Tasmania eases border restrictions with the Northern Territory
Tasmania will ease border restrictions with the Northern Territory after no new cases were detected over the weekend. LATEST COVID NEWS >>
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TASMANIA’S Public Health Service has confirmed all of the Northern Territory will be designated a low-risk area from midnight on Sunday night.
The decision follows no new cases being identified in the NT over the weekend.
Public Health will cancel the stay-at-home direction for all people who arrived in Tasmania before 4pm on August 16 and were in the municipalities of Darwin, Palmerston or Katherine on or since 11pm on August 12.
They will be able to resume their normal activities from Monday.
NT border restrictions to be updated
Tasmania is expected to make changes to border restrictions with the Northern Territory this weekend, Public Health has announced.
From midnight on Sunday the territory is due to be designated low-risk and anyone who travels into the state from the area will no longer have to undergo quarantine.
“This decision depends on no new and significant COVID-19 risk being identified in the NT over the next two days.” said Director of Public Health, Dr Mark Veitch.
A stay-at-home order is expected to be revoked for anyone who arrived in Tasmania before 4pm on 16 August who was in either Darwin, Palmerston or Katherine on or since 11pm of 12 August, with those affected able to return to normal movements in the community.
Queensland travellers fined thousands for border breach
Two travellers from Queensland have been fined $1557 each after travelling into Tasmania without a pre-approved Tas e-Travel pass.
The pair had arrived on a flight into Hobart on Monday August 16 when border restrictions were still in place between Tasmania and Queensland.
Travel restrictions were eased the following day with the entire state now considered low-risk as a result of low Covid cases.
Tassie’s border changes with QLD, green light for AFL match
TRAVELLERS from Queensland will again be able to enjoy quarantine-free entry into Tasmania, following the lifting of border rules with the mainland state.
From midnight Tuesday, restrictions on 11 local government areas in southeast Queensland and two in the Cairns region were removed, meaning the entire state is now low-risk.
It also provides relief for those in Tasmania currently subject to stay-at-home orders due to having recently been in high-risk Queensland regions, who are now able to leave isolation.
But a host of other restrictions with other Australian states and territories will remain indefinitely, especially in NSW and Victoria where larger coronavirus outbreaks continue, but also with the ACT and the Northern Territory.
It comes as the state government continues to face pressure from the business community to release details about how a potential future outbreak of the Delta strain of the virus in Tasmania would be managed.
The Tasmanian Chamber of Commerce and Industry renewed its calls for the government to publicly release its Covid contingency plan.
“The TCCI has been overwhelmed by the number of calls and emails from businesses around the state wanting more information and to express their disappointment that the government hasn’t provided any clarify to date,” chief executive Michael Bailey said.
Mr Gutwein said the government expected to provide further details this week to provide a guide to Tasmanians.
It came as the Premier expressed disappointment some travellers continued to flout border rules to try to circumvent Tasmania’s restrictions.
“If you don’t follow the rules, we will catch you and you will be fined,’’ he said.
Mr Gutwein also announced a further measure that he says will help protect Tasmania against the threat posed by the Delta variant of the virus.
Anyone approved to travel to Tasmania from a high risk level 1 location — the state’s current classification for NSW — will have to produce a negative Covid-19 test within 72 hours of their travel to Tasmania.
Test results will be able to be uploaded into the G2G system before travel, and Mr Gutwein said the new rule would add another layer of protection and compliance to the state’s systems.
“We want to ensure those who need to come home can do so safely, so it’s important that those who do not need to come to Tasmania at this time don’t, and we believe this additional requirement will help us with that,’’ the Premier said.
Meanwhile, Public Health director Dr Mark Veitch said a response from Tasmanian authorities to the case recently diagnosed in the state in a traveller from NSW had detected no new cases.
Almost all contacts of the man, who was in quarantine and returned to NSW while waiting for his Covid-19 test result this month, have now been released from quarantine requirements.
Dr Veitch also clarified that transiting through NSW to enter Tasmania for quarantine-free travel was not allowed, with travellers regarded as having been in a high-risk area even if they were mostly contained to their vehicle.
Green light for AFL match
Mr Gutwein confirmed the St Kilda vs Fremantle match would occur on Sunday at 12.15pm at Blundstone Arena.
He said Fremantle would be coming from low-risk Western Australia.
St Kilda will fly in on a charter flight and will leave straight afterwards.
The Premier said all AFL teams were operating in a sterile corridor and Public Health had given approval for the match to go ahead.
Where to get the vaccine in Tasmania
TWO new super clinics delivering the Pfizer Covid-19 vaccination will soon be rolled out, as the state’s six-week blitz to deliver jabs into the arms of Tasmanians gathers pace.
A clinic in Hobart will be held at MAC 02, Macquarie Wharf on the weekend of August 28 and 29, while the Burnie Arts and Function Centre will host another on September 11 and 12.
Together, they will deliver an estimated 3400 doses across the two weekends, with the clinics targeted at those aged 30-59 who had not yet had a first dose of the vaccine.
Almost one in three eligible Tasmanians are now fully vaccinated, with a target to have 63 per cent of people have at least their first dose by next month.
Health department secretary Kathrine Morgan-Wicks 10,800 new first dose vaccination appointments had been made available in the past five days.
And Tasmanians have responded, with more than 6500 first dose appointments being made since last week.
It comes as 43 community pharmacies have come on board with the rollout, administering more than 300 vaccination doses last weekend.
Meanwhile, a program to deliver the vaccine to students over the age of 16 ramps up next week with a clinic at Hobart’s Elizabeth College starting next Monday. (AUGUST 23)
Ms Morgan-Wicks said arrangements with colleges and schools were being made regarding consent, with a strong preference that a decision for 16-18 year olds to be vaccinated was reached jointly with their parent or guardian.
However, she said in some circumstances, students over 16 may be able to give their own consent following a discussion with a nurse immuniser.
Consent forms were being made available in 64 different languages.
In state community clinics, there are hundreds of appointments available at Kingston in the next four weeks, at the Blundstone Arena clinic during September, in Hobart City and Moonah from mid-September onwards.
Meanwhile, a vaccination clinic will be held on Bruny Island on August 25 and 26, with the community there encouraged to roll up their sleeves.
To book an appointment, call the Public Health Hotline on 1800 671 738 or book online at www.coronavirus.tas.gov.au
Tassie woman first to be slapped with double-fine for Covid breach
An elderly Tasmanian woman is the first to have been slapped with the now-doubled fine of $1557 after arriving into Launceston from Sydney without an approved G2G pass.
The woman in her 70s continued her travel into the state even after her application for a G2G pass was rejected.
“Travellers from high-risk areas should not assume they will be granted Essential Traveller status or have access to hotel quarantine until they receive approval in the form of their G2G PASS.” said Tasmania Police.
Tassie businesses hit hard by Covid to share in $20 million
The state government has announced a $20 million business support package in a bid to give much-needed relief to Tasmanian businesses impacted by border closures.
The initiative forms part of the government’s ‘4 Point Delta Shield Plan’ and will provide thousands of dollars in financial support to businesses operating in tourism, hospitality, arts and events, seafood and transport sectors.
Tasmanian Premier Peter Gutwein said the package will help struggling businesses that rely on interstate and overseas tourism.
“Financial support of between $2000 and $10,000 will be available to businesses that have suffered a 30 per cent decline in their turnover.” said Premier Gutwein.
“We will continue to monitor the situation around the nation and review the impacts on our businesses moving forward to determine any additional measures that may be required as we continue to respond to the ongoing COVID-19 situation around the country.”
The jointly funded package by the Tasmanian and federal government is part of $3 billion in economic support that has been provided to the state over the course of the pandemic.
“This package will help to keep businesses in business and Tasmanians in jobs.” said Federal Treasurer Josh Frydenberg.
The rollout of the package will begin on Tuesday 17 August with grants non-competitive and assessed in order of receipt.
5000 Tasmanians jabbed on Day 1 of vaccination blitz
THE Health Minister has issued a call to arms on day one of Tasmania’s vaccine blitz: “Don’t wait, vaccinate!”.
The urgency of the appeal was underlined as the state slammed shut its borders to the Australian Capital Territory — where a case of the highly transmissible Covid-19 Delta variant sparked an almost immediate seven-day lockdown.
Jeremy Rockliff said Tasmanians are stepping up: with 78,000 forward bookings for jabs.
As the starting gun on the vaccine blitz fired: 5,000 people rolled up their sleeves in clinics around the state on Wednesday.
The state government has announced the “Super Six week” blitz to head off the looming Delta threat.
Mr Rockliff said the next few weeks would be among the most critical in the fight against the pandemic so far.
“I could not be any clearer about the importance of vaccination. Don’t wait, vaccinate. Please book that appointment,” he said.
“There is no better way to protect yourself, your loved ones, your friends and your family, than to get vaccinated.
“The consequences of Delta variant are very, very serious, which is why we’re really upping the ante when it comes to that four-point plan of Delta Shield.”
Premier Peter Gutwein announced the plan on Wednesday. It includes the vaccine push; increased border controls; enhanced testing, tracking and tracing and business support package.
“We’re doing well here in Tasmania — and we need to strive to do even better,” Mr Rockliff said.
“We’re leading the nation, but we need to get those vax rates up as quickly as possible, particularly in those areas we announced just yesterday, which will include of course, extending opening hours of clinics.”
Further details of the plan are expected in the coming days.
Underlining the seriousness of the race between vaccination rates and the arrival of the Delta virus, Tasmania’s Public Health authorities are announced that the ACT was declared high risk level 2 from 5pm.
“This will mean that from 5pm this evening, anyone who has spent time in the ACT will not be permitted to enter Tasmania unless approved as an Essential Traveller and if approved, they will need to quarantine at a suitable premises for 14 days,” a government spokeswoman said.
“Tasmania’s Public Health authorities will provide further details following a meeting of AHPCC about what this means for those already in the State who have spent time in the ACT.
“However anyone who has recently arrived from the ACT is asked to closely monitor their symptoms, and if they have any symptoms no matter how mild, should immediately self-isolate and call the Public Health hotline on 1800 671 738 for further advice.”
Similar restrictions remain in place for all of New South Wales and Victoria and parts of Queensland.
Three Tasmanians caught out giving false travel information
Three Tasmanians have been fined after Police investigations revealed they had declared false travel information on their Tas e-Travel passes, in breach of COVID-19 directions.
A 34-year-old from Ulverstone was fined $778.50 after he had spent time in Victoria but had not travelled directly through the Level 2 high-risk area as declared on his Tas-e-Travel pass.
The man flew into Devonport on 6 August, and has been directed to home quarantine for 14 days.
Two women from East Coast Tasmania 71 and 52 were also fined a total of $1,557 after falsely declaring they had transited directly through New South Wales and had not spent time in the Level 1 high-risk area.
The pair arrived on the Spirit of Tasmania on 11 August and have been placed in a government hotel quarantine facility for 14 days.
Inspector John Toohey from the State Police Operations Centre said police will hand down bigger penalties for those who continue to breach travel rules.
“As was announced yesterday, the infringement for breaching border rules will double from Friday, and people doing the wrong thing will face an on the spot fine of $1557, ” he said.
“These rules need to be taken seriously, they are in place to keep us all safe and to limit the very real risk of COVID-19 making it to our shores.”
“The vast majority of people are doing the right thing, but we need those who aren’t, to put the selfishness aside and think about the wider community, particularly those who are more vulnerable.”
Anyone entering Tasmania who has spent time in a high-risk area must seek pre-approval from the Deputy State Controller to enter the state as an Essential Traveller.
The G2G system is used to apply, assess, endorse or reject these applications, according to Tasmania Police.
AFL call made as Gutwein reveals ‘4-point Delta shield’ - August 11
TASMANIA has launched a six-week Covid-19 vaccine blitz as the first step in a new push to head off the highly transmissible Delta variant ravaging the eastern seaboard.
Premier Peter Gutwein today announced increased fines, more contact tracers and vaccines for school students.
“Delta is different. I can’t stress that enough,” he said.
“Today I’m announcing a four-point Delta Shield Plan that we got to put into place immediately.
“It will involve one, our borders and strengthening the processes that we have there. Secondly, a vaccine blitz.
“Thirdly, we’re going to strengthen testing, tracking and tracing and four, there will be a business support package.”
Mr Gutwein said people fleeing other states were putting pressure on the Tasmanian borders.
Those arriving after being denied a G2G pass or breaching quarantine orders will faces fines increased from $774 to $1557.
Victoria announced 20 new Covid cases today while NSW recorded 344 new locally acquired cases today.
As part of the ‘shield’, borders for travellers from those states will remain closed.
In the case of Victoria, borders will remain closed for a minimum of two weeks.
NSW will be closed for the “foreseeable future”, according to Mr Gutwein.
Locals who “blatantly” fail to use the Check-In Tas app will be fined $774, as police switch from an educative approach to enforcement.
The state’s border will remain closed to Victoria for up to four weeks and to NSW indefinitely. Queensland hot spots will be monitored at the situation there unfolds.
The AFL match scheduled for Launceston this weekend will go ahead.
The state will run a “super six” vaccine blitz to lift vaccine rates into the mid 60 per cent levels by mid-September.
“We’ll do this by commencing a program to vaccinate college students — 16- to 18-year-olds — from the 23rd of this month with the timing selected in conjunction with the Department of Education to best suit examination rescheduling,” Mr Gutwein said.
Wednesday’s announcement was the first government press conference to be live-streamed to the popular youth social media platform TikTok, under the premier’s “papi_g” account.
State clinics will open on extra days and for longer hours, and pharmacies would be brought online to target all eligible 30- to 59-year-olds.
Vaccines will become generally available for the 16- to 29-year old age group in the first week of September.
The state’s contact tracing workforce will also be doubled with the addition of another 200 staff.
“The experience of the two major states in dealing with this virus provides sobering information in terms of the risk that is present just over our fence, just over our moat,” Mr Gutwein said.
“It’s important that we do what we can here in this state to ensure that we are in the best possible place to ensure that we protect the health and safety of Tasmanians.
And Mr Gutwein said the state had negotiated a support package with Federal Treasurer Josh Frydenberg for businesses affected by the downturn in interstate travel with a targeted emphasis on the tourism, hospitality, arts and transport sectors. Details will be announced next week.
Tasmanians have rushed to be tested, 1,263 on Tuesday alone, 3,690 over the last three days.
There have been 353,591 doses of vaccine delivered to date, with 51.5 per cent of Tasmanians receiving one dose and 28 per cent fully vaccinated.
Health Minister Jeremy Rockliff said doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine would be available in community pharmacies from Monday to help boost vaccine coverage for the over-60s. The rollout will be targeted to regions with lower than average take-up.
Tassie’s Four-point Delta Shield
1. Strengthening borders: The Tasmanian government will be cracking down on people from interstate — including people “fleeing” other states — more than doubling fines for people who enter illegally or breach quarantine. The government also plans to improve its methods of delivering information travellers at interstate air and seaports.
2. “Super 6-week vaccine blitz”: Aims to boost Tasmania’s vaccination rate above 60 per cent by September. These efforts include vaccination of college students, extra opening hours at clinics and introducing pharmacies to the rollout.
3. Improving testing, tracking and tracing: The government plans to engage and learn from with interstate contact tracing counterparts, double the tracing workforce and improve systems and IT improvements.
4. Business support package: The government will introduce a business support package targeting tourism, hospitality, arts and events, and transport (hire car, coach tours) sectors with more detail to be announced later this week.
Director of Public Health Mark Veitch said vaccination was critical to the state’s fight to ward off the Delta variant
“There is very powerful evidence that if you get vaccinated, you’re much less likely to die of Covid, much less likely to end up in hospital,” he said.
“NSW is experiencing those awful outcomes in numbers because of the widespread spread of the Delta strain in their community.
“It’s really emphasised to us how quickly this gets around how much harm it causes.”
He said that identified contacts who were required to quarantine following the detection of a positive case in a visitor to the state’s north have all tested negative and were shortly due for exit testing.
“I think it will provide Tasmania with considerable reassurance as we see those tests come back negative over the coming days,” he said.
Hawks vs Bulldogs to go ahead - but on a knife’s edge
Words by Adam Smith
THE state’s last AFL match of the 2021 season will proceed — as long as northern Tasmania avoids another positive Covid-19 case between now and the weekend.
Hawthorn’s round 22 showdown against the second placed Western Bulldogs in Launceston has been given the green light by Public Health and premier Peter Gutwein, a week after the blockbuster clash featuring Collingwood was aborted at the 11th hour.
Mr Gutwein pulled the plug on the Pies’ first ever contest in the state for premiership points last Thursday following the first confirmed case of the virus detected locally in 238 days.
However despite the borders remaining closed to Victoria, the Hawks and Dogs have been granted permission to fly in and out on game day.
The AFL is yet to finalise the round 22 fixture, with days and times for eight games to be confirmed.
Capacity at UTAS Stadium will be capped at 10,000, while spectators will be required to wear masks.
Director of Public Health Mark Veitch gave the tick of approval for the contest to go ahead, providing no further positive Covid-19 cases in Tasmania occur.
“I wouldn’t have provided support for a football match occurring if I thought there was a risk to Tasmanians,” Dr Veitch said.
“We put some limits on it, we limit the number of people going to the match to 10,000 people, we restrict it to people in seats, and 10,000 people is less than seated capacity.
“We are also … requiring people to wear masks.
“I think that’s a good suite of mitigations, nothing is risk free.
“If we were unfortunate enough to have a case of coronavirus diagnosed between now and then in the northern Tasmania community, I would be afraid Footscray and Hawthorn would be playing somewhere else in all probability.
“Lets hope that doesn’t happen. I think the risk is pretty well mitigated.”
While the Hawks are languishing in 15th spot on the ladder, they are finishing their final campaign under master coach Alastair Clarkson strongly.
Hawthorn has tied with ladder leaders Melbourne and defeated fellow finals bound outfit Brisbane in the past month, as well as accounting for the Pies last Sunday.
The Western Bulldogs will be looking to rebound following a shock loss to Essendon last Sunday which saw them relinquish top spot.
“It has been determined that given the improved situation in Launceston, the fact that our border with Victoria will remain closed and therefore no Victorians can attend the game, the scheduled game this week at UTAS Stadium will proceed in a Covid safe manner,” Mr Gutwein said.
“Teams are already in Covid bubbles, players are tested up to three times a week and they obviously need to provide a negative test prior to travelling.
“They will fly in and out on the day on chartered planes, the team and small amount of support staff will not have any contact with our community.”
Crack down on Tasmanian check-in dodgers
The days of ignoring mandatory check in points for Covid-19 contact tracing at Tasmanian businesses are over, according to Premier Peter Gutwein.
Authorities have pledged to crack down on check-in dodgers after it was revealed on Monday not a single noncompliance fine had been issued despite industry reports of breaches.
Mr Gutwein said as a whole, businesses and the broader community were working effectively with health authorities but fines would now be handed out for those failing to check in either via the Check in Tas app or on paper.
“Police will start to issue infringement notices where people flaunt the rules whist going about our community,” he said.
“In the main, Tasmanians are doing the right thing but this is not the time to be complacent and we will start issuing infringement notices where people blatantly breach those rules.”
Tasmania Police Deputy Commissioner Donna Adams said Tasmania police had so far taken an “educative approach” with the Check in Tas app but had been made aware of cases of noncompliance through public tip-offs.
“We’ve see high levels of compliance,” she said.
“We have also seen members of the public who have actually reported breaches of people not using the app,” she said.
“It’s now really important that people understand this is a critical tool for our contact tracing and Tasmania Police will play a role where it’s required …. issuing infringements for those that are failing to comply. “
According to Deputy Commissioner Adams, Work Safe Tasmania, Tasmania Police and other stakeholders will begin visiting businesses to ensure they know their responsibilities.
The number of premises that were required to have the check-in QR codes expanded on July 31 to include shopping centres, schools and retailers such as supermarkets, and Everyone 16 or older is required to check in.
Starting Friday, Tasmanians catching taxis or ride-share services such as Uber will be required to check in and public transport expected to follow soon.
New check-in rules for Tasmanians
A stay at home order has been issued for all people currently in Tasmania who have been in the Cairns and Yarrabah Local Government Areas in Far North Queensland on or after July 29.
These areas entered a three day lockdown on Monday, following a Covid-19 case detected in a taxi driver, and Tasmania has now closed the border to people wanting to enter the state from these areas unless deemed an essential traveller which will require 14 days of quarantine.
For those under the stay at home order; leaving the house is only permitted within 5 kilometres of the home for shopping for necessary goods and services, access to medical treatments including Covid-19 testing, exercising with a maximum of one person from the household, undertaking work and study if unable to do so at the person’s primary residence and leaving the state.
“Apart from these rules we ask that you stay at home,” Premier Peter Gutwein said.
“When leaving home masks must be warn unless exempted.
“And people bound by the stay at home order must not have visitors.”
Any Covid-19 vaccination appointments for those under the order will need to be rescheduled by calling the Public Health hotline.
Mr Gutwein said the state’s contact tracers have been put to the test and delivered “outstanding” service following the discovery of a 31 year old man who flew into Launceston from NSW last Monday and later returned a positive result for the highly contagious Delta strain of Covid-19.
Director of Public Health Dr Mark Veitch said 187 people had been classified as a contact in relation to the man, who has since returned to NSW, including 108 “primary close contacts”.
Among those were 82 people currently in Tasmania who were on the same Virgin flight as the man, a further 11 “casual contacts with more remote exposure to the case”, and 66 people classed as “secondary contacts”.
Dr Veitch said 72 of the 82 people from the Virgin flight have already been tested for Covid-19 and further results were expected to arrive in the next day.
Measures in keeping Tasmanians safe have been extended, with all taxi and Uber drivers required to have a QR code check-in system in place from 6pm this Friday, with buses expected to soon follow suit.
In a testing blitz, there were 1158 tests undertaken in Tasmania on Sunday and 1543 in total processed in laboratories on this day.
Health department secretary Kathrine Morgan-Wicks said the state was on track to meet its’ target of having 70 per cent of eligible Tasmanians fully vaccinated by the end of October and 80 per cent by the end of November.
This was due to the vaccination doses having passed 350,000 doses over the weekend, with 351,829 doses recorded as of Sunday night and 5430 doses administered from last Friday to Sunday.
Ms Morgan-Wicks said of particular interest, 84 per cent of those aged 70 and over had received the first dose and 53 per cent were fully vaccinated, but “more work needs to be done with first doses so please have that chat with your GP”.
In the 50 years and over age group, more than 72 per cent had received their first dose and over 36 per cent were fully vaccinated.
Tasmania’s border closures remain in place with NSW, which recorded 283 new cases on Monday, and with Victoria, which recorded 11 new cases.
While the Queensland lockdown of 11 LGAs ended on Sunday afternoon, Tasmania’s border closures remain in place with these LGAs, as the state recorded 4 new cases on Monday.
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