Coronavirus: Daniel Andrews steers clear of bungle

Premier Daniel Andrews has sought to distance Victoria’s hotel quarantine system from a major COVID-19 vaccine bungle in Queensland.

Victorian Premier, Daniel Andrews on Thursday. Picture: Sarah Matray

Premier Daniel Andrews has sought to distance Victoria’s hotel quarantine system from a major COVID-19 vaccine bungle in Queensland, as a doctor at the centre of the incident works for the same healthcare provider ­responsible for services in Melbourne’s quarantine program.

Healthcare Australia, whose chief executive Jason Cartwright stood aside on Thursday after one of the organisation’s doctors ­injected two elderly ­patients in Queensland with four times the recommended Pfizer vaccine dose, provides “primary health services and wellbeing support” across quarantine ­hotels in Melbourne that do not house symptomatic travellers.

Mr Andrews said on Thursday that it did not “make sense” to draw links between the Queensland vaccine bungle and management of Victoria’s quarantine system.

“We are not rolling out vaccines in private aged care, the commonwealth are,” he said.

“So trying to draw that back to state-based programs just doesn’t make any sense to me.”

Mr Andrews’ office on ­November 30 unveiled a “new, stronger quarantine program” and said Healthcare Australia would provide health services to “cold” quarantine hotels.

The company's chief executive, Jason Cartwright, stood aside on Thursday after the “serious error” in Queensland.

Victoria’s vaccination program is being managed by hos­pital vaccination hubs and public health services. Since Monday, 2063 Pfizer jabs have been ­delivered to high-risk workers, including aged-care residents and quarantine and healthcare staff.

There were 16 active cases of COVID-19 in Victoria on Thursday. No new locally acquired or hotel quarantine cases were ­reported out of 18,282 tests.

The Victorian Premier said he was “quite positive” he would announce ­that restrictions would be significantly eased on Friday after the state ­recorded six days of no new infections. “I will try and get those settings back as close to — not New Year’s Eve but to Christmas — those COVID-safe summer settings,” he said.

Yesterday there were no new cases reported. 18,282 test results were received. Thank you to those who got tested - #EveryTestHelps.

More later: https://t.co/lIUrl0ZEco#COVID19Vic#COVID19VicDatapic.twitter.com/6ntbCucYGI

— VicGovDH (@VicGovDH) February 24, 2021

The state’s restrictions will expire at 11.59pm on ­Friday, but could be eased as early as 5pm.