‘The government’s plan isn’t working’: Labor shares proposed pathway out of Covid
The Liberal Party “needs some advice” on handling the state’s Covid outbreak, Labor says, as it releases is own plan to guide Tasmania through the pandemic.
Tasmania
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Labor leader Rebecca White has released her party’s alternative plan to guide Tasmania through the pandemic, saying her Liberal colleagues “need some advice”.
Ms White said various Tasmanians from backgrounds such as business and health care were consulted to develop Labor’s Covid-19 Response Framework for Tasmania.
“It’s quite clear that the government's plan isn’t working,” she said.
“There seems to be chaos widely across Tasmania now with people unable to get a test, contact tracing being abandoned by the government, businesses closing, staff unable to go to work.
“This is not the plan that Tasmanians signed up for when Peter Gutwein said he was reopening Tasmania’s borders.”
Ms White said the plan was produced to help the state government because “it’s clear they need some advice”.
“I encourage them to look at the very straightforward and important points that we’ve made today for how Tasmanians can better be supported to deal with the Covid outbreak in our state,” she said.
A government spokesman reacted to Labor’s plan on Thursday days after Premier Peter Gutwein slammed the “disgraceful” political discourse emerging from the opposition.
“Rebecca White clearly hasn’t been paying any attention whilst she was on leave and in the few days since, as all of the things in Labor’s glossy two-page brochure are either already in place, already in progress, or already being discussed,” the spokesman said.
Ms White said her party’s first order of business was prioritising Covid testing, including redirecting free rapid antigen tests immediately to those who need them.
The Labor leader also highlighted booster vaccines.
“We are hearing distressing reports of people who need to get their booster vaccinations and are unable to book them, particularly for people who are vulnerable, including women who are pregnant,” she said.
Mr Gutwein announced on Thursday RATs would replace PCR tests as the primary means of diagnosing Covid-19.
“Rapid antigen tests (RAT), if required to be used under our rules because you are symptomatic or a designated close contact, will be free to anyone within Tasmania in the same way that PCR testing has been and will continue to be,” he said.
He said on Wednesday 2 million RATs were being received this and next week, while the another 3 million would arrive in coming weeks.
Ms White said Labor would increase financial support for business owners and workers, and broaden the scope of eligible recipients to include people directed by their employer to isolate and businesses forced to close due to staff shortages.
She likened the proposed model to the Victorian government’s current practices.
Labor releases COVID-19 Response Framework for Tasmania https://t.co/azT7rEhWui#politas
— Tasmanian Labor (@TasmanianLabor) January 6, 2022
Mr Gutwein said on Wednesday businesses should avoid pre-emptively closing, and urged employers to enact Covid-safe plans and business continuity arrangements.
“I’ve always said that if there was a need for further financial support we would make that available and obviously we will work through those matters,” he said on Wednesday.
Labor’s plan included a push for clearer communication about the rapidly changing coronavirus situation, a plan to support the return to schools, more high-quality masks for high-risk cohorts, and a strategy to direct resources towards vulnerable Tasmanians facing food insecurity.
“There is no doubt there are a number of things the government could be doing today to make Tasmanians’ lives easier,” Ms White said.
Government reveals plan to ease Tassie’s testing chaos
An influx of 5 million rapid tests and doubling operations at a southern PCR clinic will aim to tackle lengthy waits and hefty demand for Covid tests.
Hundreds of Tasmanians have been unable to access rapid antigen tests (RATs), while traffic at PCR and RAT drive-through clinics has seen many turned away and others twiddling their thumbs in cars for hours on end.
Premier Peter Gutwein acknowledged the strong statewide demand for RATs and increasing pressure on PCR testing clinics in the south.
“We’ve upped our order as a state to a total of 5 million RAT tests so that we have them on hand,” he said on Wednesday.
“We already have a supply in stock for our health workers and hospitals and have started to receive the first 2 million which will be received over this week and next with the remainder to be in the state shortly thereafter.”
Mr Gutwein said RATs were available for free to those required by the state to take a test.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced on Wednesday the federal government will not grant universal free access to RATs; a decision which he said was reached in consensus with other states and Commonwealth representatives during national cabinet on Wednesday.
It was reported Mr Gutwein and Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk teamed up and pushed for the distribution system to be much simpler than what Mr Morrison had originally proposed during national Cabinet.
He said only concession card holders could access up to 10 free tests over three months via pharmacies, with the new subside funded equally by states and the Commonwealth.
Tasmanian Labor leader Rebecca White called for the state to divert RATs to regions in need.
“The government’s reaffirmed there are thousands of RAT tests in Tasmania, the problem is, people can’t access them,” she said.
State Health secretary Kathrine Morgan-Wicks said the state was “receiving a delivery of the next 100,000 rapid antigen tests”.
“I’m confident in terms of the supply levels at the moment for RATs,” she said.
Mr Gutwein said discussions were ongoing with Australia Post to establish distribution points “in the coming week” in response to regional and rural demand.
Ms Morgan-Wicks said southern Tasmania was seeing about 10 times the demand for PCR tests than other parts of the state.
Traffic in line for RATs at Glenorchy’s MyState Bank Arena, and for PCR tests at the Kingborough Sports Centre, came to a standstill on Wednesday.
Hospitality worker Sarah MacLachlan was queuing for a RAT for the third day in a row after she was turned away twice.
She was losing shifts while waiting for test results.
Helen Cusick had also been waiting in line for more than an hour, bringing her book to keep her occupied.
She said she’d had no luck finding a RAT.
Ms Morgan-Wicks said the Hobart Macquarie Point testing clinic would double its capacity on Thursday from 1000 to 2000 daily PCR tests.
She said the bookings-only clinic would
extend to operate 8am-8pm as new staff came on board.
“We do think that by doubling the state capacity in the south that we will have a significant impact, but it may take us a couple of days to work through in terms of that surge in referrals,” she said.
The Health secretary said some areas would benefit from mobile testing buses and testing teams, such as the remote King Island where staff were recently sent to test locals.
“We are trying to shift testing resources as required and I again do thank everyone for their patience waiting for testing,” Ms Morgan-Wicks said.
Cases, ICU admissions to rise as Tassie’s Omicron forecast revealed
Tasmania has recorded 867 new Covid-19 infections in the last 24 hours.
The number of new cases hits a new record surpassing the 700 plus recorded on Tuesday and follows Health Minister Jeremy Rockliff’s warning Tasmanians they could see 2000 daily case numbers soon.
The latest positive case numbers push the total of active cases in the State to 3118.
Five people with Covid-19 are in hospital but the government says all were admitted for unrelated reasons.
None are in ICU.
The government says data on the number of people released from isolation after recovering from the virus will be included in the daily snapshot from tomorrow on.
On Tuesday, 2412 laboratory tests were conducted.
The Prime Minister and state and territory leaders will hold a national cabinet meeting today to discuss RAT test accessibility among other Covid-19 issues.
Tasmania’s Director of Public Health Dr Mark Veitch has warned those who get out and about over the next few weeks they will likely be in the company of someone who has Covid-19 as the latest wave peaks.
Currently, one in every 170 Tasmanians has the infection.
Dr Mark Veitch says that ratio will jump to one in 50 in weeks to come.
“Wherever you go, with a gathering of a dozen or so people, someone there will have it.”
He said it was difficult to estimate the true number of active Covid cases in Tasmania at the moment but it would be significant, probably more than twice as many as have been diagnosed.
“The uncounted active cases would be those with milder or no symptoms who are out in the community and have not been tested.
“There will be more hospitalisations and there will be deaths,” he said.
Dr Veitch expects one in 100 to be hospitalised, one in 1000 in ICU – a similar number who die from influenza each year.”
“This current wave is three weeks old and infection rates on a per capita basis are similar to South Australia and Queensland. We have seen in other states and internationally these waves last up to three months.”
Premier Peter Gutwein said international arrivals to Tasmania would no longer have to quarantine from midnight.
Mr Gutwein said the risk posed from overseas visitors was now similar to domestic arrivals.
Fifteen nursing homes in Tasmania have now been impacted by Covid-19 infections.
Only two have cases among residents, Dr Veitch said.
Fifty health care workers across Tasmania’s hospital system are now Covid-19 positive
RAT distribution points and testing clinics see mega queues before opening
Cars have been cramming into the car park and winding down the street at a new Covid testing clinic that opened this morning.
At 10am, testing opened at the new no-appointment, drive-through Covid testing clinic at Kingborough Sports Centre, Kingston.
Vehicles were already overflowing from the car park onto Kingston View Drive before the PCR clinic was due to open.
Stationary cars were winding for more than 1km southwest down the road to the cemetery and curving back into the northeast-bound lane, all the way back to the other end of Kingston View Drive.
Cars were beginning to block one of the lanes on nearby thoroughfare Summerleas Rd.
Four young men in one car were among those stuck in the throng.
Noah Etherington said he and his mates had returned from a bush walk in the South West to receive messages saying they had come into close contact with several positive cases on New Year’s Eve.
They have been isolating together at a residence in North Hobart ever since and were waiting to take PCR tests.
“We thought it’d be safer than going home to our families because we’d been together for so many days,” Mr Etherington said.
From the passenger seat, Tom Philpott said they had tried to get tested at the Hobart Showgrounds in Glenorchy on Tuesday when they were experiencing symptoms.
“We did the right thing,” he said.
“We got out there yesterday and we explained the situation to one of the people working there and they were essentially like ‘no, you don’t need a PCR test’, even though the guidelines say that’s going to happen.”
The men called Public Health and were advised to head to the new Kingston clinic.
They had been waiting for nearly 90 minutes by the time the clinic opened at 10am and had moved only a few car spaces towards the front of the line.
Mr Philpott said more testing clinics were needed, describing the situation as “cooked”.
About 30 cars ahead, Jane Herbert sat in the car with her son Jacob and her dog Rosie.
She had been queuing with her sick son since 8am while he dozed off, with a stockpile of snacks and drinks.
“I’d say there’s at least 200 cars ahead of me,” she said.
“We haven’t moved. We anticipate being here at least til lunch time.”
The clinic is open 10am-4pm.
“It’ll be a little while longer I think.
40 hospital staff sidelined as Covid cases surge – January 4
TASMANIA’S should brace to see 2000 new Covid-19 cases per day, Health Minister Jeremy Rockliff has warned as 40 staff at the Royal Hobart Hospital are furloughed as close contacts and undergo testing.
It is expected outpatient services and elective surgery could be impacted by the mass staff stand down.
State Health Commander Kathrine Morgan-Wicks said the 40 staff currently unable to work did not catch the virus in the hospital.
The infected workers caught Covid-19 in the community or are off work due to being classified as a close contact.
“ No transmission of COVID-19 has been reported in any State hospitals,” Ms Morgan-Wicks said.
“ Coupled with the effect of leave during the traditional holiday period, this is placing pressure on the hospital’s available staffing.”
She said the RHH’s core functions will be maintained.
“For this to occur, some areas will be reviewed. Outpatient activity will be reduced, with outpatient services for urgent and category one patients to be moved to telehealth over the coming days.
“The planned post-Christmas resumption of normal surgery levels was already scheduled for January 9. This will be reviewed to ensure emergency surgery and inpatient services are prioritised, with elective surgery to continue depending on staffing levels being safely maintained.”
Health authorities are considering establishing a respiratory clinic separate to the emergency department to ensure access for emergency patients is maximised.
Staff are also being asked to reconsider leave arrangements if possible.
“These measures are being implemented at the RHH site only. Other sites, including regional hospitals and community health centres remain as business as usual,” she said.
“While the RHH is maintaining restrictions on unvaccinated visitors, there are no further formal visitor restrictions at this time. However, as always, people should only visit the hospital if necessary.
“A staff testing clinic has already been established, as has the external triage area for the emergency department, and these will continue. Testing of patients admitted overnight to the RHH is also occurring.
“As State Health Commander, I would like to acknowledge the efforts and dedication of all our hard working Tasmanian Health Service staff. I am confident that as a workforce, it will again meet the challenges that this pandemic presents and continue to offer the very best in healthcare to all Tasmanians.”
A worker from the Launceston General Hospital has also tested positive but was not working while symptomatic.
“We may see over the coming days and weeks 2000 cases a day and that will concern people. But our hospital system is prepared,” Mr Rockliff said.
He said early evidence was also showing while the new strain was highly contagious it caused less severe symptoms.
11 aged care homes deal with Covid cases as numbers surge
TASMANIA’S Health Minister Jeremy Rockliff has announced a new testing clinic will open in Kingston to cater for demand as 11 aged care facilities deal with positive cases among staff and residents.
From Wednesday, the government, in partnership with TML Pathology will open an extra drive-through clinic at the Kingborough Sports Centre. It will be open from 10am-4pm on Monday to Friday, excluding public holidays.
Mr Rockliff said while Tasmanians were catching Covid-19 in record numbers, they were recovering quickly.
Almost 300 people have recovered from the virus and been released from isolation since the latest outbreak kicked off. Overnight, 149 were released after recovering.
Tasmania recorded a record 702 new Covid-19 cases overnight to take the total number of active cases in the State to 2244.
Three people are in hospital but none in ICU or on ventilators.
There are currently 11 aged care facilities in Tasmania affected by COVID-19 cases (six in the south, two in the North, and three in the North West).
There are 18 COVID-19 positive health care workers and three positive residents.
No visitors are allowed at New Norfolk District Hospital and Hobart Private Hospital has had to enforce visitor restrictions and is organising virtual visits and chat.
“The evidence overwhelmingly shows that while the Omicron strain is highly transmissible, we’re seeing much milder and less severe effects,” Mr Rockliff said.
“This means that the majority of people with COVID-19 are not symptomatic, in good health, and capable of caring for themselves in their suitable premises without the need to utilise our COVID@home program or enter one of our Community Case Management Facilities.
“While case numbers will continue to increase – and may lead to more people needing to be hospitalised – only one person is currently in hospital for COVID-19-related reasons, and no one has required ICU or ventilation. These are the statistics that matter.”
Mr Rockliff said while the increasing case numbers would continue to cause some concern in the community – which is completely understandable – they are not unexpected.
“The reason we are now able to live with Covid is because of our highly vaccinated population,” he said.
“With more than 2000 tests undertaken yesterday, we are seeing a good response to our message that PCR testing is for anyone with symptoms, symptomatic close contacts and anyone with a positive RAT test.”
The latest data comes as more and more Tasmanian businesses take to social media to alert customers that they are closing due to a lack of staff due to Covid-19 exposure.
Tasmanians have also taken it upon themselves to alert the community they have tested positive to the virus and advise where they have been on a new Facebook page.
Those posting say they are doing so because the government’s official exposure site website is not being updated. – the last update was on December 28.
“Sharing exposure sites is not about telling people not to go to those places but to notify people that may have been there at the same time,” a poster explained.
“Continue to support these businesses that have been exposed. We don’t want to lose any.”
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