DAILY BLOG: Escalated measures as choice remains in parents’ hands
DAILY BLOG: Another six coronavirus cases have been confirmed in Tasmania today, including one person in their 20s.
Coronavirus
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KEY POINTS:
- Tasmania has 36 cases of coronavirus, none from community transmission
- Major hospitality group to stand down 1500 workers
- Public Health haven’t made contact with two Tasmanian cruise ship passengers
- Premier issues stern warning to those flouting isolation directives
- Government to take over UTAS apartments for quarantine
DON’T MISS: Your guide to everything cancelled, postponed or closed
9pm: FEDERAL WORKERS WILL HAVE JOBS TO RETURN TO
ALL 1500 Federal Group workers expected to be stood down will have a job to come back to when the COVID-19 crisis is over, says the company’s corporate affairs executive general manager.
Daniel Hanna announced on Monday Federal, one of the state’s major hospitality and tourism employers, would stand down 1500 of its 1900 staff in the wake of the Federal Government’s coronavirus restrictions.
About 7.30pm on Tuesday night, the company lit up the Wrest Point Casino tower in blue in what it said was a sign of solidarity for the state’s entire beleaguered tourism and hospitality industry.
7pm: SIX MORE TASMANIAN CORONAVIRUS CASES CONFIRMED
ANOTHER six coronavirus cases have been confirmed in Tasmania today, including one person in their 20s.
The six new cases brings the state’s total to 42.
Director of Public Health Mark Veitch said in a statement this evening there still remains no evidence of community transmission in the state “as all the cases are directly or indirectly linked to overseas travel.”
4pm: FREE CBD PARKING FOR HEALTH WORKERS
HEALTH workers will be offered free CBD parking as the Hobart City Council seeks to ease pressures on frontline staff.
Hobart Lord Mayor Anna Reynolds said details were being finalised to allow Tasmanian health sector workers free off-street city parking.
Cr Reynolds said a number of locations had been earmarked for consideration under the initiative.
3pm: INVESTIGATION INTO REPORTS OF HOSPITAL THREATS
PERSONAL protective equipment essential to shield health workers from coronavirus is being stolen from Tasmanian hospitals, the State Government says.
Health Minister Sarah Courtney said the reports were being looked into as authorities work to ensure there is enough PPE to protect medical professionals.
It is understood a quantity of the equipment has been taken from the Royal Hobart Hospital, with possible thefts from health facilities in other parts of the state also being investigated.
12.30pm: SCHOOL TERM TO FINISH EARLY, BUT SITES WILL NOT CLOSE
THE upcoming holiday period in Tasmanian public schools has been brought forward as the State Government moves to implement mostly online delivery of education in term two.
First term will finish four days early, on April 6, with teachers and support staff using the student-free days to prepare for the rollout of home learning due to the coronavirus pandemic.
But the Government has not announced a complete shutdown of public schools despite pressure from Opposition parties to do so to slow the spread of the virus.
12pm: GPs CALL FOR A TOTAL SHUTDOWN
TASMANIAN general practitioners have called for a complete lockdown of all work-places as part of a three-point plan to tackle coronavirus.
In the letter to Premier Peter Gutwein, signed by 27 GPs, doctors called for a two-month complete shutdown of Tasmanian schools and workplaces, enforced hotel quarantine for new arrivals, and widespread testing.
9.31am: ESCALATED MEASURES TO MANAGE VIRUS THREAT
PREMIER Peter Gutwein has announced an escalation of strict new measures to manage people coming into the state and those in self-isolation.
Speaking alongside Police Commissioner Darren Hine, Mr Gutwein said there would be an increased police presence at Tasmania’s ports to work alongside Biosecurity Tasmania staff.
He said people required to self-isolate would be asked to travel directly to their place of residence.
Those who do not have a suitable home to self-isolate in would be directed to return to their port of departure, or directed to stay in Government-provided accommodation for the 14-day period and those people will be charged a fee for that service.
He said support would be offered to people in order for them to access supplies where necessary.
Mr Gutwein again warned of fines of up to $16,800 or six months’ jail for those who did not comply.
He said community transmission was well established in other states, but said Tasmania needed to act decisively to stop it happening here.
“We’ve got one last shot to ensure we don’t have to go into a full lockdown of the state with only essential services operating,’’ he said.
“We must act and take aggressive action. This will mean stricter enforcement of border restrictions, more contact tracing and a hard-line on self-isolation.
“Community transmission will occur at some stage and these measures will give us a fighting chance to control it.”
Mr Gutwein said he would not hesitate to shut the state down to running only essential services but said “I don’t want us to get to that point”.
“That is the abyss that we are staring into. We are standing on the ledge right now. We need to take the steps that we can,’’ he said.
Mr Gutwein said he was “heartbroken” about the jobs that had been lost and businesses who had closed because of tough new restrictions due to coronavirus.
Mr Gutwein said schools would remain open, but school holidays would start on April 6.
Education Minister Jeremy Rockliff said this morning it was planned school sites would re-open on April 27 after school holidays.
Health Minister Sarah Courtney said reports of essential personal protective equipment being stolen from hospitals amid the coronavirus crisis are being investigated.
“This is absolutely unacceptable,’’ she said.
“If we hear or find any cases of these, we will ensure the full force of the law is brought upon these people.
“I would absolutely discourage it and if anybody within our health care system has reports ... I would ask for that to be escalated to your manager.”
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8am: YOUNG TASMANIANS INFURIATED BY ‘CRAZY’ DELAYS
The cracks are showing as desperate young people become fed up with Centrelink.
Local TAFE student and retail worker Matt Griffiths said his Centrelink claim was “tied up in snags”, leaving him with three hours of work a week to cover bills and rent.
The adventure tour guiding student returned from a field trip to discover his practical outdoor studies were moved online indefinitely.
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7.38am: TWO BILLION IN LOCKDOWN AS PM PUTS NEW RESTRICTIONS IN PLACE
Normal life in Australia is over after an alarming explosion of coronavirus cases forced the government to shut down all remaining non-essential sectors and order people to stay at home.
It comes as two billion people are officially in lockdown after India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that the country and its 1.3 billion inhabitants would go into a 21-day “complete” lockdown.
Australia’s lockdown is being tightened to include food courts, auction rooms, real estate auctions, open house inspections, massage parlours, beauty salons and a range of other non-essential services.
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6 am: OFFICIAL: TOKYO 2020 OLYMPIC GAMES CANCELLED
Updated: The Tokyo Olympics have been postponed to 2021, the first such delay in the Games’ 124-year modern history, as the coronavirus crisis wrecked the last international sporting showpiece still standing this year.
Though a huge blow to Japan, which has invested $20 billion in the run-up, the decision was a relief to thousands of athletes fretting over how to train as the world headed into lockdown to fight a disease that has claimed more than 16,500 lives.
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7.20pm, yesterday: EIGHT NEW TASMANIAN VIRUS CASES CONFIRMED
TASMANIA has today confirmed eight new cases of coronavirus, bringing the state’s tally to 36.
Director of Public Health Mark Veitch said in a statement this evening that seven of the new cases are from southern Tasmania, with one from northern Tasmania.
Public Health Services has begun contacting the eight people to investigate their movements, and to identify and contact any of their close contacts so they can be placed in self-quarantine.
Experts push for double shot as new Covid wave looms
As deaths from Covid continue, Tasmanians are being urged to get boosters and flu shots with doctors saying infection rates are “taking off and complacency is setting in”. LATEST FIGURES >>
Covid-safety urged as daily case numbers decline
The pace of Tasmania’s winter Covid wave is slowing but the public is urged to remain vigilant. LATEST FIGURES >>