit changes depending on the age bracket you're in."

She said it was "clear in the decisions made by the regulator in Europe", which this week said unusual blood clots should be listed as a very rare side effect of the AstraZeneca vaccine.

"My job as a scientist is to get the information to the regulators in a transparent form," Prof Green said.

"We never hid the data we have in the situations. And then, yes, the local regulators have taken into account local context and the fact that local context changes over time and have to be able to make the appropriate decisions for those populations."

A woman has been filmed verbally abusing staff at a south-west Sydney chicken shop after they refused to serve her for not wearing a mask.

Video of the incident shows a woman with her partner and two children attempting to order lunch at Frango Charcoal Chicken in the Fairfield suburb of Smithfield, in the epicentre of the city's Covid-19 outbreak.

The woman's tirade was filmed by a nearby customer and uploaded to TikTok on Sunday.

"You know what, you're being f***ing b*****s," the woman says. "I know my rights."

She claimed she had a medical exemption.

"Today at the shops, the police saw my exemption, and I continued shopping without a f***ing mask."

Staff tried to apologise, but the woman spoke over them.

"No you're not sorry," she said.

"You know what, you guys are just on a power trip now. People have medical reasons – I can't wear a mask."

She then suggested her partner, who was wearing a face mask, would go inside.

"OK well give me a piece of paper, I'll write my f***ing order and he'll go in and pay it," she said.

According to The Daily Mail, the woman's husband later returned to the store, apologised and ordered food.

A staff member urged customers to be patient.

"We are people," they said.

"We are in an area where Covid-19 cases are through the roof and we are still trying to work."

Former Labor leader Bill Shorten has blasted the federal government's vaccine rollout, labelling it a "s**tshow" and "a mess" on national television.

Appearing on the ABC's Afternoon Briefing today, Mr Shorten said he was "sure" former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd's call with Pfizer boss Dr Albert Bourla helped Australia.

"We hear too many reports of the government being complacent about securing vaccination contracts," he said.

"Everyone's been saying that we need more Pfizer. So I'm pleased that Kevin, he's just doing what a million of us would like to do which is just get a hurry on to get more vaccines to Australia."

Continuing his rant against the federal government, Mr Shorten said Prime Minister Scott Morrison "has a reputation for being one of the most hands-off prime ministers since Federation".

"He had a reputation for being a marketer and his public health marketing is atrocious," he said.

"Let me say, for the record, as a politician, the vaccine rollout in Australia is a s**tshow. It is just a mess."

Host Patricia Karvelas was quick to pull Mr Shorten up on the s-bomb.

"You've just sworn on national television," she said.

"I think I've said what about 25 million other people, adults think," Mr Shorten hit back.

"I won't school you on how to speak. You can choose your words as you choose," Karvelas replied.

Read more here

Nationals Senator Matt Canavan clashed with ABC TV host Patricia Karvelas after he criticised Sydney's lockdown and likened Covid-19 to the flu.

Appearing on the ABC's Afternoon Briefing, Mr Canavan slammed the "overly dramatic" Covid-19 awareness ad released overnight of a young woman gasping for air, saying it was not "realistic" and that "any kind of scare campaign that's not connected to the facts ultimately will fail".

"We know that Covid doesn't affect young people that much more than the flu – we don't run ads around the flu like this," he said.

"I mean, there are people who are impacted obviously by this virus, as other viruses, but I think it's way over the top."

Karvelas said there were "disturbingly quite a few young people actually in hospital" in Sydney at the moment, including a teenager.

"And I said young people end up in hospital from the flu and other viruses too," Mr Canavan replied.

"We've got to get things back into perspective here. I think there's far too much panicking about this. Two years ago we lost two Australians a day from the flu. Every day two people would die from the flu. There were never news reports about it. It was never on our nightly news. It wasn't part of discussions that we'd have. But two people would die every day."

Picture: Supplied
Picture: Supplied

Mr Canavan said at "some point we have to get back to understanding that coronavirus is going to be with us".

"It is going to lead to fatalities, tragically even after everyone is vaccinated because the vaccines aren't perfect," he said.

"When are we going to get back to that? We're not going to completely stay out of this forever. That is not an option."

The Queensland Senator also slammed the Sydney lockdown, saying the costs and benefits were not being balanced.

Mr Canavan suggested responsibility should be "put back on the people", saying "those that are vulnerable" could "make the choice to stay home".

"But to impose a police state on everybody over a year after the virus, we know a lot more about it, we have a lot more treatments, it doesn't add up," he said.

"We've had one fatality this year from Covid so far. And the cost being imposed – a lot of fatalities from lockdowns. People unfortunately get in very bad states and no-one seems to be talking about or caring about that stress that's imposed on these people in those circumstances."

He asked, "How many people will get to the end of their tether during the lockdown? How many people will lose their livelihoods and their life's work?"

Karvelas said there were 63 people currently hospitalised.

"If you stop the lockdown, it will be thousands of cases and thousands of deaths, right?" she said.

"As I say, a couple of years ago we would lose two people from the flu every day – we didn't lock down the country," he replied.

Picture: Aaron Francis/The Australian
Picture: Aaron Francis/The Australian

Karvelas pressed, "So you think right now we should be prepared to accept more deaths and open up? I'm being blunt because I have to be. The virus can kill. Doesn't always kill but it can kill."

"Absolutely – so do lockdowns," Mr Canavan said.

"There is no world in which we will have zero deaths. Both choices have those things. It's a difficult ethical dilemma but no one seems to be raising the fact the lockdowns themselves are extremely costly on people's mental wellbeing, on their health…"

Karvelas cut in, "I was in a long lockdown, and no one needs to explain it more to me."

Labor Senator Jenny McAllister accused Mr Canavan of a "really disturbing attempt to create a false choice for Australians" between deaths and economic hardship.

She said the "third way" was getting more Australians vaccinated.

Mr Canavan pointed out that "these other countries the Labor Party points to that have high vaccination rates" like the UK still had coronavirus deaths.

Karvelas, who had earlier questioned why the Australian government's vaccine rollout had been so slow, then suggested the UK had also "failed".

"I don't know why we have to compare ourselves to people who have done a bad job," she said.

"If you've got thousands and thousands of citizens dying, you have done a bad job. You have failed."

Erin Lyons, NCA NewsWire

Health officials in South Australia have confirmed a 72-year-old woman died after having the AstraZeneca vaccine.

Her death is likely linked to the jab, which would make it the first vaccine-related fatality in South Australia since the rollout began.

Premier Steven Marshall said the Therapeutic Goods Administration confirmed a case of thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome (TTS) in a 72-year-old woman was likely linked to the AstraZeneca vaccine.

TTS is a rare event involving serious blood clots with a low blood platelet count. It is triggered by the immune system's response to the AstraZeneca vaccine and is different from other clotting conditions, according to the TGA.

Picture: Hector Vivas/Getty Images
Picture: Hector Vivas/Getty Images

It is incredibly rare, with the total number of confirmed TTS cases in Australia standing at 45, plus 31 "probable" cases. That's a total of 76 cases from about five million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine.

Mr Marshall said the woman received her first dose on June 24 before becoming unwell. She was rushed to Royal Adelaide Hospital on July 5.

"Unfortunately, we (have) now learned that she has passed away overnight," Mr Marshall said.

"Our thoughts are with her family at this very sad time. Her death has of course been referred to the TGA, as well as to the coroner for further investigation, so we need to wait for the TGA and the (conclusion) of the coroner's investigation."

Read more here

Gladys Berejiklian refused to provide certainty for NSW on how much longer the lockdown will last today – but hinted it could be up to another month.

The NSW Premier was asked by a reporter whether, as some experts have recommended, the lockdown may be extended by "at least" another three or four weeks, after daily cases reached triple digits.

"Look, that depends on how quickly our community responds to those cases that are infectious in the community," she replied.

"It is really up to us. The health expert advice will be based on what those numbers look like. I can't be clearer than that."

Picture: Mark Kolbe/Getty Images
Picture: Mark Kolbe/Getty Images

Ms Berejiklian said in the latest update NSW Health had identified 34 cases of people who were infectious in the community "for the entire duration of their illness".

She said that was "the number we need to get as close to zero as possible" but she did not have a "crystal ball as to when that might be because a large part of it is dependent on all of us doing the right thing and being extra cautious".

"This is not the time to take any risk whatsoever, to say, 'I'll be OK, I'll just dash out and do this, or dash out and see my relative, or dash out and do something,' this is not the time to cut any corners," she said.

"Quite the opposite. This is a time to sit at home and not leave home unless were we absolutely have to, especially in those local government areas we have identified but across all of the stay-at-home areas."

The federal government has announced a health support package for the areas impacted by the Greater Sydney lockdown.

Health minister Greg Hunt said this will include support for general practices, for pharmacies and for allied health practitioners.

"In particular we will make from the national medical stockpile through the seven primary health networks of northern Sydney, central and eastern Sydney, south-western Sydney, Western Sydney, south-eastern New South Wales, Nepean Blue Mountains and the Hunter, New England, Central Coast primary health networks the following package available," Mr Hunt said.

"1 million surgical masks, 1 million N95 masks, 250,000 pairs of gloves, 250,000 gowns and 250,000 goggles. These are to assist in infection control to support our health practitioners as they support the community."

He also said an economic support package is expected to be "completed with NSW in the very near future".

Pfizer has refuted suggestions that “any third party or individual” was involved in Australia's vaccine supply agreements.

It follows reports that former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd had met with Pfizer boss Dr Albert Bourla and discussed Australia receiving 40 million vaccines last month.

The Morrison government has been criticised for the country’s slow vaccine rollout. Australia’s initial contract with Pfizer was for 10 million jabs, signed in November 2020, this was until last week when the PM announced there would now be 40 million administered by the end of the year.

Picture: Dominick Reuter/AFP
Picture: Dominick Reuter/AFP

The ABC reported this was due to Rudd’s intervention on Australia’s behalf, claims the government strongly denies.

Now Pfizer has released a formal statement further hosing down these reports.

"Recent media reports suggesting that any third party or individual has had any role in contractual agreements reached between Pfizer and the Australian government are inaccurate," the company said.

"The only two parties involved in these agreements are Pfizer and the Australian government.

"Pfizer is committed to delivering 40 million doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine to Australia over 2021. Pfizer has met its contractual commitments to date and is on track to deliver the remaining doses by the end of the year.

"All agreements and supply arrangements, including dose planning are exclusively made with the federal government, and details of the agreement and discussions are confidential.

"All discussions on supply and procurement with the federal government are led by Pfizer representatives in Australia."

Premier Gladys Berejiklian said the length of the Greater Sydney lockdown will depend on how quickly the community responds to the number of infectious cases in the community.

"It is really up to us. The health expert advice will be based on what those numbers look like. I can't be clearer than that," she said.

"So at the moment – yesterday, we had 34 cases at least where people were infectious, we understand, for the entire duration of their illness.

Picture: Jeremy Piper/NCA NewsWire
Picture: Jeremy Piper/NCA NewsWire

"Now that's the number we need to get as close to zero as possible and I wish all of us had a crystal ball as to when that might be because part of it, a large part of it, is dependent on all of us doing the right thing and being extra cautious."

Ms Berejiklian said this is not the time for people to take risks or cut corners.

"This is a time to sit at home and not leave home unless were we absolutely have to especially in those local government areas we have identified but across all of the stay-at-home areas," she said.

NSW chief health officer Dr Kerry Chant said the "vast majority" of today's cases are located in southestern Sydney, with a small number of cases also in western Sydney, Nepean and the Blue Mountains.

Dr Chant listed a number of suburbs of concern, including Fairfield, Smithfield, Bossley Park, Fairfield Heights, Fairfield West, Wakely, Bonnyrigg, Glenfield and West Hoxton.

Picture: Bianca De Marchi/NCA NewsWire
Picture: Bianca De Marchi/NCA NewsWire

"The reason I am reading these locations out is that we do need to make sure that every member of that community understands every time they go out of their house for an essential good, if they go shopping, they need to assume that someone next to them has covid," she said.

"Also, I want to highlight that we are also seeing cases emerge among young adults in the 18-20-year-old age group in the Georges River, Bayside and Sutherland local Government areas and they are largely spreading it again to echo the Premier’s words to their closest friends and family."

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