Live Breaking News: Chief Medical Officer Paul Kelly applauds WA for strict border control

Despite criticism for its strict border closures, CMO Paul Kelly has applauded one state for achieving some of the best Covid results in the world.

Natalie Brown

@natalieisbrown

less than 2 min read

August 22, 2021 - 2:55PM

Man rides horse into anti lockdown protest

The chief medical officer gave one state a surprise shout-out in a press conference on Sunday, praising strong border control for an extraordinary result.

Speaking to reporters, Professor Paul Kelly said Western Australia has done "extremely well" in the battle against the virus, placing it as one of the "only places in the world" that has avoided disaster.

"The only places in the world that have not seen any Covid at all ... would be some of the Pacific Island countries and that's because they've essentially been cut off from the rest of the world for the last 18 months," he said.

"Western Australia have done extremely well now, relying on the very strong border controls, both external to the rest of the world and to the rest of Australia," he said, explaining that for the rest of the nation, eliminating Covid has not been a "sustainable long-term strategy".

On Friday, Premier Mark McGowan announced that New South Wales will become the first jurisdiction in Australia to be classified as "extreme risk".

Under the rules of the "extreme risk" border closures, travel exemptions into WA from that jurisdiction are restricted to "Commonwealth, State and specialist functions only".

It comes as more than 2000 people converged on the Queensland-NSW border in protest of current restrictions, berating officers and urging each other to "cross the border".

Meanwhile NSW recorded another horror day with 830 new local Covid-19 infections; and Victoria reported 65 new cases.

Today's live blog has now closed. You can find Saturday's blog here.

Updates

As new infections and vaccinations soar in Australia, Dr Kelly said lessons could be learned from the UK and Israel and their experiences with opening up.

Israel has fully vaccinated 80 per cent of its adult population but the country registered 7600 new infections overnight.

“(There are) lots of lessons; when the UK decided to open up, they did have an increase in cases but not an increase in any great extent in deaths or in hospitalisations or ICU except in some small pockets of the population, particularly in the Midlands, where they had lower than the national average vaccination rates,” he said.

“They have actually done what we are proposing to do at that around 80 per cent rate of vaccination.

“Israel similarly, they recently have seen an increase in cases but the death rates in hospitalisation rates have not increased the great extent.

“We've absolutely looked at those (countries) every day and every week and are learning from their experiences.”

The chief medical officer has credited WA's strict border closures for the state's extraordinary result in the virus battle.

Speaking to reporters today, Professor Paul Kelly said the state has done “extremely well”, placing it as one of the “only places in the world” that has avoided disaster.

“The only places in the world that have not seen any Covid at all … would be some of the Pacific Island countries and that’s because they’ve essentially been cut off from the rest of the world for the last 18 months,” he said.

Professor Paul Kelly at today's press conference.

"Even in New Zealand, which I would say would be the poster jurisdiction for elimination, they have very clearly and recently stated that remains their aim, [they] are now coping with an outbreak in Auckland and beyond.

“Western Australia have done extremely well now, relying on the very strong border controls, both external to the rest of the world and to the rest of Australia,” he said, explaining that for the rest of the nation, eliminating Covid has not been a “sustainable long-term strategy”.

Some pretty hectic footage of protesters descending on the Queensland-NSW border at Tweed Heads has made its way to social media.

More than 2000 people converged on both sides of the border at Coolangatta's Boundary Street, protesting against Covid restrictions put in place to slow the spread of the Delta strain.

The Courier-Mail reports that officers have been berated while arresting demonstrators – who have not dispersed since they began at midday.

Protests are underway at the Queensland-New South Wales border. It comes a day after restrictions tightened for essential workers trying to enter the Sunshine State. https://t.co/Wn8t3L9sTB #COVID19 #7NEWS pic.twitter.com/XpcVHuNik8
— 7NEWS Australia (@7NewsAustralia) August 22, 2021

"Cross the border. Everyone cross the border, they can't hold all of us," one man – riding a horse through the crowd – reportedly screamed as he charged down the street.

A man has ridden his horse through today’s protest at the #Queensland–#NewSouthWales border, encouraging crowds to cross through checkpoints. “Cross over! They cannot arrest all of us!” #COVID19 #7NEWS pic.twitter.com/zN7VFbK3zp
— Kwitter (@Kwitter12085169) August 22, 2021

"Who do you work for?" another man was filmed screaming at police, as members of the crowd chanted "you work for us".

The protests come just hours after Queensland's Deputy Premier Steven Miles said he was disgusted by protesters who rallied in Brisbane and other cities around Australia yesterday.

"(The protests) are very un-Queensland like," Mr Miles told reporters.

"I've been to a lot of protests, I've organised a lot of protests, I love a good protest, but now is not the time for protests, particularly on the border.

"The border is our riskiest place right now. We have to see the situation in NSW the same way we've seen the situation in other countries throughout this pandemic.

"By having a protest there they have put the safety of our police at risk, they put their own safety at risk and they put the safety of the community at risk.

"Frankly I'm pretty disgusted."

Victorian Sports Minister Martin Pakula is not yet ready to concede the AFL Grand Final to Perth, despite his state's current Covid-19 situation.

It would mark the second year the Grand Final has been played at the MCG – held in Brisbane at the Gabba last year because of Melbourne's virus situation at the time.

"Look, the Grand Final is clearly very challenging, you know, we've got this current lockdown running until September 2, I think the Grand Final is scheduled for September 25," Mr Pakula told reporters today.

"And, you know, I think it probably goes without saying that right now, it looks problematic, the idea that we would have tens of thousands of people gathered in one place that soon. Having said that, contrary to reports, we have not waved the white flag yet."

Asked when Melbourne will wave the white flag, Mr Pakula said, "you are assuming that we will".

"And I am not prepared to make that assumption. Look, what I have indicated broadly to the AFL is, at the end of this current lockdown period, so, around early September, we will see where we are," he added.

"And we will have a grown-up conversation with them about that then."

NSW has recorded another horror day with 830 new local Covid-19 infections – breaking the national record (which it set yesterday) for the highest number of new infections in a single day.

There were also, sadly, three more deaths in a man in his 60s, a man in his 70s and a woman in her 80s.

But it's not all bad news, Health Minister Brad Hazzard told reporters this morning – highlighting the state's "extraordinary" vaccination uptake and the "pretty good" future it's propelling us toward.

Picture: https://ourworldindata.org/covid-vaccinations

"I am advised that, in fact, NSW is now amongst the highest, if not the highest, in the world in terms of vaccination rates and that only happens when the citizens of NSW come forward to try and keep themselves, their families and the balance of our community in NSW safe, and in our broader Australian community," he said.

"I'm confident as we move forward to 80 per cent, we will have a lot more normality in our lives and we are only weeks away now, so if our community keeps getting the vaccines the way they are, NSW will look pretty good by October, November."

People in New South Wales are currently getting vaccinated faster than the speeds the United States or United Kingdom have ever achieved pic.twitter.com/cOR7pnmXzH
— casey briggs (@CaseyBriggs) August 21, 2021

Jumping to Canberra here, where 19 new local cases have been reported in the last 24 hours.

It brings the ACT's total number of active cases to 121.

Of the new cases, 17 are linked, while six were infectious while in the community.

ACT COVID-19 update (22 August 2021)
◾ New cases today: 19
◾ Active cases: 121
◾ Negative test results (past 24 hours): 6,096
◾ In hospital: 2
◾ COVID-19 vaccinations in the ACT: 60.0% received first dose, 36.5% received second dose
More info: https://t.co/2rCcWDk4wl pic.twitter.com/yuslPV4UaY
— ACT Health (@ACTHealth) August 22, 2021

"Unfortunately we have a small cluster of cases in our disability community. A little into double digits, around 10 to 12," Chief Minister Andrew Barr told reporters during a press conference.

"This includes people living with disability and disability support workers. The government acknowledges the anxiety that this is causing and can advise that we have been actively supporting the affected individuals and the broader community."

NSW has recorded 830 new cases of Covid-19 in the last 24 hours.

There were also, sadly, three new deaths – a man in his 60s, a man in his 70s, and a woman in her 80s, Health Minister Brad Hazzard has announced.

It brings the death toll in this current outbreak to 71.

There are 550 patients in NSW hospitals with Covid-19 and almost 100 are in intensive care.

Some 206,193 tests were performed yesterday.

Mr Foley has urged Victorians to "get on board" and get vaccinated, with 62,894 vaccine appointments available across the state in the next week.

These are available across Geelong, Wodonga, Shepparton, Warrnambool, Melton and the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre.

"So please, get on board the growing number of Victorians who are eligible and are getting the best vaccine that is available – that is the one that is available now," he said.

"That vaccination journey is our quickest way out of this pandemic together with driving down our infection levels."

Martin Foley is speaking now, and is giving a breakdown of today's 65 cases in Victoria.

16 were announced yesterday and are linked to Shepparton
55 are linked to known outbreaks
10 cases have their acquisition source under investigation
12 were in isolation for the entirety of the infectious period
1 additional case not reported in today's numbers has come from the Mansfield area and is also linked to the Shepparton cases (will be included in tomorrow's numbers)

There are now 440 active virus cases in Victoria; 27 of which are in hospital and 12 of those 27 are in the ICU. Five are on a ventilator.

"We sound our best wishes and support to all those people who are struggling with this virus," the Health Minister said.

Victorian Health Minister Martin Foley will give an update on his state's Covid-19 situation in about 25 minutes. He'll be joined by Minister for Industry Support Martin Pakula and the Department of Health's deputy secretary Kate Matson.

Victoria reported 65 new cases today, 16 of which we already knew about and 55 of which are linked to current outbreaks.

We'll bring you the key details from that one here.