Covid-positive teen visits IGA Newnham, sparking exposure fears
A supermarket manager is outraged a teenager was able to leave home quarantine and visit his store while Covid-positive, as he reveals further details about the visit. LATEST DETAILS >>
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A 15-year-old who tested positive to Covid-19 left home quarantine to go to his local IGA and also had visitors at his house when he was supposed to be isolating, it has been revealed.
Deputy Premier Jeremy Rockliff said Public Health became aware of the outing on Monday along with the fact the home the teenager was quarantining in was visited by two family members.
“The 15-year-old left home quarantine on Saturday and travelled with a cousin to the IGA in Newnham,” Mr Rockliff said.
“We’ve confirmed through CCTV camera footage an exposure window of 2.20pm to 2.45pm on Saturday the 2nd of October.
“This is a limited exposure time frame, however, out of an abundance of caution we’re declaring the IGA as an exposure site during this time frame.”
Store manager Harry Jones was outraged the teenager was able to leave home quarantine and visit his store while Covid-positive.
“We’re pretty pissed that he didn’t do the right thing and a bit concerned that he was with a few other people and could have infected them,” Mr Jones said.
“The boy who served him has been asked to quarantine for 14 days. Two other staff who were there at the time have been asked to quarantine for five days.
“We’ve done a clean of all the surfaces, doors, fridges and anything they could have touched.”
Check in Tas data is being used to identify those at risk, with those affected urged to self-isolate and book a test.
“A number of close contacts have already been identified, including the shop keeper who served the pair and is now in quarantine,” Mr Rockliff said.
Those who checked into the IGA on Saturday afternoon have been contacted via SMS.
“We want to hear back from you to hear whether you were there at the exposure window,” Public Health director Mark Vietch said.
Store manager Sandra Boland believed there were half a dozen people in the store at the time the infected teenager was there, including other groups of boys.
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In footage of the CCTV seen by the Mercury, neither the teenager nor his cousin are seen wearing a face mask.
They both appear to sanitise their hands upon entering the store.
The cousin is seen purchasing cigarettes through a contactless payment with his mobile phone.
They both then leave the store.
Ms Boland said it was concerning the teenager had been able to leave quarantine.
“How does something like this happen?” Ms Boland said.
“It really is something that makes us a bit angry.
“There were another group of young boys who came in at the time but I don’t know if they were together or not.
“In total, there were three lots of two boys.
“(The Covid-positive teenager) didn’t purchase anything, he pushed his scooter around the store.”
The IGA was not required to undertake a deep clean of the store but Ms Boland said the store had been cleaned since the incident.
“We stick to protocol, we’re constantly sanitising, we have a divider at the door,” she said.
“It’s not something we’ve changed, we’ve always been prepared for this day to happen.”
Regarding the employee who is now deemed a close contact of the teenager, Ms Boland said he would undergo quarantine and was doing well so far.
“I’ve spoken to his mum, she’s been practical, he’s had his first shot, she knows everyone is doing their best to look after him,” she said.
One local resident said the incident was concerning for those who were not yet vaccinated.
“This could be a problem for not just for our area, but the whole of state.”
Another said it was “outrageous” the youth had left quarantine.
“They’re given the opportunity to quarantine at home and this happens.”
Before his trip to the IGA, the teenager was visited by family members on Friday night and into Saturday morning.
“Both those people are now in quarantine, quite promptly after the discovery of their movements and they pose no risk to the Tasmanian public,” Dr Vietch said.
“They’ll remain in quarantine for 14 days.”
It’s not yet confirmed if the teenager has the Delta strain of Covid but Dr Vietch said it was “almost certain”.
In light of the new information, the Public Health hotline was supported with extra staff between 3pm and 9pm on Monday to manage additional calls and testing capabilities were increased in Launceston.
Those in Launceston’s northern suburbs are urged to get tested.
“Over the next week if you have any symptoms of Covid, now’s the time to not ignore them, please come forward and get tested,” Dr Vietch said.
He said he believed the risk to the wider Launceston community was still low, despite about 100 people visiting the IGA over a three to four-hour window.
Acting Health Commander Dale Webster said there was additional testing capacity at the Wellington St, Launceston, clinic over the next few days and increased vaccination capacity in Launceston over the coming days.
The 15-year-old remains “clinically well” in the Covid-19 case management centre at Fountainside, accompanied by his father, who has so far returned negative tests for Covid.
His condition will be continued to be monitored.
Meanwhile, as Victoria continues to record a high number of daily cases, new hot spots have been declared.
The local government areas of Manningham, Maroondah and Stonnington have been declared high risk level one.
Teen transferred to medi-hotel
Sunday, October 3, 2021:
A 15-YEAR-OLD boy with Covid isolating in Hobart will be monitored closely by health professionals in the first test of Tasmania’s medi-hotel facility since last December.
The teenager, who was transferred by ambulance from Launceston on Sunday, is the first confirmed Tasmanian to contract the virus in more than a year – the last case in August involved a Sydney visitor who tested positive and then left the state.
Fountainside, which has 48 rooms and is owned by the University of Tasmania, was last used to accommodate Covid-positive returned travellers from a repatriation flight in December 2020.
Health authorities will be keen to avoid a break out of the Delta strain that has occurred interstate, with more than 20 breaches of quarantine, including cases from hotels in Melbourne, this year and last year.
Health Department secretary Kathrine Morgan-Wicks said the Fountainside medi-hotel had been retained on standby for cases and activated within four hours of being notified of a case.
She said the model of care of the teenager, who has mild symptoms and is with his father at Fountainside, involved daily monitoring.
“They’re not actually admitted as a patient in hospital, they’re not sick enough for that,” Ms Morgan-Wicks said.
“(But) we’re only a hop, skip and a jump from the Hobart hospital so if there’s any kind of deterioration, clinicians can make a judgment for admission to hospital.”
Premier Peter Gutwein moved to reassure Tasmanians there was low risk to the community after the case was confirmed after the boy returned on a Virgin flight from Melbourne on about lunchtime Friday.
“The teenager and his family have done everything right in this process, and this case shows that our rigorous border systems are working – both in identifying this case very early and immediately acting to reduce the risk to the community,” he said.
“This is, of course, a reminder that Covid-19 remains a risk to our state, and our greatest weapon to reduce the risk to all of us is to get vaccinated.
“We will reach a point where we need to live with Covid, and before that time, we want to take every step to protect Tasmanians, protect our health system, and our economy.”
Launceston Airport has been declared an exposure site between 11.30am and 12.30pm on Friday October 1.
Mr Gutwein urged Tasmanians thinking of travelling interstate to inform themselves of exposure sites.
“Our message to anyone who is thinking about travelling that they need to be aware of the risks,” he said.
“You might be able to get away to have a couple of days in the sun but it may be that when you return you may have to spend 14 days in quarantine.”
Mr Gutwein said the state was on track to be 90 per cent double-dose vaccinated among Tasmanians 16 and older by December 1, but that would still leave 130,000 Tasmanians unvaccinated.
EARLIER: A 15-year-old boy who tested positive to Covid-19 in Launceston has spent the night in hospital at the LGH to reduce the risk to members in his household.
Premier Peter Gutwein revealed the teenager will travel to Hobart later on Sunday with a family member to isolate at the Fountainside medi-hotel.
Mr Gutwein said there was low risk to the community after the positive Covid-19 case was diagnosed in Launceston on Saturday.
“Our health authorities are working with the family to ensure they are receiving appropriate monitoring and care,” he said.
“The teenager and his family have done everything right in this process, and this case shows that our rigorous border systems are working – both in identifying this case very early and immediately acting to reduce the risk to the community.
“This is, of course, a reminder that Covid-19 remains a risk to our state, and our greatest weapon to reduce the risk to all of us is to get vaccinated.
“Anyone in Tasmania who has been waiting to get vaccinated, please do not put it off any longer. We will reach a point where we need to live with Covid, and before that time, we want to take every step to protect Tasmanians, protect our health system, and our economy.”
Mr Gutwein said all the teen’s family members and primary contacts have been required to quarantine for 14 days, including all 10 passengers who were also on the Virgin flight from Melbourne.
He said Launceston Airport had been declared an exposure site between 11.30am and 12.30pm on Friday October 1.
Mr Gutwein urged Tasmanians thinking of travelling interstate to inform themselves of exposure sites.
“Our message to anyone who is thinking about travelling that they need to be aware of the risks,” he said.
“You might be able to get away to have a couple of days in the sun but it may be that when you return you may have to spend 14 days in quarantine.”
Mr Gutwein said the state was on track to be 90 per cent double-dose vaccinated among Tasmanians 16 and older by December 1.
Mr Gutwein said that will still leave 130,000 Tasmanians unvaccinated.
Health Minister Jeremy Rockliff urged eligible Tasmanians who have not been vaccinated to get their shots.
The Door of Hope clinic in Launceston has been opened as a walk-in clinic on Sunday with capacity for 650 appointments for Tasmanians aged 12-17.
Mr Rockliff said there were 12,000 unvaccinated in postcodes of Launceston and Newnham.
Health Department secretary Kathryn Morgan-Wicks said Tasmania was averaging 800-1000 tests a day.
She said there were 25,000 vaccination spots available to be booked in the next six weeks across the state with extra clinics being held in Launceston.
Public Health director Mark Veitch confirmed late on Saturday night that a male teenager who travelled from Melbourne to Launceston on Friday has tested positive.
“The person travelled from Launceston Airport into quarantine at a family home, and underwent a routine Covid-19 test the same day,” Dr Veitch said.
“The person reported complying with all requirements, including wearing a mask, from arriving at Melbourne Airport until leaving Launceston Airport.”
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The teenager will be moved to Hobart and will be isolating in the Fountainside medi-hotel.
Virgin Australia flight VA 1364, which arrived at Launceston Airport about 11.30am on Friday has been declared an exposure site, with passengers regarded as close contacts.
The 10 passengers on the flight have been contacted. Most were already in quarantine because of existing requirements and the remainder are also now in quarantine.
“A small number of biosecurity and security staff at Launceston Airport have also been identified as casual contacts and have been required to quarantine until undertaking a test,” Dr Veitch said.
“The risk to other persons at Launceston Airport at the same time as the case is low. However, in keeping with the cautious approach being taken, the airport arrival hall, including baggage pick-up, has been declared an exposure site between 11.30am and 12.30pm on Friday, 1 October.
“People in the arrival hall between 11.30am and 12.30pm on Friday, 1 October, are casual contacts and should immediately isolate where they are and contact the Public Health Hotline on 1800 671 738 after 8am on Sunday.”
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