Coronavirus Australia live news: UK variant brings new rules for overseas travellers arriving in NSW
As Brisbane enters day two of snap lockdown, quarantine rules rewritten to combat the highly-infectious UK and SA strains of Covid.
- NSW family has hyper-infectious variant
- Leaders tighten screws on UK variant
- Panic sets in over Brisbane lockdown
- Small business slams snap lockdown
As Brisbane enters day two of a snap lockdown, quarantine rules have been rewritten to combat the highly-infectious UK and SA strains of Covid spreading in Australia.
Major changes have been introduced to stop the spread of the Covid strains in hotel quarantine, including new isolation rules for positive cases.
Overseas travellers who show Covid symptoms can’t leave isolation until at least 14 days after symptom onset, as fears grow over hyper-infectious variants
Australia is on high alert for the new strains.
It comes as the northern end of Sydney’s Northern beaches emerges from three weeks of hard lockdown.
Meanwhile, anxiety grew in Queensland on Saturday as it was revealed a returned traveller on a Jetstar flight from Melbourne had flown to Brisbane positive with the UK strain of the virus on January 5.
She completed 10 days of isolation in Melbourne’s hotel quarantine after she arrived home from the UK on Boxing Day.
It put residents of Maleny on the Sunshine Coast on alert, after she then travelled there to stay with her parents, with residents urged to get tested if they develop symptoms.
Queensland had zero new cases on Saturday as Greater Brisbane became a ghost town under snap lockdown. Meanwhile Brisbane’s lockdown threatens the Brisbane cricket Test, with India saying it doesn’t want to risk travelling to the Gabba as virus fears escalate.
Victoria has no new locally-acquired cases.
NSW had one new case, linked to the Berala cluster as Premier Gladys Berejiklian outlined the new tighter restrictions for returned overseas travellers.
Here is how Saturday played out across the country:
Peter Lalor 7.30pm: India wants out of Brisbane Test amid virus fears
Indian officials have informed Cricket Australia they do not want to play the fourth Test in Brisbane because of fears the mutant virus could jeopardise their forthcoming series against England at home.
BCCI officials also expressed concerns about travelling to a city that is currently in a hard lockdown, but sources said India were still keen to play the fourth Test, but would not risk travelling to Brisbane.
Cricket Australia is confident however that the tour will proceed.
Cricket Australia had just eased India’s concerns over quarantine arrangements in Brisbane before the BCCI changed tact.
READ the full story here.
Mackenzie Scott 6pm: Two more supermarkets linked to Brisbane Covid case
Two more supermarkets have been linked to the Brisbane cleaner Covid case.
Queensland Health issued an alert on Saturday urging anybody who had been to either of the locations in the city’s south to immediately get tested and quarantine for 14 days.
— Woolworths Calamvale North on January 3 between 11am and 12am
— Sunnybank Hills Shoppingtown on January 5 between 7.30am and 8am
The state recorded no new cases in the past 24 hours.
Debbie Schipp 5pm: More health alerts in Maleny after COVID case flew to Qld
Queensland Health have issued fresh alerts for venues in Maleny in addition to the Jetstar flight revealed this morning linked to a positive COVID case from Victoria now residing on the Sunshine Coast.
The expanded alerts are for a pizza shop, a bottle shop and a Woolworths supermarket.
Anyone at these venues at these times should get tested and isolate if they experiences even the mildest of Covid symptoms:
— Cappricios Itlaian Pizza Restaurant between 6.30pm and 7pm on January 6 (takeaway only, waited outside);
— Purple Palate Cellars at Maleny between 4.15pm and 4.30pm on January 7;
Woolworths supermarket at Maleny between 4.30pm and 4.50pm on January 7.
READ MORE: Brisbane empty as lockdown begins
This is Brisbane in lockdown.
— Annastacia Palaszczuk (@AnnastaciaMP) January 9, 2021
The more we stay away - for now - the sooner we’ll all be back.
It’s a new strain of the virus but we’ll beat it the way we always have.
Together. pic.twitter.com/MFbVNg1aDN
Ellie Dudley 3.35pm: Dumpling bar Victoria’s latest exposure site
Victoria has added a dumpling bar to the state’s list of exposure sites.
Anyone who attended Block 7 Dumplings at 171 – 175 Maroondah Highway, Ringwood, Melbourne on December 19 between 8.10pm and 8.45pm should monitor for symptoms.
If symptoms develop, get tested and isolate until a negative result is received.
There was 1 case notified to the department in the past 24 hours. This includes 0 locally acquired and 1 in hotel quarantine. There are currently 40 active cases, and 28,337 tests received - thank you for getting tested. #Everytesthelps https://t.co/2vKbgKHFvv#COVID19VicData pic.twitter.com/ougMw6iqfN
— VicGovDHHS (@VicGovDHHS) January 8, 2021
Ellie Dudley 3.20pm: UK variant of virus reaches NT quarantine
A woman in Howard Springs has tested positive for the UK variant of the coronavirus.
The 26-year-old woman arrived on a repatriation flight from London on December 20 and tested positive for COVID on December 31.
This case was previously reported on January 2.
The woman remains in isolation at the NT Centre of National Resilience in Howard Springs.
There are no other positive cases from the same flights. Passengers and air crew have been tested twice and will be retested again today as an extra precaution, a statement from NT Health said.
Ellie Dudley 3.05pm: SA: no new community cases, three in quarantine
South Australia has reported no new community transmitted cases, and three in hotel quarantine.
A man in his 30s, a woman in her 20s, and a child have all tested positive for the disease and have been in isolation since arriving in Australia.
Further investigations have also been conducted into the overseas acquired case found yesterday in the state. It was previously recorded overseas and has therefore been dropped from SA’s total.
Ellie Dudley 2.20pm: No evidence vaccine won’t work on UK strain
Chief Nursing and Midwifery Officer Alison McMillan said there is no evidence that the COVID-19 vaccine will not work on the new variant emerging from the UK.
“It’s important to understand that COVID diseases like this tend to vary. What we do know from all the great evidence around the world, that particularly the variant from SA and the UK that it is clear that it is more transmissible,” she said.
“But no evidence to this point in time that is an any worse causing disease.
“There’s no evidence to this point in time that the evidence will not work.”
On Saturday, there was one locally transmitted case of COVID-19 in Australia.
A total of 41 people are in hospital, with no one in intensive care.
Ms McMillan praised the work of Australians in containing the coronavirus.
“There were 840,000 across the world in the past 24 hours,” she said. “Which is some evidence of the success Australia has demonstrated in this suppression.”
Ellie Dudley 12.55pm: Northern half of Northern Beaches released from lockdown
Stay-at-home provisions will be lifted for the northern part of the northern beaches at midnight tonight, after 21 days of lockdown.
Health Minister Brad Hazzard announced the area would come out of lockdown to abide by the same rules as the rest of greater Sydney, despite an unlinked case in Avalon reported yesterday.
“The big issue for public health officials was, and is, the gentleman who returned the positive case yesterday and had previously shown negative results,” Mr Hazzard said yesterday.
“It is concerning, perhaps, and there is no clarity here. Perhaps he had a second infection of the virus, it is possible. It is really the unknown that is worrying.”
Premier Gladys Berejiklian has warned those in the area to stay vigilant.
“The strong advice and message we have to the people of the Northern Beaches but also to the people of Greater Sydney particularly but within our regions is that all of us have to be on high alert,” the premier said.
“We know that there are variations of the virus now. Some states are having a few scares in relation to outbreaks, so even though the Northern Beaches community will resume a sense of normality from tomorrow, being part of Greater Sydney, all of us have to be on high alert.”
READ MORE: Border may reopen next week: Andrews
Ellie Dudley 12.30pm: Victoria ‘pleased’ national cabinet adopted quarantine upgrades
Victorian Health Minister Martin Foley said the state health authorities are “very pleased” with the results from the national cabinet yesterday.
The cabinet agreed to Victoria’s proposal to implement daily testing of hotel quarantine staff yesterday.
EXPOSURE SITE UPDATE
— VicGovDHHS (@VicGovDHHS) January 8, 2021
The following suburb has a new site added:
- Ringwood
For the full list of exposure sites and full details and advice on testing and isolation/quarantine, visit: https://t.co/tkawOvqIid #COVID19VIC #StaySafeStayOpen pic.twitter.com/gLKucGRVpG
“Victoria is very pleased that national cabinet adopted the Victorian plan for how to respond particularly to quarantine upgrades, to deal with hotel quarantine measures and the issues about preflight testing and other arrangements,” Mr Foley said.
“We think this is that extra level of risk assurance that will provide that further level of responding to ever evolving threats that we are seeing from the COVID variants as they change around the world.”
Mr Foley also addressed the issue of an overseas traveller who has contracted the UK variant of the virus travelling from Melbourne to Brisbane prior to the positive reading.
“She was in quarantine and Victorian hotels for 10 days, tested on day one, returned positive the next day, and through the processes of checking symptoms, was released, in accordance with those to go home at the end of that, with at least three days of being asymptomatic from any symptoms,” he said.
Mr Foley said he was also pleased that the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee had updated its advice around management of people who test positive for the virus in response to the new, more infectious variants of the virus.
“That system has since changed as a result of Victoria’s advocacy and I’m pleased that Victoria has now, before the AHPCC’s decision in the national cabinet, put that system in place,” he said.
READ MORE: Premier’s resolute stand turned tide
Ellie Dudley 12.15pm: New tool to predict deterioration in hospitalised adults
A new tool which can accurately predict the likelihood of deterioration in adults hospitalised with COVID-19 has been developed and is now available to UK doctors.
Researchers from the UK Coronavirus Clinical Characterisation Consortium (known as ISARIC4C) say the online tool, made freely available to NHS doctors from January 8, could support clinicians’ decision making – helping to improve patient outcomes and ultimately save lives.
The tool assesses 11 measurements routinely collected from patients, including age, gender, and physical measurements along with some standard laboratory tests and calculates a percentage risk of deterioration, known as the “4C Deterioration Score”.
“The scale and wide geographical coverage of the ISARIC4C study across the country was critical to the development of this prediction tool. Our analysis provides very encouraging evidence that the 4C Deterioration tool is likely to be useful for clinicians across England, Scotland and Wales to support clinical decision-making,” said first author of the paper Rishi Gupta.
The tool was developed using data from 74,944 individuals with COVID-19 admitted to 260 hospitals across England, Scotland and Wales, between February 6 and August 26.
READ MORE: Flight crews to face compulsory testing
Ellie Dudley 11.30am: Genomic sequencing for positive NSW cases
Overseas travellers to NSW who test positive for the virus will undergo genomic sequence testing and have an exit test before they leave quarantine.
“We are managing our quarantine cases among overseas travellers differently. As you are aware, cases do get regularly tested both around Day 0 to 2 and then at Day 12. At any time during their quarantine period if they develop symptoms, they get tested,” the Chief Health officer said.
“Now, if they test positive, we will be doing genome sequencing in a very timely manner. What I mean by ‘timely’ is that it still takes about 48 hours for that genome sequencing. It is not a simple test. It does require for the test to come back positive and then for the sequencing to occur.
“Now we will be ensuring that anyone won’t be released from isolation until at least 14 days after symptom onset and they will also have a PCR test at the end of the isolation period.”
NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard said health authorities have already started the process of implementing daily testing for staff in quarantine hotels, totalling more than 10,500 tests a day.
“We will have daily testing. That’s an important step forward, particularly to manage the increased issues related to these new variants coming from, as the Premier said, up to 30 countries,” the health minister said.
“In addition to that additional 10,500 daily tests of staff working in the quarantine hotels, there will be up to about 3,000 airline crew, international airline crew who will be tested on arrival here in Sydney.”
Ellie Dudley 11.20am: New iso rules for overseas travellers arriving in NSW
Overseas travellers arriving in NSW who show symptoms of coronavirus will not be released from isolation until at least 14 days after the onset of symptoms, and after a PCR test is conducted at the end of the isolation period, in response to the emergence of new variants of the coronavirus in Australia.
Gladys Berejiklian spoke to the emergence of the “so-called” UK strain, highlighting that it now exists in 30 countries.
“We have to assume that this strain will become the dominant strain and it is important to keep reassessing our settings, keep staying vigilant and for the immediate future keep wearing our masks in those indoor settings,” the Premier said.
Kerry Chant echoed her sentiment, and said: “It is important that we live in a global world and so all returning travellers are at increasing risk of having one of these mutations.”
The chief health officer said NSW health authorities are conducting follow-up tests with returning travellers, announcing that one traveller has been retested and still shows remnants of the virus.
“We have identified one case that has been tested and does still show remnants of the virus. Assessed as very, very low infection activity, but we are arranging for additional testing underway today and we are taking a precautionary approach by announcing some of the venues that that person attended,” she said.
Anyone who attended the following Burwood venues at the times listed is a casual contact and must get tested immediately and self-isolate until a negative result is received:
▪Burwood – Artisaint Café, Ground Floor, 60 Burwood Rd – Wednesday January 6, 10.30am-11am
▪Burwood – Bing Lee – 103 Burwood Rd – Wednesday January 6, 11.25am-11.40am
Anyone who attended the following venues at the times listed should monitor for symptoms and if they occur get tested immediately and self-isolate until a negative result is returned:
▪Burwood – Westfield Burwood Shopping Centre, 100 Burwood Rd – Wednesday January 6, 11.45am-1.30pm and Thursday January 7, 1pm-2pm
▪Burwood – House, Westfield Burwood, Shop 318-319/100 Burwood Rd – Wednesday January 6, 12.20pm-12.30pm
▪Burwood – Coles Burwood, 100 Wilga St & Shaftesbury Rd, Burwood – Wednesday January 6 12.40pm-1.20pm and Thursday January 7, 1.20pm-1.55pm
▪ Burwood – Artisaint Café, Ground Floor, 60 Burwood Rd – Thursday January 7, 1.10pm-1.20pm
READ MORE: Full list of venue alerts
Ellie Dudley 11.05am: One new case in NSW linked to Berala
Gladys Berejiklian announced New South Wales recorded one new case yesterday after 25,500 tests were conducted.
The case has already been linked to the Berala cluster.
NSW recorded one new locally acquired case of COVID-19 in the 24 hours to 8pm last night. This case has been linked to the Berala cluster. Five cases were also recorded in returned travellers. pic.twitter.com/D5rimQNSsl
— NSW Health (@NSWHealth) January 9, 2021
Ellie Dudley 10.30am: 4 breach Queensland mask mandate
Yvette D’Ath confirmed four people have breached the Brisbane mask mandate.
“On three of those occasions those persons were actually offered the masks, refused to wear them, offered again and were given directions because they shouldn’t have been out and about as they were and then failed to follow directions so police were left with no alternative but to taken enforcement action, which they did,” the health minister said.
Ms D’Ath said the police will “continue to be out and about” as the lockdown continues over the weekend.
Ellie Dudley 10.20am: 91 contacts of infected cleaner traced, all negative
Jeanette Young said the Queensland health authorities have now tracked 91 close contacts of the cleaner who tested positive for the UK variant of the virus.
“All of those have been tested. They are all negative and are all now in 14 days’ quarantine, and we will re-test them if any develop symptoms or at exit test Day 12,” the Chief Health Officer said.
Dr Young said she is “concerned about the casual contacts”, reminding Queenslanders of potential exposure sites.
“Those are people who travelled from Tandy Station to Roma Street on Saturday, 2 January at 7.00am, who travelled on the train from Central Station back to Altandi Station on Saturday, 2 January at 4.00pm.
“People who attended the Woolworths Calamvale North Store on Sunday, 3 January, from 11.00am to 12 noon.
“People who attended the Coles Sunnybank Hills store, Tuesday, 5 January from 7.30am to 8.00am.
“People who attended the Nextra newsagent at Sunnybank Hills shopping Town on Thursday, 5 January from 8.30am.
“All of those people, whether or not you have symptoms, I would like you to come forward and get tested no matter where you are,” she said.
READ MORE: Suburb on edge
Mackenzie Scott 10.15am: Woman arrives in Queensland with UK variant
The risk of the UK variant of COVID-19 spreading through Queensland has grown after a woman flew into the state positive with the virus from Melbourne.
Queensland has reported zero new cases on Saturday from more than 14,700 tests as Brisbane.
A woman flew into Brisbane on January 5 from Melbourne testing positive for the UK variant of the virus. She completed 10 days of isolation in Melbourne’s hotel quarantine after she arrived home from the UK on Boxing Day.
Upon returning to Brisbane, she then travelled to Maleney, in the Sunshine Coast Hinterland, where she stayed with her parents.
Queensland chief health officer Jeannette Young said details are still coming to light.
“We are just confirming the details of which flight because there were a number of Jetstar flights that evening,” Dr Young said.
“She lives in a house with her parents in the outskirts there of Maleny. We got her tested here yesterday and she is still testing positive, so that’s why we are now following through with her contacts.
“The risk is extremely low … as she is right at the end of her potential infection period. With a normal variant, we wouldn’t be concerned,” Dr Young said.
“But with this new variant, we are being extra cautious.”
The flight, Jetstar flight JQ570 which arrived into Brisbane at 11pm last Saturday, will be contact traced.
READ MORE: Premier orders toughest lockdown
Ellie Dudley 10.10am: Queensland records no new cases
Queensland has recorded no new cases of community transmission of the coronavirus.
The state now has 21 active cases.
Overnight, Queensland conducted over 14,784 tests.
Saturday, 9 January – coronavirus cases in Queensland:
— Annastacia Palaszczuk (@AnnastaciaMP) January 8, 2021
• 0 new cases
• 21 active cases
• 1,274 total cases
• 1,570,057 tests conducted
Sadly, six Queenslanders with COVID-19 have died. 1,240 patients have recovered.#covid19 pic.twitter.com/lMXhC9YjfX
Ellie Dudley 10.00am: Pfizer vaccine ‘may be effective against new infectious strains’
New evidence has shown that the Pfizer vaccine may be effective against the two new highly-infectious coronavirus variants first identified in the UK and South Africa.
The two variants share the N501Y mutation, which has spruiked fears in scientists that the virus would evade the immune protection created by the vaccine.
However, in a study conducted by researchers at Pfizer and the University of Texas Medical Branch released on Thursday, experts found that antibodies from people who had received the Pfizer/BioNTech inoculation showed “no reduction in neutralisation activity”.
The experiment was conducted by creating a version of the virus which carries the N501Y mutation, which scientists built in the lab. Researchers tested the virus against blood from 20 people who had received two doses of the vaccine already.
The research conducted does not test the full array of the mutations, nor has it been peer-reviewed.
“We will need to see actual protection from new variants in participants in the clinical trials that are still running to be sure the vaccine is equally effective,” Alexander Edwards, associate professor in biomedical technology at University of Reading’s school of pharmacy in the UK, said in a statement.
The paper notes it will be important to continue monitoring the significance of changes for vaccine coverage.
Ellie Dudley 9.00am: Victoria bars travellers from Greater Brisbane
The Victorian Government has closed its border to travellers from the Greater Brisbane area, after a case of the highly-transmissible UK variant of the coronavirus emerged in the Queensland capital.
The Greater Brisbane “red zone” includes the Local Government Areas of Brisbane, Redland Ipswich, Moreton Bay and Logan City.
Victoria’s border closure to Greater Brisbane was a clarification of earlier advice issued on Friday that said anyone in the region should stay put.
People who have already arrived in Victoria from the area need to get tested and isolate until at least 6.00pm Monday.
The Victorian government also advised residents to reconsider any planned travel to Queensland.
There was 1 case notified to the department in the past 24 hours. This includes 0 locally acquired and 1 in hotel quarantine. There are currently 40 active cases, and 28,337 tests received - thank you for getting tested. #Everytesthelps https://t.co/2vKbgKHFvv#COVID19VicData pic.twitter.com/ougMw6iqfN
— VicGovDHHS (@VicGovDHHS) January 8, 2021
It comes as Victoria recorded no new locally acquired cases in the past 24 hours, and one in hotel quarantine.
A total of 28,337 tests were conducted overnight.
The state currently has 40 active cases.
Ellie Dudley 8.40am: NSW family of four test positive to hyper-infectious strain
A family of four who flew into New South Wales from South Africa have tested positive for the highly infectious variant of the coronavirus.
On Thursday night, NSW Health detected the South African strain in PCR samples from the family, who are all under lockdown in hotel quarantine.
The variant originating from South Africa has independently mutated the exact same genomic make-up as the strain that has emerged from the United Kingdom but is feared to be up to 90 per cent more infectious than the current strain in Australia.
Kerry Chant said on Friday that 10 returning travellers had brought the more infectious viral variants to Sydney since November 30; six of them with the UK variant and four with the South African variant. More testing is being done to confirm the cases, the chief health officer confirmed.
Extra precautions are being taken by health authorities to move all 16 passengers who shared the family’s flight from South Africa to Sydney to Special Health Accommodation, where all coronavirus travellers are quarantined.
Ellie Dudley 8.30am: US records highest one day toll since start of pandemic
The United States recorded more cases of COVID-19 and deaths in the last week than any other seven-day period during the pandemic.
A total of 4080 deaths were reported on Thursday – the most ever on a single day during the pandemic, and the first time the daily death toll rose above 4000.
The country has averaged about 228,400 cases a day over the last week as of Thursday – more than 3.4 times the last peak set in July, John Hopkins University data shows.
In California alone, more than 1000 people died from COVID-19 over the past two days.
Hospitals in Los Angeles continue to be overwhelmed. Some ambulance crews have had to wait hours to access the facilities, and one person is dying on average every eight minutes, county officials said.
Over 365,000 people in the country have now lost their lives to the virus.
While vaccinations have been rolled out over the past several weeks, health experts are still saying it will be months before they make a meaningful difference in stopping the spread of the virus.
READ MORE: Biden welcomes Trump inauguration snub
Ellie Dudley 8.00am: Alerts over venues in Sydney inner-west
Venues in Sydney’s inner west have been added to the growing list of places of potential exposure to COVID-19.
This comes as NSW recorded four new cases yesterday – two linked to the Berala cluster, one to the group that emerged in Croydon and one to Avalon.
There is revised advice for the Sydney Marina Dine In & Take Away (Indian and Malaysian Restaurant) at 120 Pendle Way, Pendle Hill - anyone who attended is now considered a casual contact and must get tested immediately and self-isolate until you receive a negative result.
— NSW Health (@NSWHealth) January 8, 2021
Anyone who attended the following Burwood venues at the times listed is a casual contact and must get tested immediately and self-isolate until a negative result is received:
▪ Burwood – Artisaint Café, Ground Floor, 60 Burwood Rd – Wednesday January 6, 10.30am-11am
▪Burwood – Bing Lee – 103 Burwood Rd – Wednesday January 6, 11.25am-11.40am
Anyone who attended the following venues at the times listed should monitor for symptoms and if they occur get tested immediately and self-isolate until a negative result is returned:
▪ Burwood – Westfield Burwood Shopping Centre, 100 Burwood Rd – Wednesday January 6, 11.45am-1.30pm and Thursday January 7, 1pm-2pm
▪ Burwood – House, Westfield Burwood, Shop 318-319/100 Burwood Rd – Wednesday January 6, 12.20pm-12.30pm
▪ Burwood – Coles Burwood, 100 Wilga St & Shaftesbury Rd, Burwood – Wednesday January 6 12.40pm-1.20pm and Thursday January 7, 1.20pm-1.55pm
▪ Burwood – Artisaint Café, Ground Floor, 60 Burwood Rd – Thursday January 7, 1.10pm-1.20pm
▪ Avalon Beach – Costume – 2/21-23 Old Barrenjoey Rd – Thursday December 31 – 2pm-2.15pm
NSW Health has also revised advice given to the Sydney Marina Dine In & Take Away (Indian and Malaysian Restaurant) at 120 Pendle Way, Pendle Hill, after it had been previously listed.
Customers of the venue are now considered a casual contact and must get tested and self-isolate until a negative result is received.
Those tested should continue to monitor symptoms and be re-tested if any more occur.
READ MORE: Confused policies leave us vulnerable to surge
Agencies 7.00am: UK toll surpasses worst of first wave
Britain’s daily coronavirus death toll has reached a record high of 1,325, passing its April peak for the first time.
The death toll eclipsed the previous worst of 1,224 recorded on April 21 during the height of the first wave last year, and brings the total number of deaths to 79,833.
UK health chiefs warned of more deaths to come as recorded cases also hit another daily high at 68,053.
William Welfare, director of the COVID-19 response at Public Health England, said: “We can expect the death toll to continue to rise until we stop the spread. Approximately one in three people who have coronavirus have no symptoms and could be spreading it without realising it. To protect our loved ones it is essential we all stay at home where possible. This will reduce new infections, ease the pressure on the NHS and save lives.”
The government earlier announced that all travellers to Britain will need pre-departure coronavirus tests.
Fears are growing about fast-spreading new variants of the virus, particularly from South Africa, with concerns hospitals could be overwhelmed.
The government this week announced new stay-at-home restrictions, which include school closures, that are expected to last until at least mid-February.
In London, Mayor Sadiq Khan declared a major incident, saying the British capital was “at crisis point” and urgent action was required as beds for Covid patients could run out within weeks.
At the same time, the UK regulator approved US firm Moderna’s Covid vaccine — the third to be authorised for use in the country’s mass inoculation program.
READ MORE: New mutation alarms health authorities
Richard Ferguson 5.30am: Leaders tighten screws as UK variant escapes
National cabinet slapped tougher COVID-19 restrictions on air travel and hotel quarantine, Brisbane entered a snap three-day lockdown and thousands of travellers were forced to self-isolate as authorities moved to stop the spread in Australia of a highly contagious variant of the virus.
As the Queensland government imposed the Brisbane lockdown after the UK variant of the virus escaped hotel quarantine and entered the community, national cabinet on Friday dramatically cut the number of international travellers allowed to enter Australia.
Wise call by Qld Premier @AnnastaciaMP to have a brief lockdown to enable Queensland health authorities to get on top of the UK strain case in Brisbane.
— Scott Morrison (@ScottMorrisonMP) January 7, 2021
A big thanks in advance to everyone in greater Brisbane for their patience in coming days.
This will buy much needed time.
Scott Morrison said anyone wishing to enter from overseas would be required to take a COVID test and hotel quarantine workers would be subject to daily screening, as he predicted the UK virus would become the dominant mutation worldwide.
Wearing face masks would also be mandatory in Australian airports and on domestic flights.
The Prime Minister backed Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk’s decision to lock down Brisbane as “wise’’, with Chief Medical Officer Paul Kelly warning that if the British variant, which is 70 per cent more contagious than the original, spread across Australia, the nation’s COVID-19 defences such as social distancing, testing and contact tracing would be less effective.
Read the full story here.
Darren Cartwright 5am: Brisbane lockdown panic triggers supermarket item limits
Panic buying sparked by the three-day lockdown of Greater Brisbane has led supermarket giants Coles and Woolworths to reinstate purchase limits on toiletries, essential items and frozen goods.
The measures came as residents swarmed supermarkets on Friday before the lockdown at 6pm. Car parks were jammed and long queues formed as supermarket shelves were stripped clean.
Among the long list of items now limited to two per customer at both Woolworths and Coles are toilet rolls, paper towels and liquid soap.
There was also traffic chaos on southeast Queensland’s major motorways as Greater Brisbane residents fled the region ahead of the lockdown
Read the full story here.
Patrick Commins 4.45am: ‘Absolutely disgraceful’: small business feels the pain
Small business has slammed the three-day lockdown of Greater Brisbane as “absolutely disgraceful”, even as other business groups offered support for Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk’s “go hard and go early” approach to preventing the spread of a more contagious British COVID-19 variant.
Council of Small Business Organisations Australia chief executive Peter Strong said his members — who are over represented in some of the hardest hit industries such as hospitality and personal services — were “angry” that the authorities did not appear to have the testing and tracing capacity in place to avoid a shutdown.
“Why is their tracing system so poor after all this time that they have to go straight to a lockdown?” Mr Strong asked. “They’ve failed the business community and the Queensland community by not being ready for something (an outbreak) that was obviously going to happen.”
Read the full story here.
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More than $600m has been shaved off the projected budget forecast for NDIS in the first seven months of the financial year despite almost 20,000 new participants joining the scheme in the past quarter alone.