Daily blog, May 8: No new cases of COVID-19 diagnosed
No new cases of coronavirus have been diagnosed as Premier Peter Gutwein’s exit strategy from COVID-19 lockdowns has been given a big tick by Opposition members.
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WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:
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- Everything we know about the cases of COVID-19 in Tasmania
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8.15pm: NO NEW CASES OF COVID-19
NO NEW cases of COVID-19 have been diagnosed as of 6pm today.
The state’s total remains at 225 cases. Processing of testing is continuing tonight.
7pm: ‘LIGHT THROUGH THE DARKNESS’: RECOVERY PLAN GETS TICK
A ROAD MAP to ease restrictions in Tasmania as the state plots its way out of the coronavirus crisis has gained the broad support of opposition members of state parliament.
Labor leader Rebecca White said the clear time frames for the state’s recovery process were welcome, and that lifting restrictions with caution was the best approach.
“While Tasmanians now have a clearer picture of when restrictions may ease, we must not become complacent,’’ she said.
6pm: WHEN WILL LOCAL LEAGUES RESTART?
TASMANIA’S major winter sporting codes have been given a tentative start date as they look to emerge from the coronavirus crisis.
Premier Peter Gutwein unveiled his three stage plan on the road map to recovery, with sporting associations eager to obtain some clarity on when they can resume.
Under stage two — subject to public health advice — from June 15, indoor sport and recreation, including pool use, and outdoor community sport will be able to resume with a maximum of 20 people.
5pm: RACING RE-START DATE SET
THE Tasmanian Government today handed racing a cautionary restart date as part of the State Government’s road map out of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Premier Peter Gutwein said racing can return from June 13 but it would be subject to a review and risk assessment by Public Health at that time and did not elaborate on the matter.
Racing was shut down six weeks ago on the advice of Public Health that believed the need for participants to from region to region to conduct its business would enhance the possibility of spreading the coronavirus.
Racing continues to operate in every other jurisdiction in Australia which has left Tasmanian participants confused and left to ponder what they have done to warrant having their livelihoods taken away.
The industry remains shut down until June 13 but the Premier confirmed no trainers will be allowed to trial their racing animals before the restart date which effectively extends the industry’s starting date for racing to the end of June at the earliest.
Most industry participants were expecting to be given a restart date some time this month.
Racing Minister Jane Howlett says today's announcement will provide the industry with the certainty it needs to more forward.
“While it is acknowledged that an earlier restart would be preferred by some industry participants, the recommencement date was decided on by expert public health advice and the health and safety of all Tasmanian’s must be our number one priority,” Ms Howlett said.
3.15pm: WATCH THE DAILY PRESS CONFERENCE LIVE
2.30pm: SCOMO REVEALS HOW AUSTRALIA WILL COME OUT OF LOCKDOWN
PRIME Minister Scott Morrison has said “every Australian matters, every life, every future” during his address to the nation about how life begins returning to normal.
Mr Morrison, speaking after chairing the National Cabinet meeting in Canberra, said the country’s leaders agreed to a three-step plan that enabled Australia to “walk before we run”.
Under the Prime Minister’s plans announced today, stage one includes Australians being allowed to gather in groups of 10, and retail stores and cafes/restaurants being allowed to reopen but with trading restrictions.
1.30pm: WHAT EFFECT LEAVING ISOLATION WILL HAVE ON OUR MENTAL HEALTH
NO CONVERSATION that includes the word ‘isolation’ is ever pleasant; something that millions of Australians have discovered as we battle this pandemic.
Humans are not creatures that evolved to be alone and isolated. We are herd animals who discovered millennia ago that there is safety in numbers.
Once isolated we do not deal with it well; it is why isolation is used as a punishment in the corrections system, as even the most hardened crook needs human connection.
What isolation has done for us as people is to highlight what so many Australian’s go through every virus-free day.
12.30pm: AUSSIE SHARES UP AS RBA FORECASTS RECESSION
AUSTRALIA’S central bank has predicted the country is facing its biggest economic contraction on record and says it is committed to support jobs and incomes as the government announced plans to relax pandemic-related restrictions by July.
In its quarterly statement on monetary policy, the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) forecast the $2 trillion economy would shrink by 10 per cent in the first half of the year, marking the first recession in three decades.
Australia saw a rapid spike in the number of COVID-19 cases from less than 100 in March to over 6,900 now.
11.30am: SOUTHERN TASMANIA’S FIRST CASE IN THREE WEEKS
A SOUTHERN Tasmanian man in his 60s is the latest person to test positive for COVID-19.
It is the first case recorded in the state’s South since April 16.
Acting Director of Public Health Dr Scott McKeown said the man had been in quarantine, having travelled to Tasmania from interstate last month.
“Public health investigations are continuing and contact tracing is occurring,” he said.
“To date there has been 225 cases of coronavirus in Tasmania, with 35 cases currently active and 177 cases recovered.”
Any Tasmanian with cold or flu-like symptoms such as a cough, sore throat, runny nose, or fever should contact their GP or call the Public Health Hotline on 1800 671 738 to arrange testing for coronavirus.
The situation with coronavirus is changing frequently. People can stay up to date by visiting the Department of Health coronavirus website www.coronavirus.tas.gov.au or the Australian Government Department of Health website at www.health.gov.au.
8am: HOSPITAL VISITOR SCREENING BEING TESTED AFTER OUTBREAK
THE Tasmanian Health Service has implemented 11 of the 17 recommendations made in an interim report into a coronavirus outbreak in the North-West and the rest are in train, Health Minister Sarah Courtney says.
These measures included staff screening at hospitals and the testing of a visitor screening application which will be rolled out across Tasmania’s hospitals after it is introduced at the Mersey Community Hospital.
New PPE training will also start in the North-West first to ensure staff social distancing and other safety protocols are followed.
7.30am: HOW TO TREAT MUM FOR MOTHER’S DAY IN ISOLATION
ONLINE shopping directories are helping Tasmanians pick up local, last-minute, home-delivered gifts for Mother’s Day.
Locally-made jewellery, clothing, bath and body products, candles, edible treats and alcoholic beverages are among the goods being sold online, with home delivery and click and collect services ensuring Tassie mums can still be spoiled this Sunday.
6.50am: PUBS, CLUBS AND RESTAURANTS DESPERATE FOR DATES
THE cap on the number of mourners allowed at funerals in Tasmania could soon be lifted as the hospitality industry anxiously waits to learn when the doors of hotels and restaurants can reopen.
“Dates are what we need,” Tasmanian Hospitality Association CEO Steve Old said.
“Then we can discuss what venues might look like when they reopen.
“We know there will be some restrictions still in place to start with, but we need to start working with businesses to get them ready for a potential reopening.”
10pm, Thursday: COMMERCIAL TENANTS WIN PROTECTION
URGENT government legislation extending protections to Tasmanian commercial tenants hit by the downturn caused by the pandemic has passed through parliament.
A minor amendment to one clause by the Upper House was accepted by the House of Assembly about 9pm.
Premier Peter Gutwein previously said the COVID-19 Disease Emergency (Commercial Leases Code) Bill 2020 would give effect to the Code of Conduct for commercial tenancies agreed by the national cabinet last month.
“The code prevents termination for unpaid rent, provides for rent freezes and contract extensions, and allows for the proportional sharing of lost revenue by tenants through rent waivers and deferrals,” he said.
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