DAILY BLOG, March 24: Keeping schools open sending Tasmania ‘mixed messages’
DAILY BLOG: Tasmania has confirmed eight new cases of coronavirus, bringing the state’s tally to 36.
Coronavirus
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KEY POINTS:
- 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
10pm: STATE’S FOODIES FEEL THE NEED TO FEED
THE apocalypse may have struck for restaurants and cafes flattened by forced closures, but that doesn’t mean the state’s top foodies plan to remain buried in the rubble.
An all-Tasmanian home delivery food service platform is under construction thanks to a new local eatery collective, cheekily named Apocalypse Eats, which built a membership of 400 in just 24 hours.
The collective’s first job is to build its Future Feeders online platform, which will be similar to Uber Eats but will feature an all-Tasmanian menu by local chefs, using local produce, and keeping local staff employed.
7.20pm: 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.
6.50pm: PENNICOTT BUSINESS SUSPENDS OPERATIONS
THE renowned Pennicott Wilderness Journeys is the latest Tasmanian business suffering because of the coronavirus crisis, suspending operations indefinitely.
Managing director Robert Pennicott said the decision would affect more than 100 staff, most of which were casuals.
The business, which has been in operation for more than 20 years and runs cruises and day tours in Tasmania and Victoria, catered for about 129,000 guests last financial year.
But like many businesses, it is now facing an uncertain future.
4.30pm: HOBART INDEPENDENT SCHOOL MAKES MOVE TO ONLINE LEARNING
HOBART independent all girls school St Michael’s Collegiate has announced this afternoon it will transition to online learning only from tomorrow onwards.
An email sent to all parents and carers at the end of the school day today from principal Adam Forsyth said students could attend the three campuses tomorrow, but classes would not be conducted.
The school will fully transition to online learning from Thursday.
3.30pm: MOBILE PROVIDERS SCRAMBLE TO DEAL WITH INCREASING DEMAND
MOBILE network providers are scrambling to boost their capabilities to cope with congestion resulting from mass unemployment and new coronavirus work-from-home measures across Tasmania and the nation.
Anyone trying to make phone calls to mobile phones in effected areas such as Moonah this week might have received a message saying the call had failed or the network was congested.
A Telstra spokesperson told the Mercury that as more people work from home, and schools close, demand on mobile networks was increasing daily and is set to continue.
“Overall mobile call volumes on certain routes and geographies are up by more than 50 per cent,” the spokesperson said.
Specific numbers to Government call centres are experiencing three times the call volumes compared to last week, and over twenty times the normal call volume.
“As a result we’re seeing congestion impacting a small proportion [3-4 per cent] of calls on our mobile network, with most of the congestion being driven by the high number of calls to Government 13 and 1800 numbers.”
12.49pm: KEEPING SCHOOLS OPEN SENDING TASMANIA ‘MIXED MESSAGES’
CALLS to shutter Tasmania’s schools and for more community testing for coronavirus had dominated a subdued Question Time in state parliament today.
Premier Gutwein came under sustained pressure from Labor and the Greens to close schools.
“Every day that schools remain open you are sending a mixed message to the community,” Labor leader Rebecca White said.
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WHITE: SHUT SCHOOLS AND ALL NON-ESSENTIAL SERVICES
11.13am: CORONAVIRUS AUSTRALIA: MICHAEL HILL CLOSES 300 STORES
Iconic jewellery chain Michael Hill has taken the extraordinary step of closing 300 shops around the globe as a result of the escalating COVID-19 crisis.
In a statement issued to investors this morning, the ASX-listed company revealed it was taking drastic measures as a direct result of the coronavirus pandemic, which has devastated sales.
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9.37am: MINISTER IN SELF-ISOLATION, MORE SEVERE MEASURES EN ROUTE
TENS of thousands of Tasmanians lost their jobs on Monday due to the coronavirus response and further strict measures to protect public health are on their way, Premier Peter Gutwein says.
A grim-faced Premier urged the public to heed measures urged by health officials — and said police were prepared to enforce the law requiring people to self-isolate, including Minister for Sport, Recreation and Racing Jane Howlett.
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9pm, yesterday: SIX NEW CASES AS PREMIER DECLARES WAR ON COVID-19
SIX more cases of coronavirus have been confirmed in Tasmania, health authorities have confirmed.
Acting Director of Public Health Scott McKeown said this brought the state’s tally of confirmed cases to 28.
Four of the new cases are from the Ruby Princess cruise ship that arrived in Sydney on Thursday.
One is from another cruise ship Celebrity Solstice that arrived in Sydney a day later, while the other has recently returned from overseas.
Three of the new cases are from northern Tasmania and the other three are from the state’s south.
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6.30pm: PREMIER PETER GUTWEIN’S ADDRESS TO TASMANIANS
THE Premier has made an address to Tasmanians regarding how to keep themselves and their families safe during the coronavirus crisis.
“This is the gravest threat out State and Nation has faced in decades,” Mr Gutwein said.
He outlined the unprecedented measures his government was taking in the interest of “going hard and early”.
“We are acting decisively to safe lives.”
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