Franklin Primary School added to list of low-risk exposure sites

An indoor mask mandate for Tasmania will come into effect from midnight as a primary school and bottleshop are added to the state’s Covid exposure sites. LATEST COVID NEWS >>

A SOUTHERN primary school has been added to the list of Covid-19 exposure sites following an end-of-year function.

Public Health director Dr Mark Veitch said a coronavirus case was confirmed to have attended the Franklin Primary School event, making the school a low-risk exposure site.

“Anyone who was at the event, which was held on the school’s oval between 11.30am and 2pm on (Thursday) must monitor themselves for symptoms for 14 days,” Dr Veitch said.

“If they experience any symptoms, regardless of how mild they may be, they will need to get tested.

“Importantly, anyone who was at the event between 11.30am and 2pm only needs to get tested if they develop Covid-19 symptoms.”

Dr Veitch said the event was classed as low-risk because it had been outdoors, and the positive case’s movements had been well considered.

Contact tracers are using Check-In Tas data to follow up the incident.

Dr Veitch said the school was notifying families.

Director of Public Health Dr Mark Veitch. Picture: Chris Kidd

It comes after Premier Peter Gutwein announced on Sunday morning that masks must be worn indoors from Tuesday.

The announcement was made amid three new coronavirus cases, bringing the state’s tally to seven active cases.

Mr Gutwein on Sunday afternoon criticised the NSW government for winding back its restrictions, as community transmission increases in the state.

In the 24 hours to 8pm on December 18, New South Wales had 2566 new cases adding to a total of 14050 active cases.

Mr Gutwein said he was watching the situation closely.

“My view would be I think they have taken their controls off a little earlier than what they should have,” he said.

“I’d be encouraging them to look very closely at what occurs in the coming days in terms of the spread of the disease there.

MERC: Covid presser at Executive Building.

“We will obviously monitor it here, but that’s a state with a growing level of community transmission and I would urge them to keep a very close eye on that.”

Mr Gutwein said Tasmania had strong border restrictions.

Tasmania Police advised traffic to steer clear of Henry St, Launceston on Sunday amid lengthy queues at the Covid testing site, as several northern exposure sites were added to the growing list.

State Health Commander Kathrine Morgan-Wicks issued a statement to say a text had been sent in error to people who had attended low-risk sites.

“A text message sent to people yesterday who were identified through Check-in Tas data as being at low-risk sites incorrectly stated that those people should get tested immediately,” she said.

“Unfortunately, a technical issue caused the message to be sent out without the important proviso that people who have been at low-risk exposure settings only need to get tested if they develop any symptoms.

“I understand that the message that was sent has caused confusion, and I apologise to those people who have been inconvenienced today while trying to get tested.”

For the full list of close contact, casual contact and low-risk exposure sites visit coronavirus.tas.gov.au

Indoor mask mandate

The news Tasmania will be wearing masks from Tuesday has been met with relief by some, even with the prospect the measure could be in place for months.

Masks will be mandatory in all indoor settings in Tasmania from 12:01 on Tuesday morning, a measure introduced as Tasmania’s Covid cases increase.

“It’s a minimally intrusive measure that aims to keep other settings roughly where they are,” public health director Mark Veitch said.

“It’s cheap and it has been widely used and accepted around the world.”

The measures will come into effect at 12:01am on Tuesday.

The mandate includes public transport and ride sharing and will also apply to hospitals, aged care facilities and outdoor events of over 1000 people.

“It’s a strong recommendation from today, you start wearing your mask indoors but it won’t be mandated until Monday night,” Premier Peter Gutwein said.

The mandate will apply to those aged 12 and over and parents are encouraged to let younger kids wear them, if they tolerate them.

It could be the new normal for an extended amount of time.

“I would expect it would probably be in place for a couple of months,” Dr Veitch said.

“I think omicron has demonstrated such an ability to spread and even in vaccinated populations that we need to pull out this measure now to try and get ahead of the community spread of omicron in the Tasmanian community.

Premier Peter Gutwein has announced that masks will be mandatory in all indoor spaces in Tasmania from Tuesday. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

“The most important thing is time that we see how the epidemic progresses over the next 4-6 weeks and if it proceeds well, we might look to sometime beyond that when it will be possible to remove some restrictions.

There are medical exemptions and the masks can be removed to eat, drink, communicate clearly and for some exercise.

“In terms of gyms, yes you will need to wear a mask but if you’re partaking in vigorous exercise, take it off,“ Mr Gutwein said.

Tasmanians will not be required to mask up when they are in homes.

“There’s no intent to reach into people’s homes to put masks on people but I expect many people will, particularly if they’re bringing older and vulnerable family members around, may consider running he events they’re having in their home, perhaps in smaller events,” Dr Veitch said.

Bartender Harriet McIntosh said she was happy about the mandate because she was nervous about the border reopening.

“I think it’s good to be wary and sensible about it,” Ms McIntosh said.

“It’s protecting our health.

“I’m slightly nervous but if everyone does wear masks it will be fine.”

Bartender Liliana Allen said it was common sense to follow the health advice.

“There are a lot of people who don’t follow the health advice and we can’t police that,” she said.

Hattie McIntosh and Liliana Allen ahead of the mask mandate at The Whaler, Hobart. Picture: Chris Kidd

“It’s on the onus of patrons to do that and when they don’t it can be a little scary.”

Tourism industry Council on Tasmania CEO Luke Martin said it wouldn’t be a major issue for the tourism sector.

“We knew it was coming, the rest of the country has it in place,” Mr Martin said.

“Most people coming into the country are surprised we don’t have it already.

“Obviously Tasmanians won’t love it but this is the way of checking ourselves and others.”

In the 24 hours to 8pm on Saturday, Public Health Services identified three more cases of Covid-19 in the state:

A man in his 30s who arrived in Hobart from Melbourne on Friday.

A woman in her 50s who arrived in Launceston from Sydney on Wednesday.

One case was a family member and identified close contact of a previous case.

Public Health Services have conducted contact tracing for all three cases.

Check-in Tas data has been used to notify anyone who had checked in at any of the exposure sites related to these cases.

For a full list of close contact, casual and low-risk sites, visit coronavirus.tas.gov.au

Teen becomes state’s fourth Covid-19 case

Saturday December 18, 6pm: TASMANIA now has four known active cases of Covid-19 and there are exposure alerts for a range of new venues in Launceston, but the Premier has reaffirmed the government will not waiver from the state’s border reopening plan.

One new case was confirmed on Saturday, a teenager who had arrived in Launceston from NSW on Thursday, who was tested after receiving notification from NSW Health that he had been in an exposure setting.

Public Health director Mark Veitch said the teenager visited multiple locations in Launceston on Thursday that had now been listed as exposure sites.

The include the baggage carousel at Launceston Airport between 12.55pm and 1.15pm, JJ’s City Cafe in Racecourse Crescent between 2.22pm and 2.40pm and JB HiFi in Invermay between 2.54pm and 3.14pm.

It is understood 19 close contacts have so far been identified — 16 from the flight the positive case travelled on and three family members.

Meanwhile, a positive wastewater test for Covid-19 was recorded from a sample taken from the Launceston suburb of Norwood, where there are no known cases.

“Should anyone in the Norwood area experience any Covid-19 symptoms, regardless of how mild, they should get tested immediately,” Dr Veitch said.

Four cases of Covid-19 have now been detected since Tasmania’s borders opened on Wednesday, the first three linked to an outbreak in the NSW city of Newcastle.

But Premier Peter Gutwein said Tasmanians should not be concerned.

“My message to Tasmanians is: We expected that this would occur, we have planned for this,” he said.

“Our systems are strong, the procedures that we have in place and the investments that we’ve made readies us for this.

“But most importantly, we are one of the most vaccinated places on the planet.

“Tasmanians should not be concerned by this. We always knew that Covid would arrive, it’s just simply a matter of ensuring that you keep informed, and that you do the little things.”

Prime Minister Scott Morrison, visiting Tasmania on Saturday, said raw case numbers were not the main consideration in the plan to open up the country.

“Living with the virus under the national plan is not about case numbers,” he said.

“We don’t want to alarm people on case numbers. What matters is hospitalisations, ICU, people on ventilators, and severe illness.”

A full list of exposure sites linked to Tasmania’s active Covid-19 cases is at coronavirus.tas.gov.au

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EARLIER: ANOTHER case of coronavirus has been confirmed in Tasmania as residents in the Launceston suburb of Norwood have been warned to be aware of Covid symptoms after a positive test from wastewater.

It takes the number of Covid cases in Tasmania to four since borders opened on Wednesday.

Public Health director Dr Mark Veitch said the latest case was a youth in his late teens who arrived in Launceston from New South Wales on Thursday.

He was tested after receiving notification from NSW Health that he had been in an exposure setting.

Dr Veitch said the youth visited multiple locations in Launceston on Thursday and they have been listed as exposure sites.

“They include the Launceston Airport baggage carousel between 12.55 and 1.15pm, JJ’s City Café in Racecourse Crescent between 2.22 and 2.40pm and JB HiFi in Invermay between 2.54 and 3.14pm,” he said.

“Public Health Services have identified and contacted close contacts aboard the man’s flight and people who had checked into exposure sites through the Check-in Tas app.”

Meanwhile, a positive wastewater test was recorded for a sample taken from Norwood in Launceston.

However, Dr Veitch said Public Health was not currently aware of any cases of Covid-19 in that area.

“Should anyone in the Norwood area experience any Covid-19 symptoms, regardless of how mild, they should get tested immediately,” he said.

A full list of close contact with the teenage, casual and low risk sites is at coronavirus.tas.gov.au