Coronavirus Australia live news: Queensland case revealed as Delta strain as state goes into lockdown
An unvaccinated hospital receptionist who worked while infectious has the rampant strain, forcing millions into lockdown.
- Unvaccinated Qld nurse has Delta strain
- More than 12 million locked down by tonight
- Two new cases in NT
- Two new cases, parts of Qld to lock down
- 19 new cases in NSW
- Perth follows Sydney into lockdown
Welcome to updates on Australia’s battle with the Covid-19 pandemic. Live coverage has ended for now, read on for a recap of the day’s events.
An unvaccinated hospital receptionist who worked while infectious has the highly transmissible Delta strain, forcing millions into lockdown.
More than 12 million Australians will be locked down by tonight as parts of Queensland join NSW, WA and the Northern Territory under stay at home orders. Parts of Queensland went into a snap three-day lockdown after an unvaccinated hospital receptionist was one of the state’s two new cases. The NT has two new cases.
NSW has 19 new virus cases and Premier Gladys Berejiklian says frustration is ‘boiling over’ about the slow vaccine rollout.
WA Premier Mark McGowan has ordered a four-day lockdown of the Perth and Peel regions amid alarm over a new Sydney-linked case. The news came as Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced Australians under 40 years could receive the AstraZeneca vaccine under a no-fault indemnity scheme for general practitioners.
Rhiannon Down10pm:NSW updates travel restrictions
Travelers arriving in NSW from Queensland, WA and the NT will be required to submit a declaration form from midnight on Wednesday.
NSW Health announced late on Tuesday night that anyone who arrives in the state who has been in the states in the last 14 days will need to fill out the declaration to provide “vital” information to contact tracers “if necessary”.
The state also upped its interstate travel advice as Perth, Brisbane and parts of far north Queensland and Darwin battle their own outbreaks, prompting snap lockdowns.
“NSW Health advises against non-essential travel to lockdown areas in other states and territories at this time,” the department said.
“Do not travel to NSW if you have attended a venue of concern as close contacts must isolate immediately, get tested and remain in isolation for 14 days, and contact the relevant health authorities in their state or territory.”
Jess Malcolm9pm:Supply headaches thwart mix’n’match strategy
The federal government has no plans to alter its advice on ‘mixing and matching vaccines’ despite international clinical trials which suggest the combination could boost immunity. Read more here
Rhiannon Down8pm:Police make appeal on domestic violence
NSW Police has called on victims of domestic and family violence to seek help, reminding Sydneysiders that they are permitted to leave their homes to escape the risk of harm.
Assistant Commissioner Leanne McCusker said that anyone experiencing risk to their personal safety should contact police and would not face any risk of fines under the health orders.
“It is important to remind everyone that fleeing a violent or an abusive relationship and seeking domestic and family violence related services is a reasonable excuse to leave your home,” she said.
“Other lawful reasons to leave your place of residence include to provide care or assistance to a vulnerable person or to provide emergency assistance to access services provided to victims of crime including domestic violence services and mental health services.
“To move to a different place of residence or between your different places of residence, to undertake legal obligation or avoid injury or illness or escape the risk of harm.”
Rhiannon Down7.25pm:Qld adds to list of exposure-site venues
Queensland Health added a string of venues across the state to its list of exposure sites, including several on Magnetic Island near Townsville in the state’s north.
âš ï¸ Public Health Alert âš ï¸
— Queensland Health (@qldhealthnews) June 29, 2021
A public health alert is being issued for a number of locations on the Gold Coast.
Contact tracing venues and flights can be found at https://t.co/4k76CuosXbpic.twitter.com/kGakI8Sfe5
Marlin Bar, Barefoot art food and wine and Main St all in Horseshoe Bay and the reception and coffee shop at the Peppers Resort, IGA, Thai Again restaurant and the coffee cart at the Barge Ferry in Nelly Bay on Magnetic Island have been added as venues of concern.
This comes as Queensland health authorities confirmed that a 19-year-old health worker at The Prince Charles Hospital visited the island and Townsville on holiday while infectious with the Delta variant.
Brewery Cafe in Garbutt, B’s Salon & Barber Shop in Willowbank and the Drake supermarket in Rosewood as well as Virgin flight VA374 from Townsville to Brisbane, have also been added.
Annastacia Palaszczuk announced a snap-three day lockdown for southeast Queensland, Townsville, Magnetic Island and Palm Island today after two local cases were confirmed overnight.
Lydia Lymch6.55pm:One-third of Qld health staff haven’t had jab
A third of Queensland Health staff are yet to receive their first Covid-19 jab, or are not documented as vaccinated.
Queensland authorities have been unable to say what percentage of hospital workers have been fully inoculated against Covid-19 after the latest virus breach forced 3.8 million people into a 72-hour lockdown.
In a statement released on Tuesday night, Queensland Health said 66 per cent of all Queensland Health staff, including non-frontline workers, had received at least one dose.
“Queensland Health has administered two doses of vaccine to more than 57,000 of all – not just frontline – staff,” the statement said.
“This does not include staff who may have been vaccinated by their GP.”
A woman working at reception, just outside the doors of the Prince Charles Covid-ward, tested positive to the super-contagious Delta strain on Tuesday.
Chief health officer Jeannette Young has said the virus can be spread in as little as five seconds.
Rhiannon Down6.18pm:294 active cases of coronavirus in Australia
The nation has recorded 25 local cases of Covid-19 in the past 24 hours, bringing the total case number to 30,562.
Some 294 cases are currently active as the nation hits 126,945 tests in just 24 hours, according to the latest snapshot of the country’s Covid situation.
Sixty people are currently being treated in hospital with the virus, as WA, the NT, Queensland and NSW battle Covid outbreaks that have plunged major capital cities into lockdown.
NSW, which was the source of numerous other ‘seeded’ Covid outbreaks, remains the nation’s most serious Covid risk after 19 cases were recorded in 24 hours.
Throughout the course of the pandemic more than 20.5 million tests have been processed and 910 have died.
This daily infographic provides a quick view of the current coronavirus (#COVID19) situation in Australia. https://t.co/YcsPBOTHZDpic.twitter.com/vxRgu70S0w
— Australian Government Department of Health (@healthgovau) June 29, 2021
Lydia Lynch5.40pm:Unvaccinated Qld hospital worker has Delta variant
An unvaccinated Brisbane hospital receptionist who travelled to north Queensland while infectious has been confirmed to have the highly-transmissible Covid-19 Delta variant.
The 19-year-old woman from Sandgate, a coastal suburb in north Brisbane, tested positive to the virus on Tuesday morning, triggering the lockdown of 3.8 million Queenslanders.
Genome testing on the woman was returned on Tuesday afternoon and confirmed she was infectious in the community for 10 days with the Delta variant.
Two of the woman’s family members whom she lives with are showing symptoms, along with a close friend. Their test results remain outstanding.
The woman first developed symptoms last Monday, but did not come forward for testing for another week. She worked two shifts at the Prince Charles Hospital and holidayed in Townsville and Magnetic Island while infectious.
READ MORE: ‘Furious’: Hospital worker not vaccinated
Rhiannon Down5.05pm:Anyone in lockdown knows it’s a race, PM: Marles
Deputy Labor leader Richard Marles has criticised the government’s vaccine rollout, accusing Scott Morrison of slowing it down by not treating it as a “race”
Mr Marles, speaking from outside a vacant block earmarked to become a purpose built quarantine facility in Victoria, said the government also needed to pick up its pace in building an effective quarantine system.
“We need to get vaccinated,” he told Sky News. “That is the principal challenge that is facing the country.
“The reason our vaccination rate is so low is because the Prime Minister has declared that this is not a race, everyone who is experiencing lockdown around the country knows it is a race. It is a race against this virus.
“I think we will be using purpose built quarantine facilities for some time to come, so I think there will be a use for these facilities beyond the immediacy of what we’re facing right now.
“But the real point is we’re relying on hotel quarantine with 25 breaches, we are seeing one almost once a fortnight, and that is also why we’re living in the land of the lockdown.”
Mr Marles said the country was ready to discuss the road to life after Covid-19, with real world solutions to reopening the country desperately needed.
“What we need is that end of covid conversation... about how international events work, how does travel work? How does our economy work?,” he said.
“How does the nation work when something like one in four Australians is born outside the country, how does their relationship with their families occur?”
READ MORE:‘Locking some out better than locking all down’
Rhiannon Down4.50pm:Bakery, Domino’s, 7-Eleven among new NSW exposure sites
Victoria has tightened its border restrictions against Perth, Peel and several Queensland LGAs by declaring them red zones, effectively barring non-Victorian travellers from those regions.
The Department of Health announced that the travel restrictions will come into effect from 1am tomorrow, after Greater Brisbane and Perth and its surrounds were plunged into lockdown following recent case spikes.
“The Perth Metropolitan Region (and) Peel Region in WA, and Queensland Local Government Areas in South East Queensland (and) Townsville (including Magnetic Island and Palm Island), will become red zones under Victoria’s travel permit system, effective 1:00am AEST Wednesday 30 June,” the department said.
Though travellers who have already left for Victoria and will arrive before the cut off will be permitted to enter on orange permits, any traveller from Greater Brisbane since June 22 will be required to get tested and isolate, after it was declared an orange zone retrospectively.
“If you are a Victorian resident and have been in a red zone since current red zones came into effect, other than for transit, you can obtain a red zone permit to enter Victoria but you must travel directly home, get tested and quarantine for 14 days,” health authorities said.
“If you are a non-Victorian resident and you have been in a red zone since current red zones came into effect, other than for transit, you cannot obtain a permit and you cannot enter Victoria unless you have an exception or exemption.”
Rhiannon Down4.35pm:Bakery, Domino’s, 7-Eleven among new NSW exposure sites
A Bondi Junction bakery, Kensington convenience store and Rose Bay pizza chain have been added to the list of exposure sites, as NSW’s contact tracers race to contain the latest outbreak that grew by 19 cases today.
Patrons of the Kensington 7 Eleven, Domino’s Pizza in Rose Bay, Bentley Restaurant Bar in Sydney and Pattison’s Patisserie at Bondi Junction, have been put on high alert after they were listed as close contact exposure sites.
The infectious period for the Crossways Hotel in Strathfield South has also been expanded to include 3.30pm to 5pm on Saturday June 26.
A string of shops at Westfield Eastgardens were also added as casual contact exposure sites including: Woolworths, Big W, Kmart, Reject Shop, the Level 2 Food Court and the Level 3 children’s play area next to Woolworths.
The Oporto at Bondi Beach, Double Bay Woolworths and the Supa IGA in Blaxland in the Blue Mountains have also been added, as the virus reaches the city limits.
âš ï¸PUBLIC HEALTH ALERT – FURTHER VENUES OF CONCERNâš ï¸
— NSW Health (@NSWHealth) June 29, 2021
NSW Health has been notified of further venues of concern associated with confirmed cases of COVID-19 and has expanded the times for a close contact venue. pic.twitter.com/f5pPekOeJR
Evin Priest4.30pm:Huge fine after 128 head to the zoo
Police have revealed a travel company owner knowingly defied Sydney’s Covid-19 lockdown and sent three busloads of tourists from Sydney to Taronga Western Plains Zoo at Dubbo on Monday.
The travel company was slapped with a $5000 fine for breaching a public health order after taking 128 people, including staff and guests, to Dubbo Zoo – despite knowing at least 76 people on the buses were prohibited from travelling outside Greater Sydney.
Police confirmed to NCA NewsWire that none of the guests on the buses were fined.
State Emergency Operations Controller, Deputy Commissioner Gary Worboys, said the company owner told police he was aware of the public health orders but decided to continue the tour as planned anyway.
“But the staff at the zoo did exactly the right thing – they isolated the risk and alerted police. They did a great job to protect the local community,” Deputy Commissioner Worboys said.
Staff at the zoo refused to allow the travellers off the buses and called the police.
READ the full story here.
Rhiannon Down4.05pm:Expert backs AstraZeneca for under-60s move ‘on balance’
Infectious disease expert Paul Griffin has backed the government’s move to make the AstraZeneca vaccine available to the under 60s, saying it was “on balance” a sensible recommendation.
“What we’ve seen in terms of this changing advice is a response to the evolving situation around us,” he told Sky News.
“When the recommendation was made to prioritise Pfizer in people under 60 there was very little Covid around, so a very low risk of anyone having any serious risk of covid but that risk has changed.
“We’ve known throughout the benefits of that vaccine outweighed the risk but they were a little bit higher in those younger people, so that’s why the advice changed and now the risk from Covid-19 has gone up significantly.
“I certainly do welcome this advice… and the risk is very rare of this clotting syndrome and the vast majority of people recover fully. We’re much better at recognising it and much better at managing it.”
Dr Griffin said after months of “confusion and concern” around the messaging on the Covid vaccines available, it was positive to hear reports of people bombarding GP clinics asking about the vaccine.
“But we’ve obviously seeing the result of having low vaccination in the community in terms of what can happen particularly with this delta strain,” he said.
“So I think a lot of people recognise our way through that, our way forward and to minimise the impact of these cases in the community is to have people vaccinated.
“And it’s great we’ve seen it increase recently, and we just need to sustain that to get enough people vaccinated.”
READ MORE:Doctors stand firm on Pfizer for under 60s
Rhiannon Down3.25pm:Vaccine rollout now past 7.5 million doses
Australia has delievered 7.5 million Covid-19 vaccine doses with 126,034 dispensed in the past 24 hours, as more capital cities are plunged into lockdown.
The tally includes 4,337,756 jabs delivered by the federal health system and 3,162,944 by the states and territories, according to the latest Department of Health figures.
Victoria continues to lead the other states and territories with 1,060,240 jabs now administered, including 26,858 doses administered on Monday.
Phones are ringing off the hook at GP clinics. We had no warning of last night's announcements and this isn't the first time this has happened to general practice. It's vital that government provides significant support to GPs to implement these changes to the vaccine rollout.
— RACGP President (@RACGPPresident) June 29, 2021
Meanwhile NSW, which reported 19 cases today on Sydney’s fourth day of a two week lockdown, reached 809,848 jabs total with 19,526 administered in the past 24 hours.
Some 3,908,218 doses have now been administered by primary care, including 48,309 in the past 24 hours.
The disability and aged care sector received 2727 jabs in the past 24 hours bringing its total to 429,538.
This comes as the nation’s health system reels from a major shake up of the vaccine rollout after Scott Morrison announced on Monday night that the AztraZena jab would open to the under 60s, placing significant strain on the GP network.
Max Maddison3.20pm:I chose ‘State of Origin’ MPs in reshuffle: Joyce
Barnaby Joyce says his ministry reshuffle is about ensuring the Nationals have MPs who have “played State of Origin”, as he hints at a possible transition.
A little over a week after deposing Michael McCormack as leader, Mr Joyce promoted his supporters into plum portfolio positions at the expense of Darren Chester and Mark Coulton, while relegating Water and Resource Minister Keith Pitt to the junior ministry.
“In my political career, I’m closer to the end than I am to the start,” Mr Joyce said in an interview with Sky News. “There is consistency: there are newbies, and the people who are already there. Then it’s really up to all of us in the party to unify.”
“I want to make sure when that time comes for transition, The Nationals have a whole suite of people who work at the highest level, who have the competencies to be senior frontbenchers, leaders.”
“So we can present as a party back to the Australian people, and say mate they’ve got a whole heap of people who play State of Origin, make no mistake about it.”
With net-zero emissions targets likely to be a sticking point with Scott Morrison, Mr Joyce said Australia shouldn’t transition to a low carbon economy until there were “no longer ships floating off” coal ports Newcastle and McKay.
“Take me by the hand and show me which hospital you don’t want, which schools you don’t want. How don’t want a pension increase,” Mr Joyce said
“At this point in time, no one’s shown us what the effects would be in regional areas to regional jobs.”
READ MORE: Maskless Joyce fined after being dobbed in
Greg Brown3.15pm:Angus Taylor, not Porter, in line for resources portfolio
Energy Minister Angus Taylor is likely to represent the resources portfolio in cabinet discussions, after Resources Minister Keith Pitt was dumped to the outer ministry.
The Australian has been told that, while no final decision has been made, there is a growing likelihood that Mr Taylor will represent the major sector in cabinet rather than Industry Minister Christian Porter.
Mr Pitt, who is well regarded by Scott Morrison, would be able to be co-opted into cabinet meetings when it is relevant to the portfolio.
Anthony Albanese has vowed to restore resources to cabinet if he becomes prime minister.
Debbie Schipp2.40pm:More than 12 million Australians locked down by tonight
With 19 new Covid-19 cases in NSW, two in Queensland, two in the Northern Territory, and a swathe of new exposure sites across the nation, by 6pm more than 12 million Australians will be under stay at home orders as virus cases steal across the country.
State borders have closed, and mask and venue restrictions are in place even in states with no new cases as the Delta variant threat keeps health authorities on high alert.
Frustrations are boiling over about hotel quarantine and the pace of the vaccine rollout as mulitple sttes and territories battle case rises.
From 6pm, four million people from South East Queensland, Townsville (including Magnetic Island) and Palm Island will joion six million in NSW’s Greater Sydney area, the Northern Territory’s Greater Darwin area and two million in the Perth and Peel regions of Western Australia under tough lockdown restrictions.
READ MORE:Premiers’ frustration ‘boiling over’ at vaccines, quarantine
Max Maddison2.01pm:Younger people won’t have to pay for GP vaccine appointments
Medicare coverage for vaccine coverage will be extended to under 50-year-olds, Health Minister Greg Hunt has announced, as the nation confronts one of the most fraught situations since the beginning of the pandemic.
The Morrison government relented to public pressure on Monday, as it moved to make it easier for people under 60-years-old to access the AstraZeneca jab after a consultation with a doctor.
With reports of high demand for the jab, Mr Hunt moved to ensure younger people wouldn’t have to pay for their GP appointments.
“The Prime Minister has confirmed that we will be extending our Medicare item for over 50s to have vaccine consultation to the under 50s,” Mr Hunt told a press conference on Tuesday afternoon.
“And I think this will be important and that will be developed over the coming days. And we will be in place for the end of the week.”
He reported 126,000 people had come forward for vaccinations on Monday, meaning 7.2 per cent of the population had now received their second jab, and 68.5 per cent of over 70s.
In response to demands from Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk to curtail overseas arrivals, Mr Hunt said that “over 80 per cent” of people who had arrived during the pandemic were Australians, permanent residents or their family, but said the other arrivals were workers for vital sectors.
“But bringing people home or bringing in critical workers — doctors or nurses, people involved in engineering … they are absolutely critical to keeping Australia going,” he said.
Paul Garvey1.40pm:No new cases in WA, Qld out, as lockdown continues
No new cases of Covid-19 have been recorded in Western Australia since last night, WA premier Mark McGowan says.
The Perth and Peel regions entered a four-day lockdown at midnight Monday after a third person tested positive for the virus.
Mr McGowan said the lack of new cases was very encouraging.
But he said WA would reintroduce its hard border with Queensland in light of the latest cases in that state. Travellers from Queensland will not be allowed to enter WA without an exemption.
Jess Malcolm1.20pm:NZ extends pause to NSW travel bubble, open for some others
NZ has extended its travel the bubble pause to NSW, but will reopen to South Australia, the ACT, Tasmania and Victoria
The decision comes amid a spike of outbreaks in Australia, and lockdowns in three stets and on terriroty.
Travellers from only South Australia, the ACT, Tasmania and Victoria will be allowed across the Tasman quarantine-free from midnight on Sunday July 4.
Authorities have also decided to implement a pre-departure test requirement, requiring all eligible travellers must get tested within 72 hours of departure.
To be eligible to travel from these states, people must not have been in NSW, Queensland, the Northern Territory or West Australia on or after 10.30pm on June 26.
These states are currently “red” and travel from these states will be reviewed on July 6.
“The spread of Covid-19 cases in parts of Australia has been contained at this point. There is robust surveillance, testing and contact tracing to detect and manage cases, and adequate border controls are in place to prevent the spread of new cases.”
“We know how important the bubble is, in particular for families and businesses. But we also want to avoid a situation where we are having to respond to a case here in New Zealand.”
New Zealand will lift the travel pause to allow travellers from South Australia, ACT, Tasmania and Victoria from 11.59pm on Sunday July 4. pic.twitter.com/YMAjLry3iS
— Unite against COVID-19 (@covid19nz) June 29, 2021
Courtney Walsh1.10pm:WA and Queensland AFL clubs flee to Melbourne
Every AFL club aside from the Adelaide Crows and Port Adelaide will be in Victoria by Tuesday night as Covid-19 restrictions are imposed across the country.
The West Coast Eagles and Fremantle will fly from Perth after a decision was made to impose a four day lockdown on the Western Australian capital and the Peel region.
Brisbane and the Gold Coast Suns are also on the way to Melbourne due to the situation in Queensland’s south-east.
The Giants and Swans had already transferred to Victoria for at least a fortnight prior to the lockdown in Sydney.
The AFL had already moved the Suns clash against Richmond on Thursday night to Melbourne.
It will also shift the clash between Carlton and Fremantle from Perth.
The AFL has access to the MCG, Marvel Stadium, GMHBA Stadium in Geelong and Mars Stadium in Ballarat.
Approval can also be sought to play matches in Hobart and Launceston should the need arise.
AFL Executive General Manager Clubs and Broadcasting Travis Auld said the decision to bring clubs to Victoria has been made to best manage the evolving situation across the country.
“We will continue to remain adaptable as the season progresses in a constantly changing environment,” he said.
“While Covid-19 continues to impact the community, we will work closely with state governments, health officials, our clubs and our players to ensure the best possible outcome for everyone in the game.
“The four teams travelling today will fly to Victoria via charter flights and will be Covid-tested on arrival and isolate until they each receive a negative result.”
READ MORE:NRL moves amid Covid chaos
Debbie Schipp12.50pm:Northern Territory has two new cases overnight
The Northern Territory has recorded two new cases of Covid-19 overnight.
NT Chief Minister said the local transmissions are the wife and daughter of the fifth positive case from Sunday: a Palmerston man who was a close contact of the original case. T
“They tested positive while in the Centre for National Resilience. We are releasing a substantial list of new exposure sites today,” he said.
“This relates to their activity in the Palmerston area, on Saturday morning, 26 June. The health advice is that they probably were not infectious during this period, given they had only just been exposed, but given it is the Delta strain, we cannot take any chances.”
A Zumba class involving 25 people is one of the new exposure sites, he said.
The class was held on Saturday from 9am to 9.30am, at the
REX Centre in Palmerston.
“Everyone who attended this class is under a stay at home order and required to isolate for the first 14 days, regardless of the result of their Covid test. We had QR code information from this event. We think about 25 people were there. They’re all being contacted to isolate. Their household contact are also under a stay at home order.,” Mt Gunner said.
Casual contact sites include a Palmerston flea market, with anyone who visited it on Saturday between 7.45am and 8.45am, or between 9am and 9:45am considered a casual contact.
“You must immediately isolate and stay isolated until you return a negative result,” Mr Gunner said.
In addition there is a public toilet in that area. We will provide address and time range later today. Once we do, if you used this facility on Saturday morning, you must isolate and get tested and stay isolated until you receive a negative result.”
The NT has also declared the Perth and Peel regions in WA and all areas of Queensland now in lockdown as hot spots, closing its border to them from 5pm.
Jess Malcolm12.35pm:Victoria expands ‘red zone’ travel restrictions for WA, Qld
The Victorian government has upgraded the Perth and Peel regions in West Australia to become red zones under its traffic light permit system.
The local government areas Perth and Peel in West Australia and 11 LGAs in southeast Queensland from Gold Coast to the Sunshine Coast, Townsville, Palm Island and Magnetic Island will become red zones under Victoria’s travel permit system from 1:00am on Wednesday.
Victorians who arrive before the cut off can arrive under orange zone permits, and get tested within three days. People who arrive after the cut off time will be subject to 14 days of quarantine.
Professor Brett Sutton refused to foreshadow whether the government would enforce restrictions on travellers from Queensland, in light of the lockdown set to begin at 6pm tonight.
He advised travellers to make their own decisions based on their circumstances.
Jess Malcolm12.32pm:Victorians want vaccines, but ‘lack of supply’: Foley
Victorian Health Minister Martin Foley says he believes there is a “strong desire” for Victorians to receive the vaccines, but that the state is constrained by a lack of supply.
“I think there’s a strong desire from all Victorians to have safe, effective vaccines from any age.”
“Having said all that, our GPs, pharmacies, are all constrained by a lack of supply.”
“We will have a dip in the next month or so but then after we will have more supply.”
“Clearly GPs have raised some issues today and we’re seeking clarification as to what it all means … but we want to make sure we have a seamless distribution, and as soon as we resolve this issue with indemnity we will get on with it.”
Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton said it was a “huge” public health effort to get Victoria in the position it was in today.
“I want to thank contact tracers, all public health units, and every Victorian as it’s been a huge public health effort.”
“To steadily stamp out outbreaks of delta is no small thing. Thanks to the millions of Victorians who changed the way they lived to keep us all safe.”
Victoria is managing six primary close contacts linked to the Central Australian gold mine.
They are all in quarantine and have all tested negative.
READ MORE:‘Magic number’: Dan’s massive border call
Olivia Caisley12.30pm:Barnaby Joyce fined $200 for not wearing mask
Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce has been slapped with a $200 fine for breaching Covid-19 public health orders in regional NSW.
Mr Joyce, who was catapulted to leader of the Nationals last week, was issued the penalty infringement notice (PIN) for not wearing a mask while paying for petrol at a service station in Armidale in NSW’s Northern Tablelands.
READ the full story here.
Paul Garvey12.20pm:WA teachers want vaccine priority as schools remain open
Western Australia’s teachers union has called for the vaccination of teachers to be prioritised after the state’s schools were ordered to remain open during the latest lockdown to be imposed on Perth.
WA premier Mark McGowan on Monday night announced a four-day lockdown of the Perth and Peel regions after three people in the city’s north were confirmed to have contracted the delta strain of Covid-19. But schools will stay open throughout the lockdown, ahead of the scheduled end of the school term on Friday.
In a message sent to teachers by the State School Teachers Union of WA, president Pat Byrne said teachers should be given priority access to vaccines.
“Teachers are stressed and confused as they are told they are essential workers yet have no priority access to vaccination,” Ms Byrne said in the message.
“Research has suggested the new strains of Covid are prevalent among children. Teachers want to be assured they will be safe and will not be taking a highly contagious variant back to their families.”
Australian Medical Association of WA president Mark Duncan-Smith told Perth radio station 6PR that he believed schools should have been closed and the school holidays brought forward during the latest lockdown.
“Certainly in the eastern states the evidence is that it has moved through schools and I know that there are children that have been infected overseas.
Education minister Sue Ellery said the government had to balance medical advice with social and economic needs.
“We’ve got to act on the health advice and the health advice is that if we put in place additional measures … then we should keep schools open,” she said.
Three schools in Perth’s northern suburbs were closed for deep cleaning on Monday after they were visited by one of the infected cases.
Ms Ellery said she was aware that teachers were anxious.
“I appreciate that it’s a worrying time, but we have put in place additional measures and where it’s required we will close schools,” she said.
READ MORE:NSW records 19 news cases as Bondi cluster grows
Jess Malcolm12.05pm:Vic wants more advice before changing AstraZeneca stance
Victorian Health Minister Martin Foley says the state is awaiting further formal advice from the commonwealth before allowing its residents to accept the AstraZeneca jab.
Mr Foley said the department of health has requested whether the formal eligibility advice is changing for the AstraZeneca jab, and will implement it once it has sought further clarification.
“Anyone under 60, we welcome that and support that to make sure as many Victorians as possible get vaccinated as possible,” he said.
“When we receive that advice we will implement it in a timely manner.”
He advised Victorians who may be contacting their GPs today to be patient until there is more clarity around the eligibility and indemnity protection.
Mr Foley also called out to other states who are suffering multiple outbreaks, saying Australia is in “a very serious position.”
“Victorians know how serious this is and our support goes out to all people who are dealing with these outbreaks,” he said.
“If you are out and about check in everywhere and every time, and if you’re a returning Victorian get your permit.
Jess Malcolm12.00pm:Berejiklian: frustration ‘boiling over’ by slow vax rollout
Gladys Berejiklian says her frustration in recent weeks has been “boiling over” about the lack of preparedness by the commonwealth in the vaccine rollout.
With the Pfizer vaccine supply expected to ramp up in the coming months, only 140 GPs in NSW are signed up by the commonwealth to administer the Pfizer vaccines.
The NSW Premier says she has been pushing “behind closed doors” to get more GPs for weeks.
“If the supplies turn up we will need all hands on deck to get them into the arms of our citizens,”
“I know a lot of the GPs on the program now want more doses.”
“I’ve made these points very clearly in national cabinet behind closed doors and more publicly yesterday.”
“I feel that’s what we need to do to get these jabs in arms.”
Ms Berejiklian was not able to provide an exact number of Pfizer doses expected to arrive in NSW, but said authorities will be given four to five weeks headroom to prepare.
“What we do know is that if all those doses that we’ve been promised are going to arrive, we need more points of access to get those jabs into arms.”
READ MORE:Jabs mandatory for aged care workers
Lydia Lynch 11.55am: Palaszczuk ‘furious’ positive worker not vaccinated
Annastacia Palaszczuk is “furious” that a Brisbane hospital worker who tested positive to Covid-19, was not vaccinated.
The 19-year-old woman worked at reception outside the Covid ward at Prince Charles Hospital on Brisbane’s Northside.
Chief Health Officer Jeannette Young is unsure how the woman became infected and is waiting for genome sequencing.
She developed symptoms on June 21 and while infectious worked a shift, visited shopping centres and a gym.
The woman then travelled with her family to Townsville.
Family members and a friend of the worker are sick and are being tested.
Contact tracers are fighting virus risks on multiple fronts.
Another case linked to a Central Australian gold mine outbreak was confirmed on Tuesday at Ipswich.
Dr Young said there was still lingering concern about the Portuguese flight attendant cluster.
Ms Palaszcuk said the lockdown was necessary to control widespread outbreak.
“What we want to do is we want to give our contact tracers time to get on top of this. This is absolutely essential and we want to make sure that we stop the virus in its tracks,” she said.
“I know this is going to be tough for a lot of families. I apologise for that but I don’t want to see people end up in our hospital on ventilators. That is the last thing I think anyone wants to see.”
READ MORE: Voters mark down PM on virus response
Lydia Lynch11.40am:Palaszczuk announces three day lockdown
Millions of Queenslanders will be plunged into a three day lockdown at 6pm tonight.
The lockdown will apply to all of southeast Queensland as well as Townsville, Magnetic Island and Palm Island.
Annastacia Palaszczuk announced the stay at home orders after two local cases were confirmed overnight.
One new case was a miner from Ipswich who returned from a central Australian gold mine who Ms Palaszczuk said was not a high risk.
However a casual receptionist at Prince Charles Hospital, in Brisbane’s north, has also tested positive.
The unvaccinated 19-year-old lives in Sandgate but also travelled to North Queensland.
She visited Magnetic Island in North Queensland and the Townsville markets.
“This leaves us with no option. We need to go hard and go fast,” said Ms Palaszczuk.
READ MORE:Perth ordered into lockdown
Jess Malcolm11.35am:Elderly, front line workers remain vax priority
NSW Health authorities say their biggest priorities in the vaccination rollout are elderly people and frontline workers, but there will be more opportunities for Pfizer vaccinations soon.
Vulnerable people and the elderly are being prioritised first in order to stop hospitalisations and death from Covid-19.
The second group are border force, flight crew and people working within the quarantine system in order to prevent the spread of the virus into the community from overseas communities.
“We are using a layered approach with vaccination being part of that layer to protect us against these incursions,” Dr Chant said.
The Chief Health Officer addressed why NSW is not vaccinated younger people, saying there would not be “much of an impact” on transmission as not enough of them would be vaccinated.
Dr Kerry Chant says the commonwealth has started to roll out Pfizer in some GP settings, and more doses will be available soon.
She urged Australians under 40 to have a conversation with their GPs in order to make an informed decision about the low risk of blood clotting associated with AstraZeneca.
“I would ask the community to do is, there are going to be increasing opportunities to get vaccinated and as you become eligible for either the Pfizer or the AstraZeneca, take up those opportunities.”
Jess Malcolm11.30am:Berejiklian credits contact tracers for lower numbers
NSW contact tracers have helped the state avoid a surge of cases today, with lower numbers announced than expected.
Ms Berejiklian revealed that health experts had initially forecast case numbers to spike today, prompting the NSW Premier to congratulate the contact tracers for their “outstanding” work.
“At every stage they have managed to contact the close contacts in a very timely way and, given what this virus has done in other places around the world, New South Wales, touch wood, to date is in a situation where we very much still feel that we’re in control of what is happening,” she said.
Gladys Berejiklian said NSW would need to reach 80 per cent of the adult population vaccinated until the state can avoid lockdowns forever.
She issued a call out to all eligible residents in NSW to book in and get vaccinated as soon as possible.
“That is why I am so keen to do everything we can to advocate on behalf of our citizens to ensure not only that we get the supply of doses but also that there are sufficient points for people to get the vaccine.”
READ MORE: Vaccine study says combination safe
Jess Malcolm 11.20am:New aid package for NSW small businesses
NSW Treasurer Dominic Perrotet has announced a number of small business grants as a way to help people who are struggling under the two week strict lockdown.
The package includes grants of between $5,000 and $10,000 for small businesses, payroll tax deferrals for all employers, an extension of the Dine & Discover program to 31 August and the ability for people to use Dine & Discover vouchers for takeaway delivered directly to their home by the venue itself.
Three different grant amounts will be available for small businesses depending on the decline in turnover experienced during the restrictions – $10,000 for a 70 per cent decline, $7,000 for a 50 per cent decline and $5,000 for a 30 per cent decline.
The government will also provide grants to individuals and casual workers. Casual workers who have had their hours reduced by greater than 20 hours will be given $500 per week, and less than 20 hours people will be given $325 per week.
There will also be $10.3 million funding to support rough sleepers, by helping people get in temporary accommodation.
The grants will apply statewide and payments will be available from July 19.
“Our message today to every business and every person right across New South Wales is that we have got your back,” Mr Perrottet said.
“We have had a very difficult 18 months here in New South Wales but we have come out stronger at the other end.”
“We know that many businesses and individuals in regional New South Wales are also going through a difficult time, particularly in circumstances where this lock down period has occurred during the holiday season.”
READ MORE:
Jess Malcolm11.04am:NSW records 19 new local cases
NSW has recorded 19 new local cases in the 24 hours to 8pm last night, with 17 of those cases linked to known clusters. The source of two of the cases are under investigation. There were a record 67,000 tests conducted in the last 24 hours.
NSW recorded 19 new locally acquired cases of COVID-19 in the 24 hours to 8pm last night.
— NSW Health (@NSWHealth) June 29, 2021
Seventeen of these cases are linked to previously confirmed cases and the source of infection for
two cases is under investigation. pic.twitter.com/G1tRQoiGYd
Chief Health Officer Kerry Chant said both the cases under investigation live and work in the eastern suburbs.
She said a key indicator of the success of Sydney’s lockdown in the coming days is the majority of new cases being effectively isolated when they test positive.
“We are still seeing some cases that were potentially infectious in the community but what we’re hoping is because of the lock down, the number of interactions those cases have had, where there is the potential for transmitting the virus, it would have decreased significantly,” she said.
“That is why it is so critical, whilst you are under the stay at home provisions, you do minimise your exit to go to retail, you do wear a mask, try and keep your social distancing in all of those environments and please do not go out.”
NSW Health is treating 88 COVID-19 cases, two of whom are in intensive care. Most cases (92 per cent) are being treated in non-acute, out-of-hospital care, including returned travellers in the Special Health Accommodation.
— NSW Health (@NSWHealth) June 29, 2021
Another case was a student from Rose Bay Secondary College, which has been closed for deep cleaning.
There has also been additional cases from the West Hoxton birthday party, and the Great Ocean Foods wholesale fish shop in Marrickville.
Authorities are also calling out to anyone who visited Christo’s Pizza in Paddington, where a person was infectious on Monday June 21 from 5.55pm to 8.30pm.
Anyone who also visited the Doncaster Hotel in Kensington on Wednesday June 23 from 5.45pm to 8pm to come forward immediately for testing.
READ MORE: Economic warning: disaster if we don’t act
Jess Malcolm10.55am:Barilaro: Sydney should have locked down earlier
Deputy Premier John Barilaro has admitted the NSW government should have locked down sooner to help curb the spread of the highly infectious Delta variant.
The NSW government forced seven local government areas into lockdown on Friday, and then expanded the areas to greater Sydney one day later after realising the virus had spread out of control.
Mr Barilaro said while the government was following health advice, a decision to lockdown could have been made earlier.
“We’ve done a good job to this point that there’s no question at the end of last week we lost control of the Delta strain,” he told Sky News
“You know hindsight’s a beautiful thing yeah absolutely we could have gone a week earlier three days earlier there will be debated if we should have gone earlier or not. We base it on advice.”
READ MORE:TGA reports links between Pfizer, heart problems
Courtney Walsh 10.50am:AFL clubs flee Qld over Covid
The escalating Covid-19 situation across Australia has prompted the AFL to move clubs out of Queensland.
The clash between the Suns and Richmond, which was to be played on the Gold Coast on Thursday, is now set to be shifted to Victoria.
The Brisbane Lions were told to head home from the Gabba, where they were training on Tuesday morning, in order to be able to fly to Melbourne.
They will spend the next few days in Victoria in order to satisfy the necessary health requirements to enable the club to enter South Australia on Saturday.
The Lions are due to play the Crows at Adelaide Oval on Saturday afternoon and will follow fly in and out of South Australia on the same day.
READ the full story
Max Maddison10.45am:Butler: We’re so far behind rest of the world
Opposition health spokesman Mark Butler says there is “no substitute and no alternative pathway” to getting out of this pandemic, but refuses to be drawn on what comes after vaccinations.
Morrison government MPs have highlighted ongoing restrictions in England and Singapore as evidence effective vaccination coverage won’t be a panacea for the Australian population, but Mr Butler said despite high case numbers, it was clear vaccines were limiting hospitalisations and deaths.
“This is where we’re so far behind the rest of the world. There is no substitute and no alternative pathway to get out of this pandemic,” Mr Butler told Sky News on Tuesday. “This is not going away next year, but the first job is to break the back of it with this extraordinary generation of vaccines.”
Mr Butler wouldn’t be drawn on laying out Labor’s road map for reopening once enough of the nation received jabs, saying that there remained too much uncertainty about variants and the need for boosters, but cautioned the virus was likely to remain endemic for years to come.
“We can’t start that conversation while only four per cent of the population is vaccinated,” he said.
READ MORE: PM opens vaccines to under-40s
Jess Malcolm 10.30am: Outbreaks ‘could help change attitudes’ to vaccination
Prominent epidemiologist Catherine Bennett says the current outbreaks across the country could help change attitudes towards vaccination, with the risk-benefit ratio shifting towards the jab.
“There is a lot of misinformation out there,” she told Sunrise on Tuesday. “People see it as new technology. When it comes to the Pfizer and mRNA vaccines, it has never been rolled out on this scale as we are seeing it globally.”
“We are getting into a year since we started to see the trials really take off and a number of people now vaccinated for more than a year but there is still uncertainty about it.”
Professor Bennett says while the virus is “looking containable”, it could change putting the emphasis back onto the vaccination rollout and Australia’s preparedness to fight against community transmission.
“The main thing is that those that choose the vaccine, if the virus is in the community, are actually controlling their own risk of disease particularly serious disease,” she said.
READ MORE: Creighton: What if lockdowns don’t save lives?
Rachel Baxendale9.55am:Andrews pushes for cap on international arrivals
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews says he will push to temporarily halve Australia’s international arrivals at a forthcoming national cabinet meeting.
Mr Andrews has argued the move would significantly reduce the risk of yet more Covid-19 leaks out of hotel quarantine until a higher proportion of the community has been vaccinated.
“The reason I want us to have a debate and I’ve secured that we will have a debate, either at the next meeting this week or next week’s meeting of national cabinet (is that) we have to make a choice between more people coming here or reducing those numbers for the next three months, which will make lockdowns less likely,” Mr Andrews told ABC radio on Tuesday.
“I don’t think that’s a very difficult choice to make. The maths of that, the logic of that, the pain ratio.
“Now a lockdown of a whole city will hurt many more people much more profoundly than saying ‘okay, we’re going to halve the number of people who can come home, for a three-month period’.
“It’s not easy. It’s not simple. No one will enjoy it. I don’t want more lockdowns. I want to do everything we can to avoid that.”
Mr Andrews returned to work on Monday after being on leave for almost four months while he recovered from breaking his back and multiple ribs.
READ MORE: Kelly: Australia sleeping through its alarm
Jess Malcolm9.35am:Berejiklian to announce lockdown assistance package
Gladys Berejiklian will address the media at 11am today, alongside Treasurer Dominic Perrottet, Health Minister Brad Hazzard, NSW Chief Health Officer Kerry Chant and NSW Police Deputy Commissioner Gary Worboys.
Authorities are expected to announce an assistance package to support residents and businesses who are suffering under strict lockdown restrictions.
NSW has also issued a fresh public health alert listing several venues of concern that have been visited by a person while infectious.
âš ï¸PUBLIC HEALTH ALERT – VENUES OF CONCERNâš ï¸
— NSW Health (@NSWHealth) June 28, 2021
NSW Health has been notified of further new venues of concern associated with confirmed cases of COVID-19 and has expanded the times for a close contact venue. pic.twitter.com/ndykj9BchQ
Anyone who attended at the times listed is a close contact and must immediately get tested and isolate for 14 days, regardless of the result.
Specsavers Bondi Junction Eastgate, Eastgate Shopping, Shop 63, 71/91 Spring St, Bondi Junction, Saturday June 26 from 3.50pm to 5pm
McDonald’s, 164 Campbell Parade, Bondi Beach, Friday June 25 from 11.30am to 12pm
A Man and his Monkey Cafe, 149 Clovelly Road, Randwick, Sunday June 20 from 1pm to 2.30pm
Macquarie Bank (3rd Floor), 1 Shelley Street, Sydney, Monday June 21 from 8.30am to 6.30pm
Anyone who attended the following venues at the listed times is a casual contact and must immediately get tested and self-isolate until a negative result is received.
Meriton Suites Hotel, 200 Coward Street, Mascot, Saturday June 19 all day and Monday June 21 all day
The Good Filo Express, Shop 5/10 Cross Street, Double Bay, Monday June 21 from 7.30am to 8am
Macquarie Bank (excluding 3rd Floor), 1 Shelley Street, Sydney, Monday June 21 from 8.30am to 6.30pm
Organic Republic Bakery, 100 Glenayre Ave Bondi Beach, Sunday June 20 from 9am to 10am, Monday June 21 from 8.30am to 9.30am and Thursday June 24 from 8.30am to 9.30am
Domino’s Pizza Rose Bay, 512 Old South Head Road, Rose Bay, Friday June 26 from 1.25pm to 1.40pm
Super IGA Blaxland, 150-152 Great Western Highway, Blaxland, Sunday June 27 from 6am to 4pm.
READ MORE: Economic warning: disaster if we don’t act
Jess Malcolm9.20am: Tasmania closes borders to Perth, Peel
Tasmania will slam shut their border to travellers from Perth or Peel at 10am this morning, amid an outbreak in West Australia.
Premier Peter Gutwein said travellers from these regions will not be able to enter Tasmania without a valid permit.
Tasmania is now shut to travellers from high risk areas in NSW, West Australia, the Northern Territory and Queensland and some premises in New Zealand.
“This is a very serious reminder about the important things we need to do to keep your community safe,” he said.
“This is just another example of how quickly things can change, and we need to have safeguards in place.”
Mr Gutwein issued a warning to all Tasmanians, urging against non-essential travel.
Testing rates soared past a previous record in the last 24 hours, with the state conducting 12,089 tests.
A meeting will be held later today to consider enforcing mandatory mask wearing at large events, but the Premier said it would be a “good idea” to think about it.
All three workers in Tasmania linked to the Northern Territory mine outbreak have now tested negative, the Premier confirmed.
Mr Gutwein said they are all in managed isolation and will be tested before leaving quarantine and entering the community.
READ MORE:Perth ordered to stay home
Max Maddison8.50am:Fletcher rejects ‘Labor’s political hit’
Urban Infrastructure Minister Paul Fletcher has taken aim at Labor for trying to score a “political hit”, as he rejects claims decisions made in $660 million car parks projects savaged by the Auditor-General were made inappropriately.
A scathing report from the Audit Office found almost 87 per cent of the projects were in Coalition-held or targeted seats, and none of the car parks were selected by the Department of Infrastructure, but Mr Fletcher denied the Morrison Government had engaged in any wrongdoing.
“Let me reject the claims made by the ambitious Labor spokesperson, Mr Giles, trying to get a political hit,” Mr Fletcher told ABC News.
“The Auditor-General report makes it clear there’s authority for these ministerial decisions under the Land Transport Act.”
READ MORE: Economic disaster warning if we don’t act
Jess Malcolm8.45am:AMA supports GPs’ vax indemnity
The Australian Medical Association has supported the inclusion of an indemnity for GPs giving the AstraZeneca vaccination for under 60s.
AMA President Dr Omar Khorshid has told Today the changes to the rollout will give doctors extra protection and may help speed out the national rollout.
“The extra indemnity for practitioners, doctors and nurses that are actually going and doing these vaccines is good news, and it removes another barrier, particularly for those GPs that are concerned about providing it to anyone under the age of 60,” Dr Khorshid told Sunrise.
Dr Khorshid also flagged the advice for AstraZeneca may change if Australia sees a huge spike in Covid-19 cases.
“If we had a huge outbreak like what was seen in the US or UK, that advice would change, and that’s why there is flexibility the, and there’s never been a ban on the vaccine for under 60s, and we know there is demand out there.”
“There are people who say that they can take the risks and accept them and understand them and can see the benefit of the vaccination.”
READ MORE: PM opens vaccines to under-40s
Max Maddison8.40am: Car parks projects ‘emblematic of govt waste and rorts’
Opposition treasury spokesman Jim Chalmers says the $660m car parks projects savaged by the Auditor-General is “emblematic of the waste and rorts” under the Morrison government, as he calls for the vaccination rollout to be “turbocharged”.
An Audit Office report on Monday revealed none of the projects in the $660m fund had been selected by the Department of Infrastructure, and instead had been hand-picked by the Prime Minister’s Office and then Minister, Alan Tudge.
“This is emblematic of the waste and rorts that categorise much of the budget under the coalition. We have substantial issues uncovered here by the Auditor-General, sports rorts, dodgy land deals around Western Sydney Airport, all kinds of issues have come to light,” Mr Chalmers told ABC News.
And with the sluggish vaccination rollout under the spotlight, Mr Chalmers called for the Morrison government to accelerate the program.
“We certainly need to turbocharge the vaccine rollout for sure. A lot of Australians would’ve been scratching their head wondering why a lot of these things weren’t happening already,” he said.
“We have a Prime Minister spending all this time trying to avoid responsibility, rather than take responsibility.”
READ MORE: New virus exposure alerts in Sydney
Lydia Lynch8.40am:Qld update pushed back until 11am
Queensland’s coronavirus update has been pushed back until 11am.
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk and her chief health officer Jeannette Young had been scheduled to release the latest infection numbers at 9am.
Ms Palaszczuk yesterday warned Queensland was “on the verge” of another lockdown if unlinked community cases were found.
“We’re going to be looking at this day by day and we will not hesitate to take action. I’ll tell you that,” she said yesterday.
Masks are now mandatory both indoors and outdoors for most of southeast Queensland under new restrictions which came into effect overnight.
They do not need to be worn while exercising with members of the same household or while in your own car.
Diners must be seated in venues while eating and drinking and density restrictions have been reinforced.
The restrictions were expected to stay until at least July 13.
Max Maddison8.30am:CMO Kelly: indemnity ongoing concern for doctors
Chief Medical Officer Paul Kelly says indemnity is an ongoing concern for doctors administering the vaccine, and mandating jabs for aged care workers wasn’t a “decision to be taken lightly”.
An emergency National Cabinet meeting on Monday agreed to offer indemnity to doctors to vaccinate patients with the AstraZeneca jab, which has been opened up to patients under 60-years-old, and Dr Kelly said doctors could now work through their own risk benefit.
“In terms of the indemnity issue, that’s something that GPs in particular but others that have been vaccinating as well have had many discussions with us about their concerns in relation to that,” Dr Kelly said.
Despite widespread calls to ensure aged care workers were vaccinated, in a bid to protect some of the nation’s most vulnerable people, Dr Kelly said there were a multitude of considerations that meant the decision wasn’t as straightforward as it appeared.
“I think this is the crucial point – mandating something like vaccination is not a decision to be taken lightly,” he said.
“We’ve got to remember this is a very large workforce that’s spread right across the country, including in rural and remote areas. It has a very high proportion of people from culturally and linguistically diverse groups.”
READ MORE: TGA cites possible link between Pfizer and heart problems
Jess Malcolm8.25am:Victoria records no new cases
Victoria has recorded no new locally acquired cases of Covid-19 in the last 24 hours, following 20,723 tests.
There were two new cases acquired overseas.
The government also administered 18,597 vaccines.
Despite the state recording consecutive days of no community transmission, it is ramping up its border patrols and enforcing tough penalties for anyone caught breaching the rules.
Reported yesterday: 0 new local cases and 2 new cases acquired overseas.
— VicGovDH (@VicGovDH) June 28, 2021
- 18,597 vaccine doses were administered
- 20,723 test results were received
More later: https://t.co/lIUrl1hf3W#COVID19Vic#COVID19VicDatapic.twitter.com/1BEGkFbvPz
Jess Malcolm8.20am: Rex chairman calls for mandatory vax for air crew
Rex Deputy Chairman John Sharp has joined calls for mandatory vaccination of airline staff, amid concern for their safety and the spread of the virus to other states.
Transport Workers Union Secretary Michael Kaine said on Monday that workers were being left vulnerable with no priority vaccination, and most airlines were left to take it upon themselves to encourage staff to be vaccinated.
Mr Sharp agreed, saying it was an important step to make sure airline staff were protected.
“On the cabins its impossible to have social distancing,” Mr Sharp told ABC’s Radio National.
“We’ve been asking all our staff to indicate whether they’ve had a vaccination or not.
“It’s been a difficult area to deal with because the mandatory vaccination exists for quarantine and aged care workers but not airline staff.”
Mr Sharp also said some airline companies were enforcing pre-flight testing, but only in accordance with what the state has mandated.
READ MORE: Creighton:What if lockdowns don’t save lives?
Max Maddison8.15am:Chalmers: We’re paying price of Morrison’s failures
Opposition Treasury spokesman Jim Chalmers has taken aim at the Morrison government’s sluggish vaccination rollout and hotel quarantine struggles, saying people living through lockdown are paying the price for Scott Morrison’s failures.
With Greater Sydney, Perth and the Northern Territory each living through lockdown, Mr Chalmers said there was an “absence of leadership”, and said the nation wouldn’t be in this position if the federal government had “lived up to its own rhetoric”.
“This absence of leadership, this failure from the Prime Minister to take responsibility, is costly in terms of people’s livelihoods, in terms of people’s small businesses, their jobs,” Mr Chalmers told ABC Radio National on Tuesday morning.
“We had the Treasurer last night on another program saying hotel quarantine has been largely effective, well that’s news to all those Australians who are waking up in locked-down cities today.”
He also underlined the 2021 Intergenerational Report, saying it “painted a really bleak picture”, which he attributed to the “long shadow cast by the Treasurer’s failure”.
“Productivity is a big part of the story here. We won’t fix the budget unless we fix the economy, we won’t fix the economy unless we turn around what has been a pretty woeful performance on productivity,” he said.
READ MORE: New virus exposure alerts in Sydney
Lydia Lynch8.10am: Qld cops forced into iso after cleaner tests positive
Dozens of Queensland police officers have been forced into isolation after coming into contact with a positive Covid-19 case.
A cleaner who was infected while on a shift at Brisbane Airport DFO earlier this month also worked at the police watchhouse in the CBD.
Sixty-three police officers, including some who worked at the State of Origin Clash on Sunday, were identified as close contacts.
In a statement Queensland Police Service said: “Those officers were all contacted on Sunday evening and asked to self-quarantine until a full assessment can be completed and directions issued where required.”
The Queensland Premier was expected to give a Covid update at 9am this morning.
READ MORE:What could trigger Qld lockdown
Jess Malcolm 8.05am:Vulnerable Australians ‘should still be first’ for vax
Infectious diseases expert Peter Collignon says vulnerable Australians must still be at the front of the queue to receive a vaccine as they face the highest risk of death from Covid-19.
With the AstraZeneca vaccine now open to Australians under 40, Professor Collignon says people over the age of 60 must be prioritised.
“We don’t want a whole lot of 30 and 40-year-olds rushing out to get appointments tomorrow,” he told Today.
“While we’ve got control of Covid in Australia, and we still do, who we have to get vaccinated is 70-year-olds and over because about a third of those may not have been vaccinated yet and people over the age of 60.”
“We need to do this logically, in a tiered manner, because for every decade of life you are older, your risk goes up 5 do 10 times of dying if you get Covid so it’s much more important that 70-year-olds are in front of the queue.”
Professor Collignon also defended the federal government’s vaccination rollout, saying it takes a while to set up production.
“The US did not allow much export of vaccines at all till a month ago, and basically, Pfizer comes predominantly from the US. So we’re getting 300,000 doses a week now. That will go up.”
“But there is no way we were going to get more vaccine from a product produced in overseas factories, while everybody takes the view that they come first and they won’t let any of the vaccine much be exported.”
READ MORE: Study shows vaccine combination safe
Max Maddison7.55am:GPs association chief welcomes vax indemnity for doctors
The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners President Karen Price has welcomed Scott Morrison’s decision to offer indemnity to doctors who provide the AstraZeneca jab to under 40s, saying GPs were “reluctant” to have the conversations with patients, as she questioned claims by Gladys Berejiklian.
The NSW Premier took aim at the Morrison government on Monday night, expressing her frustration that the 140 GPs signed up to administer Pfizer was insufficient, and called on her federal colleagues to recruit more doctors to the scheme.
But Dr Price questioned the veracity of her comments, saying while there remained limited supply, it didn’t make much sense to spread the vaccines thinly.
“I was a bit puzzled by Gladys’ comments. I wondered if she meant the state hubs needed support,” Dr Price told ABC’s Radio National.
“We don’t want 4,700 practises having 10 Pfizers each. They want to concentrate those doses on practises doing high throughput.”
With another outbreak of the Delta variant changing the risk profile of the AstraZeneca vaccination, the National Cabinet decided to allow under 60-year-olds to receive the jab, as long as they had a conversation with their GP beforehand.
And Dr Price welcomed the announcement, saying as long as people understood the low risk, she would feel confident offering the vaccine.,
“The risks remain the same, and is much more treatable, particularly with early diagnosis,” she said.
Jess Malcolm7.45am: Vax rollout ‘biggest public disaster in Aus history’
ALP National President Wayne Swan has called Australia’s sluggish vaccination rollout “the biggest public health disaster” in Australian history.
Mr Swan told Today leaders have relied too much on lockdown strategies as a way to curb the spread of the virus.
“It is hardly the envy of the world and we are looking at the biggest health disaster in Australia’s history,” he told Today. “The failure to secure supply and diversity of supply. We are all living with the consequences of that right now.
“The rest of the world is picking up on this abject failure. What actually happened around this time 12 months ago, we had 600 deaths in aged care. And today we’re talking about two-thirds of aged care workers not being vaccinated.
Mr Swan says the virus leaks from hotel quarantine are being caused by a lack of vaccine, meaning people who are healthy are catching Covid-19 from the facilities.
“The truth is the Prime Minister relied on the premiers and their lockdowns. And sat back, if you like, said “Mission accomplished” didn’t secure the supplies and has left Australia vulnerable to this new strain of the virus.”
READ MORE:Oxford vaccine developer gets moving ovation
Jess Malcolm7.30am:Under-40s can book vaccine ‘within days’
Covid-19 vaccination taskforce chief John Frewen says Australians aged under 40 can start making arrangements in “the coming days” if they would like to receive the AstraZeneca vaccine.
Australians under 40 are now about to get vaccinated after the Prime Minister and national cabinet decided to grant indemnity for giving the jab to anyone under 60 if they were willing to take on the small risk of a blood clot.
Lieutenant General Frewen said authorities were already making adjustments to the commonwealth’s eligibility checker to make sure those under 60 who would like the jab can book in.
“This is good news for all Australians that we can now provide access to more vaccines, to more Australians,” he told Today. “We’ve currently got more than 6,200 places across the nation where people request access to vaccines.”
The vaccine chief also addressed criticism of Australia’s lack of Covid-19 advertising campaign, saying the government was waiting for Pfizer supply.
“The thing about the timing of the ad campaign really was around the supply of Pfizer. We’ve got adequate supplies of AstraZeneca at the moment. I mean, we’re producing AstraZeneca domestically here in Australia.”
READ MORE:Study rules Pfizer, AstraZeneca vaccine combinations are safe
Jess Malcolm6.30am:Perth cluster grows to three as lockdown begins
West Australians in Perth and Peel have now joined millions of Australians around the country in lockdown as the several states and territories battle outbreaks of the highly infectious Delta variant.
Premier Mark McGowan announced the snap shutdown late last night after a second case of community transmission was detected of the Delta strain. The case brings the total cluster up to three, with the first case among a woman linked to the Bondi cluster. Last night’s new case was a man who visited a brewery in Perth’s northern suburbs where a positive case also attended, sparking health authorities to be concerned about their ‘fleeting’ contact.
IMPORTANT: Following the detection of another local case in Perth’s northern suburbs, Perth and Peel will enter a circuit-breaker lockdown for a minimum of four days from midnight tonight. pic.twitter.com/5aR0qZ1mTF
— Mark McGowan (@MarkMcGowanMP) June 28, 2021
The lockdown in the Northern Territory has been extended to Friday after Queensland health authorities scramble to trace 150 contacts of a positive case linked to an outbreak from a Central Australian gold mine. There are now seven confirmed cases linked to the outbreak, with a number of exposure sites listed.
Millions of people in greater Sydney, where there are currently 130 cases, are in lockdown until 11.59pm on Friday, July 9. While new case numbers dipped to 18 yesterday, authorities warned people must be prepared for the numbers to “bounce around”. The exposure list expanded again late last night to include a Marrickville chicken shop and several busy train and bus services.
Rose Bay Secondary College in Sydney’s east joined the growing list of schools exposed to Covid-19 late last night, after the community was notified a positive case had visited. The school has been shut down to undergo deep cleaning forcing all students and staff in isolation.
Queensland has so far avoided a citywide shutdown, but the south-eastern residents in the state are under new restrictions. Masks are mandatory indoors in 11 local government areas, gatherings are limited to 30 in the home and public spaces and retail and dining must adhere to the one per four square metre rule. Health authorities are watching closely for any further detection of cases and foreshadowed on Monday they would not hesitate to impose further rules if the situation worsens.
South Australia has also reintroduced several new restrictions for a week in the wake of several outbreaks across Australia. Masks have been introduced in mandatory high-risk settings including hospitals, aged care, indoor entertainment venues and public transport. There is also now a 150-person cap on private gatherings, and pubs and indoor venues are reduced to the one person per two square metre rule.
Victoria has so far managed to escape an outbreak of the virus, but is cracking down on lockdown-escapees fleeing Sydney. This morning there are 260 police officers stationed along six check points along the NSW/ Victoria border looking to catch any unauthorised travellers from orange and red zones. Authorities have sought extra support from the commonwealth and have asked for ADF personnel to pitch in.
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Paul Garvey5.10am:McGowan orders Perth, Peel regions into lockdown
Western Australia has called a four-day lockdown of the Perth and Peel regions, effective from midnight last night.
WA Premier Mark McGowan said the government had decided to take stronger action after it emerged that a woman who contracted the Delta variant of the virus from a returned traveller from Sydney had only had “fleeting” contact with an infected woman.
Perth and Peel residents are only allowed to leave the house for essential shopping, exercise in groups of less than two, work and caregiving.
The lockdown will also see fitness venues including gyms, swimming pools, pilates, yoga and dance studios close as well as places of worship, while community sport will be paused.
Mandatory mask orders will also return with anyone in the Perth and Peel regions required to wear masks outside the home when outdoors and in all indoor settings including on public transport.
Following the detection of a new case of COVID-19 tonight, a range of additional exposure sites have now been identified.
— Mark McGowan (@MarkMcGowanMP) June 28, 2021
You can find the list at https://t.co/Rb7SCHEDad or at https://t.co/KSYrrWqJawpic.twitter.com/JU8IE8Q0yt
Read the full story here.
Greg Brown5am:Morrison opens Covid-19 vaccines to under-40s
Australians under 40 are now able to join the vaccine rollout and get the AstraZeneca jab, as Scott Morrison warns he will not “countenance” an increase in Covid-19 deaths as a result of further opening up the economy.
After a meeting of national cabinet, the Prime Minister revealed doctors would be offered indemnity for giving vaccines to anyone under 60, paving the way for more adults to get vaccinated if they were willing to take on the small risk of a blood clot.
Mr Morrison also revealed a plan for compulsory vaccination for aged care workers by September.
The Prime Minister said on Monday night that under-40s – who are currently not part of the rollout nationally – will be able to ask their GPs about getting the AstraZeneca jab.
“If they are willing to go and speak to their doctor and have access to the AstraZeneca vaccine, they can do so. So the answer is yes, they can go and do that,” Mr Morrison said.
“We will be implementing a new no-fault indemnity scheme for general practitioners who administer Covid-19 vaccines. So this relates to encouraging Australians to go and check in to their GP about the vaccination.”
Read the full story, by Greg Brown and Richard Ferguson, here.
Lydia Lynch4.45am:Palaszczuk calls for hotel quarantine to be abolished
Annastacia Palaszczuk has called for hotel quarantine to be abolished and international arrival numbers slashed as a feasibility study on Brisbane’s purpose-built quarantine site begins.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison has proposed a dedicated quarantine camp be built at army barracks near Brisbane Airport, killing-off the Queensland government’s preferred centre at Toowoomba’s Wellcamp Airport.
State and federal departments are now working on a feasibility report to determine whether existing buildings on the 29ha site can be used, how arrivals will be transferred from the airport and how long it would take before the centre could start housing people.
At a national cabinet meeting on Monday evening, the Queensland Premier called for more purpose-built quarantine centres to be constructed around Australia.
“We have seen leaks out of hotels in a large number of states,” she said.
“The best thing we can do to fight this virus is to get vaccinated and to get people out of hotel quarantine into regional facilities.
“We need to get people out of these hotels.”
Read the full story here.
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