Tasmania hits 87.2 per cent double dose vax rate in lead-up to state border reopening
The Premier has urged Tasmanians to “turn up” and get vaccinated as the Omicron strain of Covid reaches Australia, as the variant of the state’s latest Covid case is revealed. LATEST >>
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THE strain of virus carried by a Covid-positive Tasmanian woman has been confirmed.
Director of Public Health Mark Veitch said genomic sequencing had identified that the case, a recently returned traveller from the United States, had the Delta variant.
The woman remains at the Fountainside accommodation, which is being used as a community case management facility, and is reported to be well.
No further cases have been detected in relation to the case.
Government staunch on border plan despite Omicron variant
Tasmania will not divert from its plan to open its borders on December 15 despite concerns over the new strain of the Covid-19 virus and the arrival of one infected person into the state.
The State Government will also make a call next week if vaccinations will become mandatory for workers in the public sector and government businesses.
The government is also considering mandatory vaccinations for workers in the child care and early learning sectors.
Premier Peter Gutwein said TT-Line workers in Devonport must also have had one dose of the Covid-19 vaccine by December 14.
Meanwhile, 11 passengers on board a flight into Hobart on which a passenger infected with the Covid-19 virus have been asked to isolate.
Public Health Director Mark Veitch said he had asked for advice on the role of vaccination in childcare and it is open to organisations and agencies to make sure their staff are vaccinated.
“I will be asking for advice on coverage in that setting and use that to consider if there is a need to use public health powers to make sure people are covered,” he said.
What strain of the Covid-19 an infected passenger who flew into Hobart has should be known by Friday.
Public Health director Mark Vietch said the four close contacts of the female — who had travelled from the US via Sydney — were tested on Wednesday and a further seven casual contacts will be tested in a day or two.
Ninety four per cent of Tasmanians aged over 16 have had at least one dose of the vaccine and 87.5 percent have had two doses.
Another $2m will go to the Covid at Home program to allow GPs to access clinical risk of those with the virus and deliver medication to clients.
Funds will also go to pharmacies to ensure they stock adequate PPE supplies.
Tasmania’s QR code check in system has been up and running for 12 months now.
Over the year, 95 million check ins have been performed across 48,000 businesses and 100,000 Tasmanians now have their vaccination certificate linked to their check in app.
Tassie falls short on vax target
EARLIER: Tasmania has fallen short of its December vaccination target as the state prepares to reopen in just two weeks time amid rising concerns surrounding the new Omicron variant.
Latest figures recorded as of November 29 show 87.2 per cent of Tasmanians over the age of 16 have received two doses of the vaccine while 93.9 per cent have received just one dose.
Ahead of the imminent border reopening on December 15 the state government was hoping Tasmania would crack the 90 per cent double dose mark by December 1 – a figure Tasmanians are still yet to reach.
North Tasmania still lags behind their Southern counterparts, with Brighton, Glenorchy, Clarence, Hobart, Sorrel, Kingborough, and Tasman hitting the 95 per cent milestone.
In terms of double-dose figures, Hobart is the most-prepared local government area just shy of 95 per cent by 0.1 percentage points.
The least-vaccinated LGA was the remote town of Kentish, which still had a respectable 76.6 per cent double-dose rate among its 5300 eligible population.
The latest vaccine rates come as a new positive case was confirmed in the state on Tuesday, brought in by a Tasmanian woman travelling from the United States via Sydney.
Tasmania’s premier Peter Gutwein is due to deliver a coronavirus update at 3.15pm today.
Woman tests positive to Covid in Tasmania
A NEW case of coronavirus has been confirmed in Tasmania.
A Tasmanian woman in her 40s who travelled from the USA via Sydney, and arrived in Hobart on Monday, was confirmed as a case of Covid-19 on Tuesday.
She had been in home quarantine since her arrival into the state.
The woman will be admitted to the Fountainside accommodation in Hobart, which is being used as a case management facility.
Passengers who were on Jetstar flight JQ721 from Sydney to Hobart that arrived at 11.42am on Monday are being asked to isolate immediately and call the Public Health Hotline after 8am on Wednesday.
Public Health is in the process of contacting people who were on the flight to tell them they need to isolate.
Deputy director of Public Health Scott McKeown said Hobart Airport had been listed as a low-risk exposure site between 11.50am and 12.15pm on Monday, with anyone who was there at that time asked to monitor symptoms.
The strain of the virus for the latest case of Covid-19 is not yet known.
The Public Health Hotline number is 1800 671 738.
Plan to reopen remains unchanged despite emerging threat of Omicron
TASMANIA’S plan to reopen its borders on December 15 remains unchanged despite the emerging threat posed by the new strain of Covid-19, but the state government says current rules are guarding against the Omicron variant.
Following a meeting of national cabinet on Tuesday to discuss responses to the strain which is prevalent in southern Africa, Premier Peter Gutwein said there were strong restrictions in place to shield Tasmania.
Mr Gutwein said Victoria, NSW and the ACT had introduced 72 hours home isolation and testing for all returning Australians, with 14 days’ quarantine for travellers returning from southern African countries.
“To be clear, any returning Australians seeking to come to Tasmania, following the 72 hours home isolation in another state and a negative PCR test, will still need to comply with Tasmania’s current border restrictions,’’ he said.
“These require travellers who have been overseas in the 14 days before they arrive in our state to get approval to enter, and quarantine for a total of 14 days with testing.”
Any traveller who has been in South Africa, Botswana, Lesotho, Eswatini, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Mozambique, Malawi or the Seychelles are prevented from entering Tasmania, until they have done 14 days of quarantine and required testing in the mainland state of arrival.
“National cabinet also noted the importance of rapidly gathering information about the Omicron strain, and that no further immediate changes to current settings are required at this time, based on the medical advice provided by the chief medical officer,’’ Mr Gutwein said.
Tasmania currently has border restrictions with the entirety of Victoria, NSW and the ACT, with those jurisdictions declared high-risk for Covid-19.
That will change on December 15 when fully vaccinated travellers nationwide will be able to travel to Tasmania, subject to mandatory pre-travel testing for travellers from high-risk places.
Baby boy becomes state’s latest Covid case
THE child of a mother who travelled to Tasmania with an invalid G2G Pass has become the state’s latest confirmed Covid-19 case.
Public Health deputy director Dr Julie Graham said the infant was a male 18-month-old who travelled with his mother from Melbourne on Thursday.
“The child had travelled to Hobart with his mother who did not have a valid G2G Pass,” Dr Graham said.
“He and his mother were placed in hotel quarantine.
“Both mother and infant have now been transferred to the Community Case Management Facility this evening.
“The child is well.”
Dr Graham said the child posed a low risk to the community.
She said Hobart International Airport has been declared a low-risk exposure site between 8.25pm and 9.50pm on Thursday.
“People who were in the airport at that time are required to monitor themselves for symptoms and get tested if symptoms develop,” Dr Graham said.
The case comes weeks after 31-year-old NSW man Tim Gunn allegedly entered the state without a valid G2G Pass and triggered a three-day snap lockdown when he tested positive for Covid-19.
The man is facing court for allegedly providing false or misleading information, and allegedly failing to comply with the lawful requirement or direction of an emergency management worker.
A second man who flew from Brisbane into Hobart on November 14 caused a stir when he tested positive for Covid-19 and was believed to have come into contact with some 100 people on the flight.
Premier Peter Gutwein said at the time the man had been placed into isolation and transferred to Fountainside quarantine.
For the latest Covid-19 information visit coronavirus.tas.gov.au
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