Red alert: Victorian families told to leave state hot zones

Victorian Covid-19 logistics chief Jeroen Weimar has warned health authorities cannot guarantee a downgrading of ‘red zone’ classifications for Sydney and Brisbane anytime soon.

Victorian Covid-19 logistics chief Jeroen Weimar. Picture: Andrew Henshaw

Victorian Covid-19 logistics chief Jeroen Weimar has warned health authorities cannot guarantee a downgrading of “red zone” classifications for Sydney and Brisbane anytime soon, and Victorians holidaying in those areas should come home now.

Many Victorian families have headed to NSW and Queensland for the school holidays, but as things stand they will be stuck doing a fortnight of home quarantine rather than returning to school and work next Monday.

“At this point we have seen, I think, four new community cases in Queensland this morning and 35 cases in Sydney,” Mr Weimar said on Monday.

“There’s nothing in those numbers at the moment that makes us think we’re going to ­reduce those red zones anytime soon. So if you’re a Victorian, if you’re in the red zone areas and you need to be back for a certain time, the sooner you’re back here, you can at least start your isolation period safely back home.

“Do not presume that we’re going to flick a switch anytime in the next couple of days. We have no desire to retain these red zones any longer than we need to, but ultimately it will be determined on the public health grounds and the risks of sparking any outbreaks back here in Victoria.”

Victorian red zone classifications remain in place for Greater Sydney, the Central Coast, Wollongong, Shellharbour and the Blue Mountains in NSW, and three local government areas stretching from Brisbane to the Sunshine Coast in Queensland.

Perth and the Peel Region in Western Australia, Darwin and Alice Springs in the Northern Territory, the remainder of southeast Queensland, Townsville, the remainder of NSW and the ACT are classified orange.

Red-zone returnees must quarantine at home for 14 days, while those returning from orange zones must get tested and isolate until they receive a negative result.

Acting chief health officer Dan O’Brien said since Perth and the Peel Region and Townsville and much of southeast Queensland were downgraded from red to orange, messages had been sent to 506 people who had returned from WA’s orange zones and 3679 who had returned from Queensland’s, letting them know they are free to leave home quarantine with a negative test.

An infectious diseases physician with more than 25 years ­experience, Associate Professor O’Brien has taken over from former deputy chief health officer Allen Cheng, who has returned to his previous role as director of infection prevention and healthcare epidemiology at Alfred Health. Chief health officer Brett Sutton is temporarily on leave.