Coronavirus Tasmania: Entirety of NSW declared a high-risk region

The entire state of NSW has been declared a high-risk region after the worsening Covid-19 outbreak – and any returning travellers will need to quarantine for two weeks at their own expense. LATEST >>

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TASMANIAN authorities have enacted further strict border measures with NSW following a worsening outbreak in the mainland state.

From midnight on Saturday night, the entire state of NSW will be declared high risk level 1, meaning anyone who has been in that state in the past 14 days will not be allowed entry into Tasmania, except for those who are deemed to be essential travellers.

This cohort, including returning Tasmanian residents, will be required to quarantine for 14 days in a government-designated facility at their own cost.

However, those arriving in the 24 hours after the change of declaration will not have to pay the quarantine fee.

“This decision is a further precautionary measure to protect the Tasmanian community and is expected to impact a small number of people previously approved to enter Tasmania from midnight [Saturday],” Public Health deputy director Julie Graham said.

Dr Graham said text messages were being sent to all those previously approved to arrive in Tasmania to advise them of the decision.

This includes passengers on Saturday night’s Spirit of Tasmania sailing from Melbourne to Devonport who had been in NSW in recent weeks.

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Changes to mask rules for returned travellers

DOZENS of Tasmanian workers have been compensated after being forced to isolate amid a coronavirus scare earlier this month.

The state government made the one-off $250 payments available after the workers were told to get a Covid-19 test and isolate until they got a negative result.

Numerous businesses were forced to close their doors abruptly, as a list of 34 possible exposure sites was released.

The action was taken in response to a Launceston healthcare worker who tested positive to the virus in the UK three days after leaving Tasmania.

A Department of Communities spokesman said pandemic isolation grants were available to eligible Tasmanians affected by Covid-19.

“We have received 28 requests for assistance in relation to the individual who travelled from Launceston to London,’’ he said.

“Grants totalling $6000 have been paid for 24 of these requests. Four additional payments are anticipated pending the provision of the individuals’ bank details.”

Meanwhile, more than half a dozen businesses have made submissions to the state government requesting support for the impact the testing blitz had on them.

“We have had seven businesses register their impact through Business Tasmania,’’ a state government spokesman said.

“Business Tasmania is currently working through the details of the impact on each business.”

At the time, Tasmanian authorities said it was unlikely the man was infectious while in the state but the testing blitz was done out of an abundance of caution.

It has uncovered no new cases of Covid-19 in Tasmania, while samples of wastewater have also detected no fragments of the virus statewide.

Tasmanian border restrictions remain

Tasmania’s borders remain shut to South Australia, Victoria and New South Wales, but there is a loosening of restrictions for those who have already returned to the state from Victoria.

Speaking from Launceston on Friday Premier Peter Gutwein said New South Wales continued to deal with a “very grave situation” that could go on for some time.

Over the reporting period to Friday that state recorded 136 new cases with 53 of those cases infectious in the community.

Mr Gutwein said the News South Wales Premier Gladys Berejiklian had not asked at national cabinet for Tasmania to supply additional vaccines and he had not made that offer.

South Australia reported one locally acquired case and Victoria had 14 cases linked to the latest outbreak.

Mr Gutwein said they would continue to carefully watch the situation in Queensland after a flight attendant tested positive after working on six regional flights.

Travellers who have been in South Australia on or since July 8 are required to wear a mask in public in Tasmania unless 14 days have passed since they were in that state.

The requirement will be reviewed on Sunday.

As of midnight Friday those who returned to Tasmania from Victoria are no longer required to wear a mask.

Students and staff who had travelled to Victoria and were unable to attend school will be able to return on Monday.

“However we will continue to ask travellers who have been to South Australia on or since the 8th of July, that they not return to school until Tuesday next week at this stage, unless a 14 day time period has passed since they were in South Australia,” Mr Gutwein.

A review of that will be conducted on Sunday with a further update provided on Monday.

The New Zealand government announced on Friday it was suspending its travel bubble with Australia for eight weeks.

LIVE CORONAVIRUS UPDATE | Friday, 23 July 2021

Posted by Peter Gutwein on Thursday, July 22, 2021

“It’s understood that Air New Zealand will work to provide its regular scheduled service between Hobart, this coming Sunday and Thursday to enable both Tasmanians and New Zealanders to return home,” Mr Gutwein said.

So far 20.4 per cent of Tasmanians have received both doses of the vaccine and 44.5 per cent of those eligible have received at least one dose.

Health Department Secretary Kathrine Morgan-Wicks said Tasmanian aged 40 and over are eligible for a vaccine, as well as those aged between 16 and 39 with an underlying medical condition.

“We are again trying to make sure that all aged care workers, disability support workers, as well as those living with disability and their carers are able to access the vaccine.”

She said people within those categories should make an appointment to get their vaccine.

On Friday the Therapeutic Goods Administration provisionally approved the use of the Pfizer vaccine for those aged 12 to 15.

Read more about the bubble here.