Two babies among CFMEU protest Covid cluster as Victoria records 1763 cases, four deaths

Mildura is on high alert after a new Covid case was detected, it comes as a cluster linked to those inside the CFMEU head office during riots two weeks ago has now grown to seven.

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Seven people linked to those inside the CFMEU head office during riots two weeks ago have tested positive for coronavirus, including two babies.

In a statement said the CFMEU said the cluster had spread to family members of delegates and workers who had been inside the building and that this included elderly parents and children.

It comes amid concerns the riots have become a superspreader event as more cases are discovered from attendees who are turning up to hospital sick.

CFMEU state secretary John Setka said reckless protesters had led to family members being infected.

“These protesters are just selfish idiots with absolutely no care for anyone other than themselves,” he said.

“They have caused enormous stress and heartache for members families’ who were just doing their job on the day of the protest.

“While we welcome construction opening back up to 25 per cent today, these members won’t be going back to work and along with their families will be in quarantine for 2 weeks with the added stress of so many family members being very sick and some hospitalised.”

Men brawl outside the CFMEU headquarters during a protest about mandatory vaccination in the construction industry. Picture: David Geraghty

CASE FOUND IN MILDURA

Mildura is on high alert after a new Covid case was detected on Tuesday evening.

“A health response is underway at the Mildura Law Courts after a court user tested positive to COVID-19,” a Court Services Victoria spokesperson said.

“The person was tested on Tuesday morning after presenting with COVID-like symptoms.”

The health department is working with Court Services Victoria to support affected staff and members of the public.

FRYDENBERG STAFFER TESTS POSITIVE

A member of Josh Frydenberg’s staff has tested positive to Covid-19, and the Treasurer is now in isolation.

Mr Frydenberg said he was informed of the staffer’s positive result last night, and had since returned a negative test result himself.

The deputy Liberal leader’s Melbourne electorate office has been closed and deep cleaned.

He said his staff member had not yet been contacted by the Victorian Health Department but that he had taken action “out of an abundance of caution”.

“Staff members who have been in contact with the Covid-19 positive staff member are being tested and are isolating,” Mr Frydenberg said.

Treasurer Josh Frydenberg is in isolation. Picture: Martin Ollman

FUTURE FOR UNJABBED TOURISTS REVEALED

Premier Daniel Andrews said the likelihood of unvaccinated foreigners getting into the country was “fairly low” following an anti-vax protest in New York during which teachers marched on the Brooklyn Bridge, chanting “save Australia”.

Videos show hundreds of demonstrators waving Australian flags and blocking traffic on the bridge in similar scenes to Melbourne’s recent protest activity which saw thousands of construction workers storm the Westgate Bridge in response to vaccine mandates and workplace restrictions.

“I think Aussies may well get home without having had the jab but if you want to come here and you’re not an Australian citizen or a permanent resident, then I think your chances of getting in any time soon without having had two doses are fairly low,” Mr Andrews said.

Mr Andrews said he did not know why the protest, which saw marchers beat drums and wave signs on the Brooklyn Bridge, had taken place, but said barring unvaccinated travellers from entering the country was a matter for federal authorities.

“I don’t know what the nature of that protest was but I assume it’s about getting a visa or getting passports and things and coming here,” he said.

“I readily make the point that they’re not the decisions I make, they’re decisions that the Commonwealth government makes but that seems to be the tone of comments coming out of the federal government.”

AFL PARTIES TO BLAME FOR COVID SURGE

Ongoing transmission from illegal AFL grand final parties are partly to blame for a huge surge in Covid-19 cases on Tuesday, health officials believe.

“It is probable that ongoing transmissions from cases generated via the superspreading events related to Grand Final gatherings have likely contributed to the notable increase in today’s case numbers,” a health department statement said.

Victoria recorded 1763 cases on Tuesday — a new national record — just 10 days on from the AFL decider.

WASTEWATER DETECTIONS IN REGIONS

Regional centres including Ballarat and Mildura have been put on alert after unexpected Covid fragments were detected in wastewater since late September.

Fragments were also discovered at Falls Creek Alpine Resort on September 28 and 29.

“The detections could be an undiscovered new case or cases or could be the result of one or more people in these areas who have recovered from COVID-19 but are still shedding the virus,” a health department statement said.

“Anyone who lives in, works in or has visited the areas above is urged to watch for the mildest of Covid-19 symptoms and get tested as soon as possible if symptoms develop.”

SUBURBS TARGET OF VACCINE BLITZ

Twenty seven Victorian suburbs, with first-dose coverage rates of under 75 per cent, will be targeted by a vaccination blitz.

Premier Daniel Andrews called out 27 priority suburbs, “where vaccination rates are not as high as we would like”.

“We do need to go even a step further, and not just target a local government area but target individual postcodes – those 27 postcodes where the current first dose coverage rates are under 75 per cent,” he said.

“We’re going to work to try and get those up as high as we possibly can.”

Among the priority suburbs are Campbellfield, St Kilda, Kensington, Frankston North, Deer Park, Brimbank and Footscray.

Mr Andrews also announced the seven-day lockdown in the City of Latrobe would end at 11.59pm Tuesday.

“There are some new cases in Latrobe today ... but we feel we have a good understanding of that outbreak, and we can move to the regional Victorian settings from midnight tonight,” he said.

It comes as the state recorded Australia’s worst ever daily spike of Covid cases, with 1763 infections detected in the past 24 hours.

NSW previously held the title, when 1599 infections were announced on September 11. Victoria’s previous record daily increase was 1488 cases on Saturday.

There were four Covid-related deaths in the past 24 hours.

More than 62,100 tests were processed on Monday.

At least 82.3 per cent of eligible Victorians have now received a single dose of the Covid vaccine, with 52.6 per cent fully vaccinated.

In Victoria, 517 people are in hospital with Covid-19, with 101 of those in intensive care and 66 on a ventilator. Of the people in hospital on Monday, 66 per cent were unvaccinated, 28 per cent had one dose, and just 6 per cent were fully vaccinated.

The new case spike comes the day after Melbourne set the world record for most number of days spent in lockdown.

The city marked the dire record on Monday when it surpassed the 245-day record held by Buenos Aires.

VICTORIA STILL ON TRACK TO REOPEN

Premier Daniel Andrews is confident the state is still on track towards its reopening date of October 26 — the day Victoria is expected to achieve a 70 per cent double-dose vaccination rate.

More freedoms could then be introduced when Victoria hits an 80 per cent vaccination rate, projected for November 5.

Despite a national record of 1763 new infections on Tuesday, the Premier said the state could even be “ahead of schedule”.

“We are on track to meet the targets, but I don‘t want any sense of complacency to creep in,” he said.

“We have to finish this and that means getting vaccinated.

“In any event, that’s not our only target (70 per cent) our other target is 80 per cent and other freedoms come with that.

“We’re doing everything that we can to try to be ahead of that curve but we have to rely on Victorians to come forward and get their first dose or second.”

People line up for a Covid vaccine at the Melbourne Convention Centre. Picture: Ian Currie

COVID SCARE ACROSS VICTORIAN PRISONS

Dozens of prisoners are infected with COVID-19, which has spread across five prisons, including a women’s jail, in about three weeks.

A total of 36 prisoners and 15 workers across six correctional centres have tested positive to the virus.

In a worrying development, COVID-19 has now entered the general prison population at Ravenhall Correctional Centre, potentially exposing hundreds of other prisoners.

The latest Corrections Victoria figures show there are 16 infected prisoners at the Melbourne Assessment Prison, 11 at the Metropolitan Remand Centre, five at Ravenhall Correctional Centre, three at Dame Phyllis Frost Centre and one at Port Phillip Prison.

Both the Metropolitan Remand Centre and Ravenhall Correctional Centre have five infected staff members.

Two workers are infected at Port Phillip Prison and there are individual cases at Dame Phyllis Frost Centre, Maribyrnong Community Residential Facility and Barwon Prison.

All five prisoners with COVID-19 at Ravenhall Correctional Centre were mixing with the general inmate population at the time of infection.

The correctional centre has a 1300 prisoner capacity.

BIG CHANGE TO CONTACT TRACING

Victorian schools will no longer be subject to campus-wide lockdowns during Covid-19 outbreaks, and the length of quarantine could be reduced as part of an isolation overhaul.

As contact tracers battle to keep up with rising case numbers, health authorities are reviewing the standard ­14-day isolation period for primary close contacts or those who have visited a Tier 1 exposure site.

Chief health officer Brett Sutton said most close contacts, particularly household members, tested positive within a week.

“It might be seven (days), it might be 10, but it really does depend on your risk of ­becoming a positive case,” Prof Sutton said.

Melbourne once again holds the national record after a huge daily case spike on Tuesday. Picture: David Crosling

NEW ISO RULES FOR SUPERMARKET STAFF

The state government struck a deal with Coles and Woolworths to overhaul isolation requirements for supermarket workers, with major players warning of mass closures if drastic measures weren’t taken.

It was feared thousands of staff would be off work for up to two weeks due to supermarkets becoming exposure sites, triggering worker shortages and reduced operating hours.

The new “risk-based” protocols are to minimise the number of staff put on leave.

Authorities will also stop publishing Tier 2 exposure sites in days with the list of sites having blown out to 559.

“We have to focus our efforts on where we’ll get the most bang for buck – the greatest efficiency and effectiveness of contact tracing,” Prof Sutton said.

It comes as businesses sound the alarm over being tasked with notifying staff and affected patrons about isolation requirements.

The Herald Sun is aware that parents whose children attend one Melbourne daycare centre, dubbed a “Tier 1B” exposure site, battled to get information on who in the family had to quarantine.

And the owner of Baker Bleu, a popular bakery with shops in Caulfield and Prahran, has slammed Victoria’s contact tracing and isolation requirements as “so flawed it’s not funny”.

Baker Bleu owner Mike Russell has had to shut his two shops after all 50 of his staff were forced into isolation. Picture: Wayne Taylor

Mike Russell said he only received a call from the Department of Health on Sunday – nearly a week after one of his production staff tested positive – and told him that all 50 staff, including those who had no interaction with infected workers, had to isolate for 14 days.

“They’re not consultative, they don’t engage,” Mr Russell said.

“We haven’t heard anything from them for so long and I tested negative twice.

“I’d been coming back and forth from the bakery, but they’re (saying) even though the horse has bolted, I am Tier 1 and have to go back inside.

“The logic is flawed.”

Mr Russell said he could not understand why every employee, including himself, had to isolate.

“The system is so outdated,” he said.

“In Israel and the rest of the world they’re going off seven-days isolation.

“This is why Victoria is in this state.”

Despite the surge in active cases across Victoria – now at 12,711 – Prof Sutton maintained that contact tracers were still meeting demand, with positive cases contacted within 24 hours and close contacts notified in a “very timely way”.

“If there is any requirement for additional resourcing, we’ll put our hand up for it, “but that’s not the case at the moment,” Prof Sutton said, adding that businesses had to be “hand in glove with contact-tracing teams”.

HOW SCHOOL CLUSTERS WILL BE HANDLED

In a positive development for Victorian children to ­return to the classroom, the chief health officer on Monday ruled out the possibility of full school shutdowns during future outbreaks.

Instead, individual assessments would be made on vaccination status, whether students were wearing masks and how long they spent in contact with a positive case.

“All of those elements will inform a matrix in terms of the advice on who needs to quarantine, but that will minimise the disruption for kids and it will be a really positive development,” Prof Sutton said.

“The protocol is changing, it’s been fine-tuned.

“We certainly won’t have the entire school quarantining for a full 14-day period.”

Meanwhile, there has been a Covid scare in Echuca after a paramedic travelled from Melbourne’s western suburbs and worked in the regional town while contagious.

It is understood all paramedics in the Victorian-NSW border community have been told to isolate.

An extra 40,000 Moderna doses are expected to arrive in Victoria from Wednesday. Picture: Tony McDonough

NEW MODERNA BOOST EN ROUTE

An extra 40,000 Moderna doses are expected to arrive in Victoria from Wednesday.

The vaccines are set to be used in state clinics for people’s second shots, given four weeks after the first.

The boost follows a reallocation of supplies from pharmacies that are not ordering the maximum number of jabs.

It is the state’s second increase in Moderna supplies in the past week, after securing an additional 89,000 mRNA doses for people aged 12-59 at state clinics.

The Herald Sun understands that the supply will be split between the Sunshine Hospital and Austin Hospital.

Any leftovers will then be distributed to other state-run clinics.

“As Victoria deals with this outbreak, we have been able to shift 40,000 doses of Moderna originally allocated to primary care to be directed to Victoria’s state clinics,” a spokesman for Operation Covid Shield said.

“Dynamic reallocation allows us to ensure vaccines are being used in the most efficient channels.”

VICTORIANS’ LOCKDOWN ATTITUDES

Less than a third of Victorians believe the risk of Covid is worse than the economic impact of lockdowns.

A new Bastion Insights survey reveals that Victorians were most likely to agree that the economic costs of lockdowns outweighed the risks of coronavirus, with 49 per cent supporting the proposition.

Read the full report here.

PAYRISE PUSH FOR FRONTLINE NURSES

Victorian nurses on the frontline would be given a “Covid-19 recognition” pay rise under a new push by the Greens.

Victorian Greens spokesman for Justice, Dr Tim Read, on Tuesday called on the state government to provide a salary top-up for clinical staff in public hospitals who are providing hands-on care to patients over the next six months.

Under the plan, $9000 would be paid over six months to staff earning up to $90,000 per year.

Dr Read said the move would financially recognise work on the frontline, as well as to help retain nurses in hospitals and attract others who have been lost to vaccination hubs.

The recognition payment would be paid in instalments until the end of February 2022, with a sliding scale providing a smaller recognition payment for those earning above $90,000.

“We’ve heard 18 months of nice sounding phrases about frontline heroes … it’s time to put something meaningful behind those phrases,” Dr Read said.

Frontline nurses would receive a payrise under the Greens plan. Picture: David Caird

“We know that caring for COVID patients is physically and emotionally unrelenting work. Patients are cut off from families, relatives are distraught and can be very demanding. N95 masks are stifling and extra infection control procedures and documentation add to the burden.

“Providing bonuses to clinical staff who provide hands-on care to patients, like nurses, is the least the government can do.

“It’s crunch time for our hospital system and Victorians would like to offer more than applause and clichés to the nurses and other clinical staff who are sweating under PPE.

“This is something meaningful that we can offer and we hope it attracts more staff to the wards where we need them more than we ever have.”

There are about 500 Covid cases in Victorian hospitals, a number that has doubled in 10 days and is set to double again.

Mr Read said Victoria was also “seriously short” of nurses, with many deployed to vaccination hubs and testing sites.

GOVT ORDERS NEW PILL TO TREAT COVID

Australia has obtained 300,000 courses of a pill that has been shown to halve the risk of serious illness or death for adults experiencing mild Covid-19 symptoms.

The new antiviral pill, molnupiravir, is expected to be available early in 2022 following approval from the nation’s drug regulator.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison said vac­cines and new Covid-19 treatments would enable Australia to safely reopen and stay open.

“Molnupiravir will be ready to go in Australia should it be approved by the Therapeutic Goods Administration,” he said.

“It will join other Covid-19 treatments such as sotrovimab and remdesivir which are already available to Australian doctors to help treat those with Covid-19.”

The federal government has struck an agreement with pharmaceutical company Merck Sharp & Dohme (MSD) for 300,000 courses in 2022.

The treatment, which is in the late stage of clinical trials, has been shown to reduce the risk of adults with mild-to-moderate symptoms ending up in hospital or dying by 50 per cent.

A pill is taken twice a day for five days. It does not need to be refrigerated, which means it could be beneficial for rural areas.

Molnupiravir is suitable for Covid-19 variants and works by putting errors in the virus’s genetic code to stop it reproducing.

MSD last week announced that it would seek emergency authorisation from the US Food and Drug Administration.

If the drug receives approval, the company will supply 1.7 million courses after securing a $1.2bn deal in June with the Biden Administration.

A course is reported to cost $US700 under the company’s tiered pricing approach, which makes the drug accessible for low and middle income countries.

The cost of Australia’s deal remains commercial in confidence.

Health Minister Greg Hunt said the clinical results were positive and drugmaker was now able to apply for provisional registration from Australia’s regulator.

MSD has revealed it is expected to make at least 10 million courses of the treatment this year.

Melbourne’s inner suburbs are lagging behind in the vaccination race but the state is still on its way to the 90 per cent mark.

SUBURBS LAGGING BEHIND IN JAB RACE

Melbourne’s inner suburbs are lagging behind in the vaccination race but the state is heading towards the 90 per cent mark overall.

More than 90 per cent of residents aged over 16 have now received at least one Covid-19 jab in one in three local government areas.

But there are 11 council areas where the first-dose rate remains below 80 per cent.

It is 68.3 per cent in Melbourne, 72.5 per cent in Yarra, 73.5 per cent in Darebin and 74.5 per cent in Port Phillip.

The strongest growth rate over the last week was in the Covid hot spot of Hume, where 80.7 per cent of eligible residents have now received at least one dose.

KIDS’ FRIENDSHIP BUBBLE ON TABLE

Children in Victoria could soon get the same privileges as their NSW counterparts as the state government looks at ways to establish friendship bubbles.

The prospect would allow Victorian children to gather in groups of three where they could socialise both indoors and outdoors.

The NSW arrangement is in place only for the children of fully vaccinated people who live within 5km or are in the same municipality.

Kids must also stick to their exclusive friendship group and can’t mix with other groups.

Children in Victoria could soon have friendship bubbles. Picture: David Crosling

Education Minister James Merlino on Monday revealed that government officials were discussing the issue.

“We are always open for good ideas and what we can do next to support people as we transition to opening up at 70 per cent and then at 80 per cent as per the national plan,” he said.

“I don’t have any further announcements in this space, but it’s something that we’re looking at.”

Prominent child psychologist Michael Carr-Gregg has previously backed the proposal as a “vital initiative” that would help children develop.

COVID INTERRUPTIONS ‘COULD CONTINUE’

Principals are warning that Covid-interrupted schooling could continue into 2022.

As remote learning drags on for thousands of Melbourne children, the leader at one of the state’s most prestigious schools warned of “more interruption in the first half of 2022”.

Wesley College principal Nicholas Evans told parents the school, which received $18m in JobKeeper in 2020, was “well positioned” financially and continued to “balance both immediate and long-term financial effects of the pandemic on families and the college”.

He said the school would freeze fees for 2022 term one, repay the consolidated charge for term three 2021 and pay $2m into a scholarship fund.

The school also took into account that there could be more interruptions in the first half of 2022 but fewer in the second half as vaccinations increased.

Trinity Grammar principal Adrian Farrer also announced a $750 rebate per student to cover savings made during the 2021 lockdowns.

Families were invited to donate this saving back to the school to help needy families.

CLASS ACTS WIN OUR HEARTS AND MINDS

Teachers have been recognised as influential in developing students’ social and emotional development, a new Monash University study has found.

The nationwide study found 72 per cent of 1012 respondents trusted teachers’ work was in the best interest of students, while almost half felt their perceptions of teachers’ work had improved as a direct result of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The report also identified almost three-quarters of people valued past teachers and were able to mention a positive influence that a teacher had on their lives.

It comes as Victoria’s school tutor program will be extended until the end of 2022 in a desperate bid to bring students up to speed with the curriculum.

Education Minister James Merlino on Monday announced $230.4m to extend the program, touted as “the single biggest boost to individual learning support in the state’s history”.

“There’s no question that this pandemic has been a challenge for many students but we’re making sure no Victoria child is left behind,” Mr Merlino said.

Education, Minister James Merlino. Picture: David Crosling

Other findings from the Monash University study showed 77 per cent of people supported a flexible learning model where students attended face-to-face learning but had the option to take some classes online.

More than half also believed the shift to remote learning during the pandemic was successful in Australia.

Asked what skills should be taught in school, more than three-quarters felt problem-solving skills were most valuable.

More than 90 per cent of respondents also said it was important that students from low socio-economic households be provided with subsidised or free laptops and other devices necessary to complete their school work at home.

Originally published as Two babies among CFMEU protest Covid cluster as Victoria records 1763 cases, four deaths