Nicola Spurrier will go to Adelaide Fringe shows in 2022 and says life must return

Nicola Spurrier says it’s time for the state to “get back to life”, in a Covid-safe way, and revealed she will be attending shows at the Fringe as it kicks off today.

South Australia’s typically cautious chief public health officer has encouraged the community to attend Fringe shows, urging a Covid-safe return to normal life.

Professor Nicola Spurrier said the Fringe was her favourite time of the year and she would “absolutely” be attending shows.

“I think we do have to get back to life,” Professor Nicola Spurrier told ABC Radio Adelaide on Friday.

“It’s much safer … if you’re outside, because the aerosols that would come out of somebody’s mouth if they have Covid get dissipated with all that fresh air.”

She said ventilation within indoor spaces at Fringe events was being assessed in a bid to stop potential Covid spread.

Professor Nicola Spurrier. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Kelly Barnes

While encouraging people to go out and support Fringe events, she urged people to be Covid safe by continuing to wear masks and using hand sanitiser.

“If anyone has symptoms at all, just simply don’t go,” Prof Spurrier said.

Prof Spurrier defended the fact that SA was the only Australian state or territory with a ban on dancing.

“We do know that standing up, and particularly when you combine that with drinking alcohol, you do get more mingling,” she said.

“It’s the mingling and the contact, and of course you can’t wear a mask if you’re standing up and drinking.”

Fringe director Heather Croall was emotional at a press conference on Thursday as she pleaded to secure extra funding for the struggling arts industry.

Labor stood alongside Ms Croall, pledging an extra $8m in funding.

On Friday morning Ms Croall denied her comments had politicised the event.

“My job is to fight for the Fringe and the community and the artists whose livelihoods depend on it ” Ms Croall said.

Prof Spurrier urged the community to stay home on New Year’s Eve in 2021, which fired up struggling hospitality venues who claimed her directions were a “slap in the face”.

South Australia recorded three Covid related deaths on Thursday, and 1440 new cases.

The state’s total number of active cases in 14,068, and 221 patients are in hospital including 13 in ICU.

Earlier this year Premier Steven Marshall defended why he was conducting daily press conferences alone, rather than with the company of State Co-ordinator Grant Stevens and chief health officer Nicola Spurrier.

He said having all three present at the daily meetings was a waste of resources.

Originally published as Nicola Spurrier will go to Adelaide Fringe shows in 2022 and says life must return