Coronavirus Australia live news: PM’s plan to speed up vaccines in NSW
Scott Morrison says NSW will delay second doses of the Pfizer jab to allow more people to receive a first dose of the vaccine as quickly as possible.
- PM offered Sydney troops ‘multiple times’
- Andrews calls for ring of steel’ around Sydney
- Frewen pours cold water on more doses for NSW
- NSW records 136 new cases
- ‘Great concern’ over Byron sewage positive
- Aus-WI ODI suspended over positive case
- Lockdown ‘permanent’ until most jabbed
Welcome to live updates on Australia’s battle with the Covid-19 pandemic.
Scott Morrison offered to call in the Defence Forces to help curb Sydney’s Delta outbreak multiple times, but Gladys Berejiklian refused at each point.
Daniel Andrews calls for a ‘ring of steel’ around Sydney as NSW declares a ‘national emergency’ with 136 new local cases and another death.
Gladys Berejiklian will ask the federal government for more Pfizer doses but General John Frewen pours cold water on the idea.
Joseph Lam8.30pm:University dental school shut down over positive test
A University of Sydney dental school has been shut down and 143 people are now in isolation after a staff member tested positive for Covid-19.
The new case at the school at Westmead hospital, some 25km from the CBD, was not included in today’s case update which detailed 141 new cases – of which five were acquired overseas.
“We immediately worked with NSW Health to identify known close and casual contacts and as a result 13 staff and 130 students are now self-isolating,” a statement from the university said.
“Access to the impacted area is currently being restricted and deep cleaning is underway.”
Do you live in Blacktown or Cumberland Local Government Area (LGA)?
— NSW Health (@NSWHealth) July 23, 2021
New restrictions are in place from midnight tonight, which means you cannot leave the LGA that you live in for work unless you are an authorised worker. pic.twitter.com/eJOmnLvqiO
READ MORE:AstraZeneca appointments available in Sydney’s outbreak LGAs
Joseph Lam8.00pm:AstraZeneca appointments available in Sydney hotspots
Locked-down residents in Sydney’s Covid-ravaged southwest can walk in for an AstraZeneca inoculation just about any time they want — but local doctors warn those under 40 are still insisting on holding out until they can get access to the Pfizer vaccine.
As the city recorded an alarming spike in infections on Friday, NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard encouraged residents throughout Sydney’s coronavirus corridor to avoid any delays and turn to the state’s oversupply of AstraZeneca vaccine.
“Can I just say that the short answer here is there are oceans of AstraZeneca in NSW. There are also vast amounts of virus in southwestern Sydney,” Mr Hazzard said on Friday.
Despite the minister’s stark warning, practices and clinics throughout the area were still waiting for an influx of residents booking in for a shot.
Read the full story here.
Joseph Lam7.13pm:New venues added to NSW exposure site list
A number of new venues have joined the NSW exposure site list.
NSW Health urges anyone who has visited the following venues to get tested immediately and isolate for 14 day regardless of the result:
-Goulburn: Bunnings Warehouse, Corner of Humes Street and Ducks Lane: Tuesday July 20 from 12.30pm to 12.45pm.
-Marulan: KFC, 20 Hume Highway: Tuesday July 20 from 1.30pm to 1.50pm.
-Ultimo: Microseconds computer repair shop, 14/22-36 Mountain Street: Monday July 19 from 1pm to 1.30pm.
-Lakmeba: Pharmacy 4 Less, 10/49 The Boulevard: Sunday July 18 from 5.30pm to 6.30pm.
READ MORE:Life gets even shorter for Americans
Joseph Lam6.31pm:NSW Premier turned down ADF offer: police
NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian turned down an Australian Defence Force offer to join a major police operation in the Sydney LGAs at the centre of the current Covid-19 outbreak, says NSW Police Commissioner Mick Fuller.
Mr Fuller said an offer made on July 7 was passed up by Ms Berejiklian asNSW Police were already planning the operation which is overseen by Metropolitan Field Operations Deputy Commissioner Mal Lanyon and began on July 9.
“It was determined the police operational response didn’t require external assistance in the south western Sydney operation given the transmission of the virus was between household contacts, not primarily occurring on the streets,” Mr Fuller said.
“I reiterate my support for the close relationship NSW Police has with the ADF, particularly working through the bushfires,” he said.
“That has continued throughout the COVID pandemic, including the close cooperation in the hotel quarantine operation and logistics support in the Police Operations Centre where ADF personnel continue to be essential in terms of the NSW Police operation.”
NSW Minister for Police and Emergency Services David Elliott said he supported the position taken by Mr Fuller.
Adeshola Ore5.22pm: PM agrees more jabs wouldn’t have prevented lockdowns
Scott Morrison has backed Health Department Secretary Brendan Murphy’s claim that the nation’s current swathe of Covid-19 lockdowns would not have been prevented by higher vaccination rates.
Professor Murphy’s claims directly contradicted multiple state premiers who said they would not be locking down their states if the vaccine rollout was much faster.
Asked if he agreed with Professor Murphy’s statement, the Prime Minister said “I think it is a fact.”
“That is the lived experience of countries all around the world who do not have higher rates of vaccination,” he said.
“I don’t think that’s an opinion.”
“I have been making this point for some time, that is the nature of the Delta variant... Professor Murphy has simply stated a clear fact.”
Adeshola Ore4.55pm:‘Another record vaccination day’: PM
Scott Morrison said Australia achieved another record vaccination day, with 200,000 jabs administered yesterday.
“This program goes from strength to strength each and every day,” he said.
The Prime Minister said NSW would delay second doses of the Pfizer COVID-19 jab to allow more people to receive a first dose of the vaccine as quickly as possible.
Mr Morrison also noted the gap between the first and second dose of AstraZeneca was being reduced.
“It is an existing approval, it is an existing medical advice,” he said.
Mr Morrison confirmed NSW would not received any additional vaccination doses.
Adeshola Ore4.48pm:‘This will be a process, not all solved at one meeting’: PM
Scott Morrison says that national cabinet will soon be provided with a roadmap by Doherty Institute that outlines vaccination targets to open Australia’s borders.
NSW has today recorded 136 new cases of the virus - prompting Premier Gladys Berejiklian to declare the situation a “national emergency.”
Speaking after today’s national cabinet meeting, the Prime Minister said the first set of advice from the institute would be considered by Treasury, chief ministers and premiers.
“This will be a process, not all solved at one meeting and we undertook today to meet as regularly and often as we have to get that job done,” he said.
Matthew Denholm4.40pm:Tasmania keeps border shut
Tasmania will keep its border shut to NSW, Victoria and South Australia and is monitoring the situation in Queensland.
Announcing the ongoing restrictions, Premier Peter Gutwein added that the state had fully vaccinated 20.4 per cent of its eligible population, while 44.5 per cent had received a first dose.
Staff writers4.25pm:Sydney University confirms positive case
Sydney University has confirmed a case at its dental school in Westmead. Thirteen staff and 130 students are now in isolation.
Deep cleaning is underway.
The case was not included in today’s numbers. It will be included tomorrow.
(1/5) #COVID19 update:
— University of Sydney (@Sydney_Uni) July 23, 2021
As daily COVID-19 case numbers remain high, the University has taken some important steps to protect the health and well-being of our community.
More info in the link. https://t.co/fZt0hkGBk5pic.twitter.com/Oi9e6cXwTT
Lydia Lynch4.05pm:QLD Pfizer supplies too ‘meagre’ to give to NSW: Miles
Queensland will not redirect precious Pfizer vaccines to New South Wales as the Covid situation there continues to deteriorate.
Acting Premier Steven Miles said the number of Pfizer vaccines in Queensland were “so meagre” the state could not afford to part with any doses.
“The fact is we really only have enough vaccines to give people their second doses who have already had their first,” he told ABC News.
“If we were to redirect those doses, well, they wouldn’t be available for people to get their second.
“So I don’t think we would consider putting Queenslanders in that kind of situation, where the benefit of their vaccine is compromised by a delay in the second dose.”
READ MORE:Forget Covid, we need a Brisbane Olympics mascot
Anton Nilsson4.00pm:Restriction Gladys will never agree to
The NSW Premier has said that a ban on exercising or curfews will not be considered because they wouldn’t be effective in the fight against coronavirus.
Gladys Berejiklian said on Friday that curbing outdoor exercise and banning people from being outdoors at certain hours of the day would not help stop the spread.
“Please know that we are not the type of government, and I am not the type of premier, that is going to be asking citizens to do things that we don’t think are going to have any effect,” she said.
“When I get questions about curfews or exercise or whatever else, the fact is that will not … reduce the number of cases.”
NSW has recorded more than 1700 local coronavirus cases since mid-June when the current outbreak started.
Friday’s case count was 136, and more than half of those people had been active in the community for some part of their infectious period.
Ms Berejiklian said vaccinating a large part of the state’s population against the virus would be crucial to safely opening up again.
The federal government, which is responsible for sourcing vaccines, has said it hopes all Australians who want the jab will have been given the opportunity by October.
The NSW restrictions could be in place until then.
Ms Berejiklian said by the end of October much of the population should be vaccinated, meaning people will be able to “live more freely beyond that point”.
She said the ability to exercise was crucial to maintaining mental health during the lockdown.
“Mental health is extremely important, and we have to have an outlet for the community to safely address mental health issues, and exercise is one of them,” she said.
“The orders about exercise are very clear: You can exercise with your immediate household, and with one other person, so long as you are doing it in a safe way.
She said she would not initiate rules for “symbolic reasons”.
“There’s no point for symbolic reasons, locking down or having more restrictions if we don’t think they’re going to work,” Ms Berejiklian said.
“Every time we ask the community to do something it’s because we think it will have an effect.”
Joseph Lam3.45pm:AMA calls on ATAGI to reassess AZ advice
The Australian Medical Association has called on ATAGI to reassess its advice on administering the AstraZeneca vaccine to young Australians in light of Sydney’s growing Covid-19 outbreak.
“The AMA today has been in contact with one of the co-chairs of ATAGI to advise ATAGI that, in our view, it is time to reconsider the advice around the AstraZeneca vaccine for young Australians, given the reality in Sydney,” said AMA president Omar Khorshid.
“When ATAGI made its original advice on the under 50s and then the under 60s, it was in the setting of a choice between waiting for Pfizer for younger Australians, in the setting of a very little risk of Covid-19, or having AZ now,” he said.
“Whereas for Sydneysiders, it could be a choice between having AZ now and having no vaccine, and therefore having Covid-19.
“And we know that Covid-19 is so much more dangerous than any vaccine. So, what we are suggesting to ATAGI is that the settings in Sydney are different. The reality is different.”
Dr Khorshid said now is the time to reconsider Australia’s approach to different variants.
“Delta is different and it may be that we need a different approach to our vaccination program in order to recognise that,” he said.
Adeshola Ore 3.05pm:Parliament return significant risk’ to Canberra
Chief Medical Officer Paul Kelly has warned Scott Morrison that the return of parliament next month could pose a “significant” Covid-19 risk to the nation’s capital.
In a letter tabled at a Covid-19 committee, Professor Kelly wrote that Sydney MPs travelling to Canberra could result in the virus seeding in the ACT.
Parliament is due to return on August 3 and run for two weeks.
A one week break is then scheduled to be followed by another sitting fortnight.
The ACT has recorded no community transmission case of the virus in over a year.
Richard Ferguson2.25pm:PM offered ADF for Sydney ‘multiple times’
Scott Morrison has offered to call in the Defence Forces to help curb Sydney’s Delta outbreak multiple times, but NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian has refused at each point.
The NSW Premier has now called the outbreak a “national emergency” after 136 cases emerged in NSW on Friday and has demanded an extra 1 million doses of the Pfizer vaccine be redirected to south-western Sydney.
Federal government sources say the Prime Minister has considered the Sydney outbreak a “national emergency” for some weeks and has offered ADF intervention since July 7.
Defence Force personnel were sent to Melbourne at the height of its months-long 2020 outbreak to help keep the virus contained.
Only Governor General David Hurley - at the advice of Mr Morrison - can declare a national emergency under the National Emergency Declaration Act.
Mr Morrison, Ms Bejeliklian and other state and territory leaders are currently meeting at a session of national cabinet to discuss the growing Covid-19 crisis.
Remy Varga 2.00pm:Four Vic cases linked to Wallabies match
Of Victoria’s 14 new local cases, four are linked to the Wallabies match at AAMI Park on July 13.
One attended the game and one is a household contact. Both were in quarantine.
The other two are household contacts of the man who tested negative and visited Prahran Markets before testing positive.
COVID-19 Commander Jeroen Weimar said the household contacts had partially isolated and were linked to a number of tier 2 exposure sites.
Two cases are linked to the Ms Frankie restaurant cluster, a customer and a staff member who took a tram to undergo a COVID-19 test. There are now 33 cases linked to this cluster.
Two students from Trinity Grammar in Kew have tested positive as well as one from St Patrick’s Primary School in Murrumbeena and one from Bacchus Marsh Grammar.
A household contact linked to the Phillip Island cluster has tested positive, as has a member of City of Hume family.
One household member linked to the Westgate Tunnel outbreak and one workplace contact linked to the Young and Jackson pub have tested positive.
There are seven people currently hospitalised with the virus, including one international arrival and two local cases in intensive care.
There are now 147 case linked to Victoria’s current outbreak and 21,264 primary close contacts.
Remy Varga1.55pm:Race to find passengers on tram with infectious man
Victorian health authorities are scrambling to find about a dozen passengers who travelled on a tram in Melbourne’s CBD with an infectious man.
COVID-19 Commander Jeroen Weimar urged anyone who caught the 86 tram between 3pm and 4pm on July 21 to test and self isolate.
“We have a case who was on his way to a testing station and on his way back who was infectious at the time,” he said.
“We’re very keen to make sure that the other, we believe half a dozen or so passengers around him on the tram come forward to get tested immediately.”
There are 21,264 Victorians currently in isolation, while 1389 have completed the mandatory 14-day period.
Mr Weimar said about a quarter of 958 people who were exposed to the virus at the south Melbourne markets had already tested negative.
Ellie Dudley 1.45am:Vaccine ‘safe and effective for kids’
A vaccine expert has backed the move to allow children to be vaccinated, as the nation waits on ATAGI for final approval.
It was revealed on Friday that children aged 12 to 15 will be given the green tick for vaccination, after the Therapeutic Goods Administration deemed it viable.
“It appears to be very safe and very effective,” Kylie Quinn, a vice-chancellor’s research fellow at RMIT, told the ABC.
“They are looking at the data and there was a phase three clinical trial that came out earlier this year in children within the age range, and the safety of the vaccine and comparing the safety of the vaccine in that age bracket with individuals who are aged between 16-25.”
The national technical advisory group, ATAGI, must approve the use of vaccines in children before the roll out can begin.
Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt on Friday morning said the government plans to begin to administer for children who have underlying health conditions.
“On the early advice that I have, they will fast track vaccines for 12 to 15-year-olds for the immunocompromised children or those with underlying health conditions and then they will review the incoming data over the next month on the general population,” he said.
Remy Varga1.11pm:Andrews won’t reveal when lockdown will end
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews has refused to be drawn on whether the state’s lockdown will end at 11.59pm on Tuesday, saying there was not yet enough available data.
“I’ll boldly predict that it will be as close to that deadline as possible because we’ll want the most complete picture,” he said.
Victoria has been in lockdown since Friday July 16.
Richard Ferguson 1.05pm: Under 60s in hotspots should consider AZ: experts
The nation’s technical vaccine experts have stood by their recommendations that Australians under 60 get Pfizer over AstraZeneca, as Scott Morrison lobbies them to change their advice.
But ATAGI co-chairman Allen Cheng told a senate committee on Friday that the risk-benefit balance for people in Covid-19 hotspots like Sydney are different, and said they should consider AZ if no Pfizer is available.
“There is a group in which the benefit of AstraZeneca will utterly outweigh the risk from that and at the moment that is everyone over 60,” Professor Cheng said.
“So for anyone who is over 60 are particularly those who are in Sydney at the moment. You know, we’re very strongly recommended, even more strongly than before, to recommend that they get vaccinated with the available vaccine - which is AstraZeneca.
“For people under 60 that would be Pfizer ...if you’re a farmer in Western Australia that went to the town last week, the risk of getting COVID is very very small, it’s not zero, but it’s very very small. The benefits of vaccination and the risk benefit assessment in that context is very different.
“ If you’re a taxi driver and in Fairfield at the moment (the risk of Covid-19 is greater).”
Remy Varga12.24pm: No Victorian vaccines for NSW: Andrews
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews says he won’t reallocate vaccines to NSW but wasn’t opposed to the state receiving additional supply.
Mr Andrews said it was hard to “ration” the vaccine when it was unknown when and how much would arrive in Victoria.
“I’m not going to have Victorian vaccine go to NSW so they can be opened while we’re closed,” he said.
Mr Andrews said he would push for the Sydney crisis to be made a national emergency at national cabinet on Friday to contain the Delta variant.
“I don’t want to be interpreting the NSW government strategy but if it’s lockdown until we all get vaccinated, that’s October,” he said.
The Victorian Premier said he’d offer help to NSW, saying there were “veterans of the second wave” who could assist in containing the Delta outbreak, including interpreters.
Remy Varga12.05pm: Andrews calls for ‘ring of steel’ around Sydney
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews says he will ask for Sydney to be cut off from the rest of the nation to stop the spread of COVID-19 at this afternoon’s national cabinet meeting.
Mr Andrews said he backed NSW Premier’s Gladys Bereijiklian’s calls for a national emergency to be declared over the outbreak, which he said needed to be contained to Sydney or the entire country would go into lockdown.
“If there is a national emergency...then it is a national responsibility that Sydneysiders are locked into Sydney,” he said.
“We need a ring of steel around Sydney so this virus is not spreading into other parts of the nation.”
Ellie Dudley12.00pm: SA records one new local case
South Australia has recorded one new case of Covid-19 in the community, which has already been linked to the current cluster.
The new case contracted the virus at the Tenafeate Winery, a known exposure site, and had been in isolation for the entirety of his infectious period.
Premier Steven Marshall said close contacts from the winery had all been contacted by SA Health and instructed to isolate.
“We certainly don’t have a situation where all of the people at the winery could be moved into [hotel quarantine], what we do is a risk assessment, there are people we are concerned about, there are other people who can do that home isolation,” he said.
“If there are any people who were at the winery at that time and haven’t been contacted, and I doubt that is the case [but if there are], please get in touch with SA Health.”
Mr Marshall is confident the state is on track to lift their lockdown next Wednesday as planned.
“All the early signs are very positive that this will just be a seven-day lockdown,” he said.
Adeshola Ore 11.50am:NZ suspends bubble for eight weeks
New Zealand has suspended the trans-Tasman travel bubble with Australia for at least eight weeks, as NSW’s outbreak is deemed a “national emergency.”
New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern urged any Kiwis in Australia, not intending to stay long-term, to return home in the next seven days.
New Zealand COVID-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins has confirmed up to half of Australian arrivals are missing their pre-departure COVID tests.
Around 100 Australians have been caught in New Zealand without having completed a test.
New Zealand had already closed the quarantine-free travel bubble with New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia.
The pause, to be extended to all jurisdictions, will commence tonight and be reviewed in eight weeks.
Quarantine-free travel will remain in place for New Zealand citizens travelling from the ACT, Northern Territory, Queensland, Tamsani and Western Australia for the next seven days.
The travel is contingent on passing a negative Covid-19 test.
Ellie Dudley 11.45am: Berejiklian may ask other states for doses
Gladys Berejiklian has not ruled out taking Covid-19 vaccine doses from other states when she asks National Cabinet for more doses this afternoon.
The NSW Premier will request more doses of the Pfizer vaccine to retarget the state’s rollout to the highly affected areas of south-west and western Sydney.
When asked whether she would take vaccine doses from other states to do so, she said: “I think those are conversations we need to have at National Cabinet.
“We need to at least have a strategy at National Cabinet that does think about the options for getting more jabs in arms in Sydney.”
Ms Berejiklian said it would be “irresponsible” to not act on the advice of Chief Health Officer Kerry Chant to ask for more doses.
Richard Ferguson 11.40am:Frewen pours cold water on more doses for NSW
Vaccine rollout chief John Frewen has poured cold water over NSW’s pleas to redirect 1 million doses of Pfizer to south-western Sydney, saying the whole nation must be vaccinated.
NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian wants the national vaccination strategy to prioritise the three local government areas mostly heavily affected by the Sydney Delta outbreak, putting her on a collision course with Scott Morrison and other state premiers at national cabinet later on Friday.
Lieutenant General Frewen told the senate’s Covid-19 committee that he is keen to keep the whole national rollout on track and that any re-direction would have an impact on other states.
“It is really important that we continue at speed with the vaccine rollout broadly across the nation. Yes, there is a particular concern right now and those LGAS in Sydney,” he told the senate committee.
“But as you would appreciate, they can spill out of those areas very quickly and outbreaks are already emerging in other parts of the country. So it’s always a balance.
“If efforts were to be redirected from other states, absolutely (it would have an impact).”
Ellie Dudley11.35am:Chant: give us more Pfizer shots today
Chief Health Officer Kerry Chant has demanded the federal government supply NSW with more Pfizer doses for south-west and western Sydney “today.”
“Let’s be very clear. My sense of urgency is absolute urgency so I think we need to be seeing
vaccines in arms on Saturday, Sunday, Monday,” she said.
“We need to be ramping up to roll out vaccines in those areas.”
Dr Chant took Friday’s press conference as an opportunity to “correct the mythology” around the AstraZeneca jab.
“I have had the AstraZeneca vaccine. My husband, who I do care for dearly but who has not seen much of me, has had his first dose of AstraZeneca. My mother-in-law who, again, I care for dearly...has had her two doses of AstraZeneca,” she said.
“The Chief Health Officer would not recommend AstraZeneca to someone that they care about if they had concerns.”
“In the context of the Delta threat, I just cannot understand why people would not be taking the opportunity to go out and get AstraZeneca in droves.”
Ellie Dudley 11.30am:Berejiklian: Outbreak risk to entire nation
Premier Gladys Berejiklian has highlighted NSW’s outbreak as a risk to the rest of the nation, defending her decision to ask the federal government for assistance.
“(We need) a national refocus of the vaccination strategy, to redirect, to refocus into those key local government areas, into those local communities,” she said.
“The New South Wales government has done that already. We have a strategy for maximising use of AstraZeneca in our communities.
“We’ve already spoken to the pharmacist about opening the pharmacies in the south-west and Western Sydney and I’m grateful to them for doing so.
“We already have the GPs on call to provide extra doses as well, through our vaccination hubs, we have increased those and points of access as well and we are talking to businesses about on-site vaccination.
“But what we need is a refocus of extra doses and that’s why we will continue to have those conversations.”
Chief Health Officer Kerry Chant said she was “very concerned” about the speed of which Covid is spreading throughout Sydney.
“Because of that, my view is that we need to get vaccines into younger people in south-western Sydney,” she said.
“And as the Premier indicated, south-western Sydney and parts of western Sydney have some of the lower levels of vaccination coverage which poses another challenge, and so we need to redouble our efforts in supporting that community to have access to vaccinations.”
Ellie Dudley11.23am: Hazzard: Ignore scare-mongers, get the vax
NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard has urged residents to ignore the “scaremongers” and get the Covid-19 vaccine.
“If you are over 60 and you get the virus you have a one in 200 chance of dying. If you are over 50 you have a one in 500 chance of dying if you get the virus,” he said.
“As opposed to that, if you have the vaccine, the AstraZeneca vaccine, it protects you to the extent that your chances of actually dying are one in 2 million.
“There is no argument that you should step forward and have the vaccine.”
He specifically urged residents in south-west and western Sydney to come forward to get the vaccine.
Ellie Dudley11.20am: Chant calls for federal help on vaccines
Chief Health Officer Kerry Chant said she had labelled NSW’s outbreak a “national emergency” and is urgently calling on the federal government for assistance in refocusing the state’s vaccine rollout to highly-affected areas in south-west and western Sydney.
“What I am recommending strongly is that our vaccination efforts are refocused on those affected LGAs,” she said.
“Every day people from those LGA’s have to go out to work, to keep our city going. They are doing critical food production, critical work, to keep society functioning, and we are seeing cases introducing the virus into various workplaces.
“Two areas that I have requested that we urgently focus on, is redirecting all of vaccine initiatives to south-western Sydney, and Western Sydney, particularly the affected local government areas.”
Ellie Dudley 11.10am: Another death in NSW; Berejiklian asks for more shots
Gladys Berejiklian says another person has died of coronavirus; an 89-year-old man.
The death is the sixth in NSW associated with the latest outbreak.
“We will not be releasing further information until we are insured for the family is aware of that case,” Chief Health Officer Kerry Chant told reporters.
“My condolences to that family that is impacted.”
Ms Brejiklian said she would ask National Cabinet for more doses of the Covid-19 vaccine for targeted, highly-infected areas when the state premiers and Prime Minister meet on Friday afternoon.
The NSW Premier said the state health authorities were working to stop the virus from spreading out of LGAs where Covid is raging rampant, but need more vaccine doses to have the areas protected quickly.
“I also want to stress that from today the New South Wales government will be calling on the Federal Government to refocus our national vaccination strategy,” she said.
“There is no doubt that if we want to contain this virus and stop it seeping out to other parts
of Greater Sydney, stop it impacting our freedom and our economy, but also stop it spreading to other states, we need to have a discussion about refocusing the national vaccination strategy.”
Ms Berejiklian said the health authorities need to get the first jab in “as many arms as possible” in western and south-western Sydney.
“We have a micro plan for how we will get not only more doses of AstraZeneca in arms, but we also have to acknowledge that that is a very young population in those communities, and we need at least more first doses of Pfizer,” she said.
“Will be taking that to National Cabinet through the advice of the Chief Medical Officer.”
Ellie Dudley 11.07am:Cumberland, Blacktown workers restricted to LGA
Workers in the Cumberland and Blacktown local government areas will not be permitted to leave their LGA unless they are listed as an “authorised worker”, Gladys Berejiklian said.
The Premier said it was imperative the state “stops the spread of the virus” by containing highly infectious areas.
“Unless people are critical workers from the Blacktown local government area, and the
Cumberland local government area, we do not want them leaving,” she said.
Ellie Dudley 11.05am: ‘National emergency’: NSW records 136 new cases
NSW has recorded 136 local cases of Covid-19, 53 of which were infectious while in the community.
The state again had a record-breaking day of testing on Thursday, with 87,000 being conducted, Premier Gladys Berejiklian said.
Ms Berejiklian said the situation was now a “national emergency” as she foreshadowed that the lockdown would not be lifted on July 30 as previously expected.
“It is no doubt that the numbers are not going in the direction we were hoping they would at this stage,” she said.
“It is fairly apparent that we will not be close to zero next Friday.”
More to come.
Richard Ferguson 10. 50am:Murphy: prioritising aged care residents saved lives
Health Department Secretary Brendan Murphy has defended his decision to prioritise the vaccination of aged care residents over aged care workers, saying it has saved lives.
The Morrison government has been heavily criticised for not getting more aged care workers vaccinated in the early stages of the vaccine rollout, with jab rates among workers still low.
More than 47 per cent of aged care workers have had their first vaccine dose and more than 27 per cent are fully vaccinated.
Professor Murphy said the evidence from other countries showed trying to vaccinate workers and residents at the same time would have caused too much disruption.
The Health Department chief also said the mass vaccinations of aged care residents has prevented the most vulnerable Australians from being killed in the current Delta strain outbreaks.
“Despite the big outbreak in New South Wales and several incursions into aged care facilities we haven’t had one aged care resident (die), they’ve been six positive, and five out of the six vaccinated were vaccinated and they are well,” Professor Murphy told the senate.
“We haven’t seen the terrible consequences we saw in Victoria. There’s no question that the major driver for vaccination was to protect those vulnerable for severe disease.”
Natasha Robinson10.45am:Pregnant women prioritised for jab
Pregnant women have been designated a priority group and are are now eligible to book for Covid-19 vaccines, the Federal health department has confirmed.
“All pregnant women aged 16 years and over have now been prioritised and are immediately eligible for the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccination,” the health department said in a statement. “Vaccination providers can now vaccinate willing pregnant women aged 16 years and over, effective immediately.
“Pregnant women are encouraged to discuss the decision in relation to timing of vaccination with their health professional, but are able to have it administered at either primary care sites offering Pfizer or through sites managed by the jurisdictions.
“Any pregnant women seeking a vaccination can call the National Coronavirus Hotline (1800 020 080) to find relevant clinics.”
The determination follows a joint statement from the Australian Technical Advisory Group and the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists that pregnant women should be routinely offered the Pfizer vaccine.
“RANZCOG and ATAGI recommend that pregnant women are routinely offered Pfizer mRNA vaccine at any stage of pregnancy,” the joint statement published on June 9 said. “This is because the risk of severe outcomes from COVID-19 is significantly higher for pregnant women and their unborn baby.”
Health authorities had been criticised for not immediately acting on the ATAGI recommendation, with pregnant women among the higher risk groups exposed to Covid-19 during the recent Sydney outbreak.
Since the start of the vaccine program, no pregnant woman who has fallen into other priority groups and been vaccinated has required hospitalisation after being exposed to Covid-19.
Richard Ferguson 10.40am: Frewen to present vax rollout review to national cabinet
Covid-19 Taskforce coordinator-general John Frewen will present his plan to fix the nation’s sluggish vaccine rollout to the national cabinet on Friday, and release his review shortly after.
Lieutenant General Frewen told the senate’s Covid-19 committee that his operational review is now complete and will focus on making the rollout more efficient and convincing more Australians to take up the jab.
“I have identified three key areas to focus on improving coordination and efficiency of the plan, building public confidence and motivating people to get vaccinated, and a safe and efficient rollout of the vaccination plan,” he told the senate committee.
“This plan has been developed in consultation with the states and territories, health and community sector organizations, business, industry, unions and other stakeholders.
Lieutenant General Frewen, Chief Medical Officer Paul Kelly, Health Secretary Brendan Murphy, and the co-chairmen of the nation’s vaccine expert panel will all be interrogated by the senate select committee on Friday, amidst a growing Covid-19 crisis in Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide.
Ellie Dudley10.35am:Berejiklian, Hazzard to give update at 11am
NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian will provide an update on the state’s Covid-19 situation at 11am.
She will speak alongside Health Minister Brad Hazzard, Chief Health Officer Kerry Chant and NSW Police Deputy Commissioner Gary Worboys.
Case numbers are expected to soar in NSW today, after 124 new cases of Covid-19 were recorded on Thursday, with more than 40 in the community for the entirety of their infectious period.
South Australia’s Premier Steven Marshall will speak at 11am local time (11.30 AEST), after two new cases of the virus were detected on Thursday.
Lydia Lynch10.30am:NRL future under a cloud over alleged breach
NRL players and their families are on the brink of being booted out of Queensland after a Blues’ player allegedly smuggled a woman into his Covid hotel.
The NRL integrity unity is investigating Penrith hooker Api Koroisau who is accused of breaching biosecurity rules by sneaking a woman into the NSW camp at Brisbane last month.
Hundreds of NRL officials, players and their families moved to Queensland this month as the Covid situation in NSW deteriorated.
Nine Sydney clubs as well as Newcastle, Canberra and the Warriors were given exclusive access to three hotels in Brisbane, the Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast.
Chief Health Officer Jeannette Young said she was getting “very close” to kicking them out of the state.
“I am very, very concerned about what is happening with these NRL players.
“You would have seen that imagery of the family hotel where they were sharing goods between verandas so I am very concerned.”
Remy Varga10.25am:More on Victoria’s latest case number
The state’s 14 new cases bring the total linked to the current outbreaks to 146 after Victoria processed 43,542 tests.
There were 14,302 vaccine doses administered.
Reported yesterday: 14 new local cases and 0 new cases acquired overseas.
— VicGovDH (@VicGovDH) July 23, 2021
- 14,302 vaccine doses were administered
- 43,542 test results were received
More later: https://t.co/lIUrl0ZEco#COVID19Vic#COVID19VicDatapic.twitter.com/HUr92EAgBy
Lydia Lynch 10.15am: Young: Byron fragments could shrink Qld border bubble
Coronavirus fragments have been detected in sewage at Byron Bay which could trigger a shrinking of Queensland’s border bubble.
Queensland Chief Health Officer Jeannette Young said the cause of positive results was not known yet.
“It could be that they have a case in the community there. It could be that someone from Sydney has gone up and gone back to Sydney,” she said.
“They are working that through and they are doing increased testing in Byron Bay.”
Byron Bay, a costal town in northern NSW, is one of 17 local government areas included in Queensland’s border bubble.
Residents in those communities are allowed to cross the border for essential reasons, without an exemption.
Dr Young said the positive sewage result might trigger border boundaries to be redrawn.
Lydia Lynch 9.40am:Qld Minister in iso, shared flight with positive attendant
A Queensland Minister is in quarantine after sharing a flight with a Covid-positive flight attendant.
Regional development Minister Glenn Butcher was onboard a flight with a crew member who waited more than a week to get tested after developing symptoms.
The woman, aged in her 30s, crewed six flights while infectious all to regional parts of Queensland including Longreach, Hervey Bay and Gladstone.
Chief health officer Jeannette Young said the woman developed symptoms on July 13 but did not get tested until July 21.
She has been deemed infectious with the Delta variant since July 11 and has the same genome sequence as a strain circulating in Sydney.
Ellie Dudley9.35am:Qld records one new local case
One new local case of Covid-19 has been recorded in Queensland, in a flight attendant that travelled between Brisbane and Longreach.
It is understood the worker flew on QantasLink flights QF2534 and QF2535.
Testing is now underway for all passengers aboard the flights at the Longreach Hospital, with another centre set to be opened at Longreach Showgrounds.
Two cases were also detected in overseas arrivals who are isolating in hotel quarantine.
Friday 23 July – coronavirus cases in Queensland:
— Annastacia Palaszczuk (@AnnastaciaMP) July 22, 2021
1 new locally acquired case recorded in Queensland overnight.
2 new overseas acquired cases, detected in hotel quarantine.#covid19pic.twitter.com/EXhVlje5HL
Yoni Bashan 9.25am:Sydney restrictions set for overhaul
Southwestern Sydney could be placed into a harder lockdown while restrictions would be relaxed in communities barely affected by Covid-19, under plans being considered by some government officials to ease the state out of lockdown as efforts continue to suppress the virus.
While officials continue to wait for weekend data to determine whether the city’s lockdown settings have been successful, members of the state’s crisis cabinet are turning their mind to transition plans to relieve pressure on communities largely untouched by the virus.
This would include easing restrictions for additional areas of Greater Sydney, although formal discussions about the matter are likely to occur only next week.
Premier Gladys Berejiklian said on Thursday the weekend numbers would shape the government’s thinking around the future of the current lockdown, which is due to expire on July 31 but is almost certain to be extended.
READ the full story
Remy Varga9.05am:Victoria records 14 new local cases
Victoria has recorded 14 new local cases, at least three of which were infectious in the community.
The Health Department said one case had yet to be interviewed while 10 were isolating.
All cases are linked to current outbreaks.
There are 14 new locally-acquired COVID-19 cases which are all linked to the current outbreaks. 10 of the 14 cases were in quarantine throughout their entire infectious period with 1 of the other 4 cases still to be interviewed. 14,302 vaccine doses were administered yesterday.
— VicGovDH (@VicGovDH) July 22, 2021
Ellie Dudley8.50am:NSW cases expected to reach record high
NSW case numbers are expected to rise again on Friday after Premier Gladys Berejiklian warned the virus was “spreading like we’ve never seen before.”
The state recorded 124 cases on Thursday, 87 of which could have been infectious in the community.
Some 48 were not isolating for their infectious period, 22 only partially isolating and 17 are under further investigation.
“We anticipate case numbers will continue to go up before they start coming down,” Ms Berejiklian said on Thursday.
“It is spreading like we’ve never seen before.”
The premier refused to confirm whether Sydney’s lockdown will end on July 30 as previously stipulated, but instead said the state would remain under “some level of restriction” until enough residents are vaccinated.
“We can’t convey until we have more information closer to that date. We’ll be able to tell the community this time next week or thereabouts what July 31 looks like,” she said.
“We’ll be living with some level of restriction - obviously we want it to be less than we have today - until the majority of the population is vaccinated.”
Ellie Dudley 8.40am:NZ set to pause Trans-Tasman bubble for all Australia
New Zealand authorities are poised to close the Trans-Tasman bubble to the entirety of Australia, as the country’s cabinet meets on Friday afternoon local time.
NZ Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, Covid-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins and Director-General of Health Ashley Bloomfield will provide an update at 11.30am (AEST) regarding travel arrangements with Australia.
“Cabinet is meeting to check in on the arrangements with Australia, given the situation there,” the NZ Prime Minister’s Office said in a statement.
“This has been planned for several days and we will give an update on this discussion on Friday.”
Australia is currently grappling with serious outbreaks of the Delta variant in multiple states, with more than 14m residents in lockdown.
READ MORE: PM says get the jab now
Adeshola Ore 8.25am:Hunt echoes PM’s vax apology
Health Minister Greg Hunt has said sorry for Australia’s slow vaccine rollout, echoing Scott Morrison’s apology.
On Thursday the Prime Minister apologised for the country’s vaccine rollout not reaching the initial targets set by the government.
Speaking to Sky News, Mr Hunt conceded Australia had been slow to hit its milestone of administering one million vaccines in seven days, which was achieved this week.
“Our goal was to have one million a week now and I’m sorry we weren’t able to do that now earlier but we are achieving that million a week now,” he said.
Adeshola Ore 8.10am:Swan lashes PM’s ‘dreadful’ vax apology
Former Labor treasurer Wayne Swan has lashed Scott Morrison’s apology for the vaccine rollout, labelling it a “dreadful” performance.
On Thursday, the Prime Minister said he was sorry Australia’s vaccine rollout had not hit the targets set by the government at the start of the year.
Mr Swan said Mr Morrison was still engaging in “blame shifting.”
“People said that he issued an apology. He didn’t. It was a half apology that was forced. It wasn’t sincere, and it didn’t go to the core of the problem,” he told Channel 9.
“If he was going to go out and say, ‘Let’s wipe the slate clean, let’s look at what’s gone wrong here,’ which is the decisions they have taken not to purchase the correct volumes and types of vaccines, then people might take him seriously.”
READ MORE: Younger Aussies most hit by Delta strain
Ellie Dudley 7.50am:Miles barred from National Cabinet in Palaszczuk’s absence
Annastacia Palaszczuk’s seat will be left empty at Friday’s National Cabinet meeting, with the Queensland Premier still in Tokyo and Deputy Premier Steven Miles denied entry.
Earlier this week the Palaszczuk government singled out the freight industry as a potential risk to health orders, after Covid-19 spread to Victoria via two infected removalists.
National Cabinet is set to discuss the freight rules which govern interstate drivers, and if the plan should be tightened.
But Queensland will only be represented by director-general Rachel Hunter, as deputy premiers are not permitted to attend the regular meetings.
The only time an Acting Premier has been allowed to join national cabinet was in the case of Victoria’s James Merlino, who was allowed to step in for Daniel Andrews following his injury.
READ MORE:Strict new rules for Sydney
Ellie Dudley7.45am: Vax for 12 - 15-year-olds waiting on ATAGI tick
Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt has confirmed the Pfizer vaccine will soon be available for children aged 12 to 15, but the full approval is waiting on a green light from ATAGI.
The Therapeutic Goods Administration overnight backed the use of the vaccine on children, with those with underlying health conditions expected to be at the front of the queue.
But before the roll out in kids can begin, the country’s technical advisory group must sign off on it.
“There is a second stage here, a technical advisory group that considers it,” Mr Hunt told Sunrise.
“On the early advice that I have, they will fast track vaccines for 12 to 15-year-olds for the immunocompromised children or those with underlying health conditions and then they will review the incoming data over the next month on the general population.”
Mr Hunt said the Pfizer vaccine would be available for under-40s by early October.
“The expectation is this stage (is late) September, early October,” she said.
“We have just increased our Pfizer from over 500,000 a couple of weeks ago to 1 million, which has arrived in the last week.
“That is what we are expecting to receive per week over the period from now until the end of September and then it will increase again.”
READ MORE: Young flocking to take up AZ
Ellie Dudley7.20am:Flight attendant positive on Queensland journey
Queensland Health has reportedly identified a new case of Covid-19 in a flight attendant who flew between Brisbane and Longreach.
It is understood the worker flew on QantasLink flights QF2534 and QF2535.
Testing is now underway for all passengers are the Longreach Hospital, with another centre set to be opened at Longreach Showgrounds.
From 6am Friday morning, restrictions for the state had eased, allowing 100 people to gather in homes and no limit on outdoor events.
Density restrictions at venues have also relaxed and dancing is allowed in public again.
Visitors are now accepted at hospital and aged care homes.
READ MORE: Big changes to Queensland restrictions
Ellie Dudley7.15am:No urgent need to vaccinate children: paediatrician
An infectious disease paediatrician has said children “don’t need the vaccine” ahead of an announcement from the Therapeutic Goods Administration that they will be approved for the jab.
It was revealed on Thursday that children aged 12 to 16 will today be given the green tick for vaccination.
But Robert Booy, infectious diseases paediatrician from the University of Sydney, said children should not yet jump the queue.
“The only children who might need a vaccine are those with chronic medical conditions, they are the ones that get very sick and die,” he said.
“In the main, children are incredibly resilient against this disease and we need to get adults, frontline workers, elderly people – all the rest who are at risk – vaccinated first before we even consider vaccinating children.”
READ MORE: Residents fenced off after ‘new outbreaks’
Ellie Dudley7am:Victoria on alert over new exposure sites
A series of new exposure sites have appeared in Victoria, leaving health authorities desperately following the tracks of new cases popping up around Melbourne.
The state recorded 26 new cases of Covid-19 on Wednesday, only two of which were infectious while in the community.
Anyone who visited the following venues at the times listed are considered casual contacts, and should get tested immediately and isolate until a negative result is received.
■ Carrum Downs: Bunnings Warehouse Carrum Downs, 600 Frankston-Dandenong Road, Carrum Downs VIC 3201, July 18, 9.45am to 10.25am;
■ Chadstone: 7/11 Chadstone, 609 Waverley Road (corner Batesford Road), Chadstone VIC 3148, July 17, 7.50am to 8.25am;
■ Malvern: Woolworths Malvern Central Shopping Centre, 112-114 Wattletree Road, Malvern VIC 3144, July 18, 10.20am to 10.50am;
■ Malvern: Malvern Central Shopping Centre, 110-122 Wattletree Road, Malvern VIC 3144, July 18, 10.20am to 10.50am;
■ Malvern: Fleischer Cakes, 96 Glenferrie Road, Malvern VIC 3144, July 18, 10.15am to 10.30am;
■ Malvern: Coles Malvern, 164-178 Glenferrie Road, Malvern VIC 3144, July 18 9.40am to 10.30am;
■ Hawthorn East: Anderson Park, 5 Anderson Road, Hawthorn East VIC 3123, July 15, 7.30am to 9am; and
■ Craigieburn: Forever New, Craigieburn Central, 340 Craigieburn Road, Craigieburn VIC 3064, July 15, 5.25pm to 6.03pm.
🗺VIC COVID-19 Map - Situation at lockdown#COVID19vic
— dbRaevn (@dbRaevn) July 21, 2021
This map shows what was known and unknown when the Victorian lockdown started.
Green = already known
Yellow = already acquired infection, but not yet known
Orange = unknow acquisition/possibly acquired after lockdown pic.twitter.com/AGFgec7Aut
READ MORE: Stats show Victorian lockdown is working
Ellie Dudley6.40am:Coronavirus cases continue surge around the nation
Covid-19 continues to surge across the country as health authorities in NSW, Victoria and SA work frantically to shut down growing outbreaks.
On Thursday, NSW recorded 124 new local cases of Covid-19, 48 of which were infectious while in the community.
Premier Gladys Berejiklian refused to confirm whether Sydney’s lockdown will end on July 30 as previously stipulated, but instead said the state would remain under “some level of restriction” until enough residents are vaccinated.
“We can’t convey until we have more information closer to that date. We’ll be able to tell the community this time next week or thereabouts what July 31 looks like,” she said.
“We’ll be living with some level of restriction – obviously we want it to be less than we have today – until the majority of the population is vaccinated.”
Today’s case numbers are again expected to be over 100.
Victoria recorded 26 new local cases of Covid-19 on Thursday, the highest daily infection number since the state’s second wave.
Thousands of Victorians could be released from isolation tomorrow, as primary close contacts of cases at the MCG undergo their Day 13 test.
Meanwhile, 900 people will begin their quarantine period after attending the Prahran Market last Saturday at the same time as one of Thursday’s new cases.
Two new cases of Covid-19 were recorded in South Australia on Thursday, in a brother and sister in their 20s who attended the Tenafeate Creek Winery in Yattalunga last weekend.
Premier Steven Marshall refused to say whether the current lockdown would end as planned next Wednesday.
“What I’m hopeful of is … these are people who are already in a quarantine situation, or if they’re not, they’re with people that are very, very much locked down and not moving,” he said.
“If you can restrict movement at the moment, you’re doing your state a big favour.”
He added it was “very likely” the state would see more cases.
READ MORE: Police denounce lockdown protests
Ellie Dudley6.15am:‘Great concern’ over Byron Bay sewage positive
Health authorities are urging residents of Byron Bay to be tested for Covid-19 if symptoms arise due to growing concerns of underlying cases.
NSW Health’s sewage surveillance system detected fragments of the virus in the northern NSW coastal town late on Thursday evening.
As of yet, there are no known cases in the area “which is of great concern”, a statement from NSW Health read.
âš ï¸PUBLIC HEALTH ALERT – SEWAGE DETECTION
— NSW Health (@NSWHealth) July 22, 2021
AND VENUES OF CONCERNâš ï¸
NSW Health has been notified of a number of new and updated venues of concern associated with confirmed cases of #COVID19, and a sewage detection in the Byron Bay area. pic.twitter.com/OBSHSKjxL3
A series of new exposure sites have also appeared in NSW, leaving health authorities desperately following the tracks of new cases popping up around Sydney.
The state recorded 124 new cases of Covid-19 on Thursday, 48 of which were infectious while in the community.
Anyone who visited the following venues at the stipulated times are classified as a close contact and directed to get tested and isolate for 14 days regardless of the result:
■ Croydon Park: Lebanese Bakery and International Food, 125 Georges River Road, Wednesday July 14, 9.05am to 9.20am;
■ Croydon Park: BP Croydon Park, 236-240 Georges River Road, Friday July 16, 4.50pm to 5.05pm;
■ Lakemba: Hamze Supermarket, 124 Haldon St, Saturday July 17, 11.45am to 12pm;
■ Belrose: Woolworths Glenrose, Glenrose Village Shopping Centre, 56-58 Glen Street, Monday July 19, 5.55am to 6pm Tuesday 20 July, 7am to 4pm;
■ Green Valley: Polla’s Market, 193 Wilson Road, Monday July 19, 1pm to 5pm; and
■ Parramatta: Chemist Warehouse, 202-208 Church Street, Monday July 19, 3.45pm to 12am.
Those who attended any of the following venues at the time listed are classified as casual contacts, and should get tested immediately and isolate until a negative result is received:
■ Wetherill Park: Woolworths, 561-583 Polding Street, Monday July 12, 8.30pm to 5.45pm;
■ Harris Park: Shri Refreshment Bar, 53C Wigram Street, Wednesday July 14, 6pm to 6.15pm;
■ Bonnyrigg: Big W, 100 Bonnyrigg Avenue, Saturday July 17, 1.35pm to 3.45pm;
■ Roselands: Aldi, Roselands Shopping Centre, 14 Roselands Avenue, Saturday July 17, 10am to 11am;
■ Burwood: Coles, Westfield Burwood, 100 Burwood Road, Monday July 19, 11.45am to 12.20pm; and
■ Belrose: Glenrose Village Shopping Centre, 56-58 Glen Street, Tuesday July 20, 6.50am to 1.30pm and Wednesday July 21, 6.50am to 2.30pm.
NSW Health is aware of incorrect public health advice circulating in the community and on social media regarding Greater Sydney restrictions.
— NSW Health (@NSWHealth) July 22, 2021
Please use trusted and credible sources of information.
Visit: https://t.co/SFi0c4ALHMpic.twitter.com/OJG9Q4OvLZ
READ MORE: Restrictions overhaul on agenda for southwestern Sydney
Daniel Sankey5.10am:Australia-WI ODI suspended over positive Covid case
The second one-day international between Australia and the West Indies in Barbados has been suspended just minutes before the match was due to start following confirmation of a positive Covid-19 case.
The news was delivered just after Australian captain Alex Carey won the toss and elected to bat. Players were ordered back to their dressing rooms, with the positive case understood to revolve around a non-playing member of the West Indies squad.
Cricket.com.au has reported that all personnel inside the series’ bio-secure bubble — which includes both teams, match officials and broadcast staff — will be immediately placed into isolation.
The case now puts not only the remainder of the West Indies tour in doubt, but also Australia’s T20 tour of Bangladesh, which was due to be played next month.
JUST IN: Big news in from Barbados #WIvAUS
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) July 22, 2021
READ MORE: New threat to England’s Ashes campaign
Patrick Commins5am:Lockdown ‘permanent’ until majority vaccinated
Failure to tame Sydney’s Covid-19 outbreak over the coming week could mean the city’s lockdown remains a “permanent feature” that will end only when the large majority of the population is fully vaccinated later this year.
CBA head of Australian economics Gareth Aird said the health outcomes in NSW over the coming week would be “very important” to determine whether months of further restrictions would move from a worst-case scenario to the most likely one.
Mr Aird said that a week from now “we will have a much better gauge as to whether or not the stricter lockdown will push the daily number of new Covid-19 cases down in a way that means we can project the end date of the lockdown”.
“If not, we are likely to be facing a central scenario for the economy that sees the lockdown in Greater Sydney as a permanent feature until a yet-to-be-determined vaccine threshold has been reached.”
Mr Aird said tighter restrictions on retailers and the construction industry in NSW alongside the announcement of “snap” lockdowns in Victoria and now South Australia would mean the hit to GDP in the September quarter would be “a lot” larger than the 1.4 per cent, or roughly $7.5bn, he previously estimated.
Read the full story here.
Rachel Baxendale4.45am:Melbourne markets case forces 900 into isolation
Victoria’s Covid-19 logistics chief, Jeroen Weimar, has conceded that at least 900 people who were at one of Melbourne’s busiest fresh food markets last Saturday would not now be in home quarantine — and at risk of having contracted coronavirus — had health authorities handled an exposure at AAMI Park differently.
One of Victoria’s 26 new cases on Thursday is a person believed to have contracted coronavirus at the Wallabies-France rugby Test match at AAMI Park on July 13.
The person was initially classified as a Tier 2 contact, because they had not been sitting near an infected Trinity Grammar teacher who had caught the virus at the MCG three days earlier. Following Tier 2 contact obligations, they got tested and isolated until they received a negative test result.
In a demonstration of how insidious the Delta variant can be, the person then tested positive on Wednesday, with more than 900 Prahran Market close contacts then ordered into 14 days of home quarantine.
Read the full story here.
Olivia Caisley4.30am:Morrison urges young to consider AZ vaccine
Scott Morrison has apologised for the nation’s behind-schedule vaccine program and told young people the AstraZeneca jab is “available right now’’, in a bid to speed up inoculations in the face of a Covid-19 outbreak that has forced half the population into lockdown.
After days of criticism about the vaccination program, which is two months behind its original targets, the Prime Minister said he was “sorry’’ for its shortcomings as he announced pharmacists would be recruited to give the rollout extra “horsepower’’.
In a media blitz, Mr Morrison renewed calls for younger Australians to take up the AstraZeneca jab and strengthened his appeal to the nation’s medical experts to review health advice limiting the jab to over-60s, arguing the latest outbreak changed the risk profile.
Doses of the Pfizer vaccine — recommended for people under 60 — are being imported at a rate of one million a week but shortages are expected to remain until mid-September. Current supplies of the domestically made AstraZeneca vaccine are plentiful.
Read the full story here.
More Coverage
PM’s buy takes a negative turn
Labor MPs are pushing for negative gearing changes to be put on the table in the wake of revelations Anthony Albanese purchased a $4.3m beachside home, threatening a pre-election schism between the PM and Jim Chalmers over housing tax policies.
Hindmarsh Island bridge expert debunks ‘blue-banded bee’ tale
The anthropologist whose research helped to debunk the ‘fabricated’ secret women’s business at the Hindmarsh Island Royal Commission has cast serious doubt on claims of a dreaming story about the blue-banded bee at the proposed Blayney gold mine.