Live breaking news: Top medical body rejects PM’s AZ announcement

Scott Morrison’s announcement that anyone under 40 can receive the AstraZeneca vaccine has been met with opposition from one of Australia’s top medical bodies.

Around half of the Australian population is in lockdown, as multiple states and territories battle rising Covid-19 cases.

 

 

A three-day snap lockdown has begun in South East Queensland, Townsville (including Magnetic Island) and Palm Island. These areas will join NSW's Greater Sydney area, the Northern Territory's Greater Darwin area and the Perth and Peel regions of Western Australia under tough lockdown restrictions.

This adds up to more than 12 million Aussies living under stay-at-home orders as concern grows over Australia's Covid-19 situation.

Amid growing frustration over the vaccine rollout nationally, the Prime Minister's decision to open AstraZeneca up to all adults has been hit with opposition from one of Australia's top medical bodies.

The president of the Australian Medical Association, Dr Omar Khorshid, says he does not endorse Scott Morrison's announcement that anyone under 40 can receive the AstraZeneca vaccine from their GP.

On Tuesday, NSW recorded 18 new cases, Queensland recorded two cases and the Northern Territory recorded two cases.

Here are some of today's top developments:

• Covid-19 vaccination is now mandatory for aged care and quarantine workers
• A snap lockdown has been announced for Queensland amid new Covid-19 cases
• Parts of the country have turned on NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian for delaying Sydney's lockdown

Follow along for today’s Covid-19 updates. You can find yesterday’s blog here.

Updates

8:31 pm June 29, 2021

Premier pushes Pfizer for elderly

Western Australia premier Mark McGowan on Tuesday said he believed the Pfizer should be available for those over 60, amid growing hesitancy.

“I think we now need to as quickly as we possibly can move towards Pfizer being available to people over the age of 60,” he said.

“When you are over 60, you are in a more vulnerable age category.

“If we have community spread of the virus, people over 60 and 70 and 80 are more vulnerable to illness and death, and we have to get those people vaccinated as quickly as possible."

Read more

7:58 pm June 29, 2021

Woolies, flights, Thai in new Qld alerts

Queensland’s list of exposure sites keeps ballooning, with multiple flights, markets and a Thai restaurant added as parts of the state settle into lockdown.

Annastacia Palaszczuk plunged parts of the state into lockdown from 6pm on Tuesday until Friday after two new local cases were confirmed.

Read more

7:14 pm June 29, 2021 Highlight

Top medical body rejects PM’s AZ announcement

The president of the Australian Medical Association, Dr Omar Khorshid, says he does not endorse Scott Morrison's announcement that anyone under 40 can receive the AstraZeneca vaccine from their GP.

The Prime Minister announced on Monday night that all adults regardless of age would be eligible to get the AstraZeneca vaccine.

Previously AZ was only available to those aged over 60 years old, following advice from the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) on the risk of rare but serious blood clots.

The decision has now been made to allow people younger than 60 to get the vaccine if they are willing to take the risk.

In a statement to news.com.au Dr Khorshi said the Australian Medical Association recommends following the ATAGI advice.

The advice from ATAGI states there is “a higher risk" of rare clotting in the 50-59 year old age group than reported internationally and initially estimated in Australia.

“Our recommendation is still for people to follow the ATAGI advice and have the recommended vaccine when its available," Dr Khorshi said.

"Any Australians under the age of 60 wanting to have AstraZeneca, talk to your GP who can advise on the risks as outlined by ATAGI and in relation to their own health.

"GPs are in the best position to assess risk and talk to patients about vaccines. The government’s latest announcement today to fund longer consultations for under 50s will be helpful in this regard. “

6:37 pm June 29, 2021 Highlight

QLD in chaos over Delta bombshell

Even before tonight's news that the mystery case who had travelled around Queensland has the Delta variant, the state's Premier was fuming.

Now it's been revealed that the woman travelled a total of 10 days in the community while infectious with the highly contagious strain – authorities will be deeply concerned as they scramble to chase down her contacts.

Before the details of the strain of virus emerged tonight, Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said she was ‘absolutely furious’ as she sent larges parts of the state into a three-day lockdown.

The new mystery case, an unvaccinated hospital worker, who works outside the Covid ward at Prince Charles Hospital, developed symptoms 10 days ago and was infectious in the community while travelling around Queensland on holiday.

Two of the woman’s family members and a close friend have also fallen ill.

Ms Palaszczuk said she was angry the worker had not been vaccinated – against the directive for hospital staff to be protected from Covid-19.

The case travelled to Magnetic Island in the state’s north and visited markets in Townsville on her trip.

She first developed symptoms last Monday, Ms Palaszczuk said, and lives with four other people in their Sandgate home.

They had also visited the Sandgate Woolworths, with further venues of concern to be released later on Tuesday by health authorities.

6:14 pm June 29, 2021 Highlight

Qld mystery case has Delta variant

Queensland’s new mystery case has been confirmed as having the highly-contagious Delta variant of coronavirus, which has plunged half of Australia – including Queensland – into lockdown.

The 19-year-old clerical worker from the Prince Charles Hospital had last week travelled to Magnetic Island in the state’s north and visited markets in Townsville on her trip.

Read more

5:42 pm June 29, 2021

NZ partially restarts travel bubble

New Zealand will open travel to parts of Australia from July 5, as half the country continues to battle growing coronavirus outbreaks
It paused the deal completely over the weekend in response to growing cases in Australia, after originally deciding to close the bubble to New South Wales only.

People in South Australia, the ACT, Tasmania and Victoria will be able to fly to and from the country without needing to quarantine, but the border remains shut to anyone who has visited COVID-19 hot spots.

Read more

5:15 pm June 29, 2021

Reason behind new jab rules revealed

The Health Minister Greg Hunt has denied an oversupply of AstraZeneca has forced the government’s hand, with younger Australians now eligible to receive the jab after consulting with their doctor.

“What we’ve done is ensure that we have very significant supplies of domestically made vaccine, sovereign vaccine manufacturing here in Australia,” he said.

“In terms of the Pfizer, we’re doubling the number of doses that are arriving in Australia on a weekly basis over the course of July.”

Read more

4:41 pm June 29, 2021 Highlight

Miners in lockdown threaten riot

Furious miners stuck in squalid lockdown conditions in the Northern Territory are threatening to riot – saying they are hungry and thirsty.

They have complained of going more than 18 hours between meals, while others have claimed they have not had any water delivered since Saturday.

Hundreds of workers in the Tanami gold mine in the Northern Territory have taken to social media, saying they are experiencing an “absolute s**t show”.

Pictures from the mine show they are being served breakfast at 12pm, and they are being fed dry cereal with no milk, with no boiling water for coffee and Glad-wrapped bread with small sachets of Vegemite and margarine.

One woman vented saying her partner is stuck in stuck in “solitary confinement style” lockdown at the mine.

"For 4 days they have not been allowed to leave their rooms," she said.

"No fresh air, no exercise, no conversation with anyone, no smoking, no natural light (most windows are painted up for night shift workers).

"As of this morning they are now allowed on their veranda. They have space for a single bed and a TV the size of a laptop screen. They are lucky to sometimes get one channel of free to air tv.

"The workers are receiving food rations that would be lucky to have the nutritional value and calories required for a toddler (no exaggeration).

"The food rations and the times of day that they are delivered are utterly absurd and unpredictable.

"It’s day 4 of their lockdown and they are being told that they will be there for 14 days quarantine if they test negative to COVID-19.

"The mental health, the nutrition and the physical well-being of these workers is already deteriorating rapidly."

In one post at lunchtime Tuesday, a miner said: “There’s about to be a f—ing riot … 18.5 hours since the last food drop”, to which another replied, “What am (I) to do with the wrap, Vegemite or jam, any suggestions?”

4:11 pm June 29, 2021 Highlight

New NSW location alerts

NSW Health has issued a bunch of new location alerts for the greater Sydney area.

Anyone who attended at the times listed is a close contact and must immediately get tested and isolate for 14 days, regardless of the result, and call 1800 943 553 unless they have already been contacted by NSW Health;

Bondi Junction Pattison's Patisserie Westfield Bondi Junction, Level 1, Kiosk 107, 500 Oxford Street, Monday, 21 June, 2.00pm to 2.30pm.
Kensington, 7 Eleven cnr Todman Avenue and Anzac Parade, Tuesday, 22 June, 12:50pm to 1:10pm
Sydney, Bentley Restaurant Bar, 27 O'Connell Street, Wednesday 23 June 6:00pm to 9:40pm

Rose Bay, Domino’s Pizza 512 Old South Head Road, Saturday 26 June 1:25pm – 1:40pm
Strathfield South, Crossways Hotel, 482 Liverpool Rd, Saturday, 26 June, 3:30pm to 5.00pm (in addition to times reported previously)

Anyone who attended the following venues at the listed times is a casual contact and must immediately get tested and self-isolate until a negative result is received. Please continue to monitor for symptoms and immediately isolate and get tested if they develop;

Bondi Beach, Oporto152-162 Campbell Parade, Friday, 25 June, 10.45am to 10.55am

Eastgardens, Woolworths Westfield Eastgardens, Friday, 25 June, 12.00 to 12.30pm
Eastgardens, Big W Westfield Eastgardens, Friday, 25 June 12:30pm to 12.50pm
Eastgardens, Kmart Westfield Eastgardens, Friday, 25 June 12:55pm to 1.15pm
Eastgardens, Reject Shop Westfield Eastgardens, Friday, 25 June, 1:15pm to 1.30pm
Eastgardens, Level 2 Food Court Westfield Eastgardens, Friday, 25 June, 1.30pm to 2.15pm
Eastgardens, Level 3 Children's Play Area (next to Woolworths), Friday, 25 June, 2:00pm to 2.25pm
Double Bay, Woolworths, Kiaora Lane and Kiaora Road, Saturday 26 June 7:00pm to 8:15pm

Blaxland, Supa IGA, Sunday, 27 June, 6.00am to 4.00pm

3:57 pm June 29, 2021 Highlight

WA locks out Queenslanders

Western Australia is reintroducing a hard border with Queensland, transitioning the State from ‘low risk’ to a ‘medium risk’ given the escalating COVID-19 situation.

Following the latest advice from the WA Chief Health Officer and lockdown introduced in parts of Queensland, WA’s controlled interstate border will be upgraded from 3pm today.

Travel from Queensland will no longer be permitted unless you are an exempt traveller.

This also applies to anyone who may have been in Queensland since June 20, 2021 and has not subsequently been in a ‘very low risk’ State or Territory for 14 days.