Australian (Open) Tennis and COVID-19

[Must...Fly!]

Technically it doesn’t reduce the risk. It just reduces the number of people coming home.

If say 1 in 50 have Covid, the rate is still the same. For every 50 passengers, 1 would have covid.

If you have 25 passengers, 0.5 would have covid, so a 50% chance of a covid free flight. (Not including the risk of crew)

I se your point that it may be more of a barrier than a solution but in such a place you have COVID out of control, there is no realistic proposition of elimination with restrictions/lockdowns anyway. So if people are sufficiently turned off from coming by pre-testing (either due to the hassle or positive results) then it works either way.

Which is why they assume that every incoming pax and aircrew is positive until proven otherwise including the 14 day quarantine period as well as repeated testing regardless of whether it is an AO or other international flight.

What a shame as there at many more than 1,200 Australians that would love to avail of such a service but the Victorian government believes the tennis players, officials, broadcasters and journalists to be more important...

 

[HappyFlyerFamily]

I am not so sure about that.

If say the ratio is 1 in 50 based on recent history with no preflight testing, and say preflight testing removes say 1 in 100 , would not the new ratio be 1 in 100 and not 1 in 50?

With the AO out of 1240 already 4 have been prevented from flying. Murray may make a fifth.

With other international flights I have not heard any results as yet.

If you were talking balls in a bucket, yes. But not when you are thinking infection likelihood and effectively an infinite population (say 200,000) coming in at about 3000 per week.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

What a shame as there at many more than 1,200 Australians that would love to avail of such a service but the Victorian government believes the tennis players, officials, broadcasters and journalists to be more important...

I know I am the odd one out here, but it would not be that they view such people as individually more important, but that they want the economic benefits of conducting such an event including in generating employment both in the immediate and longer term Ditto for each state who have made special exemptions for a raft of business related enterprises and events. This includes sport, film, mining etc.

NZ also brought in for the Americas Cup, which started this week, a raft of international sailors, support staff and journalists for the 4 team event.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

If you were talking balls in a bucket, yes. But not when you are thinking infection likelihood and effectively an infinite population (say 200,000) coming in at about 3000 per week.

We can agree to disagree then.

I would believe that with everyone being preflight tested that it will lead to less people arriving in Australia who will test positive here with 14 days of the flight. If it did not, then why bother?

Anyone excluded from flying, if replaced, would be replaced by another who has not tested positive preflight.

 

[Lynda2475]

Why do we need to let journalists in for AO? They can write their articles from video fottage/ live streams, commentate and interview remotely. Plus plenty of local journos already in the country.

I also note Williamsbrought multiple family members with her, not the 1 support person which was recommended by AO organisers. Every extra unecessary hanger on adds more risk.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

Two passengers on flight QR7493 have tested positive and due to this all passengers now have to go in the stricter isolation protocols.

This is an update from the player Santiago González who was on the flight.

View attachment 238089

Player Santiago González who posted the above the above tested negative.

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More detail. Despite some media outlets having gone with stories that two players had tested positive from the flight the latest report is:



Two people onboard a specially chartered flight into Melbourne for the Australian Open have tested positive for coronavirus, meaning players travelling with them will be confined to their rooms and unable to train for 14 days.

An aircrew member and an Australian Open participant who is not a player arrived on the flight from Los Angeles on Friday morning, the Victorian Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) said.

The two have been transferred to one of the state's health hotels after returning positive tests for COVID-19.


All other 66 passengers on the flight will need to isolate and be confined to their rooms for 14 days.

Under quarantine conditions ahead of the grand slam next month, players are allowed out of their hotel room for up to five hours each day to train.

Mexican player Santiago Gonzalez posted a screenshot of an email reportedly sent by Tennis Australia in which it was confirmed he and other people on QR7493 from LAX would have to stay in their rooms.


Some 1,240 players and support staff began arriving into Melbourne this week ahead of the tournament, and are being housed in special quarantine hotels.

They are required to return a negative COVID-19 test before flying into Australia, and are tested at the start and end of their 14-day quarantine.

People who test positive are moved into the state's "health hotels".


They are required to return a negative COVID-19 test before flying into Australia, and are tested at the start and end of their 14-day quarantine.

People who test positive are moved into the state's "health hotels".

47 Australian Open players forced into quarantine after COVID-19 cases detected on flights

A second plane of tennis players flown into Melbourne for the Australian Open will be confined to their rooms and unable to train for 14 days after a person on the charter flight tested positive for COVID-19.

www.abc.net.au

 

[RooFlyer]

Two people “ affiliated with the Australian Open tennis and it’s transport ” have brought COVID into fortress Victoria, while Victorians who don’t have it still cannot get back home for various reasons. The ducking and weaving and excuse-making of the government and its apologists is beyond comprehension. So sad for the ordinary folk who have to deal with the bureaucratic wall and can’t avail some lovely government facilitation.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

I also note Williams brought multiple family members with her, not the 1 support person which was recommended by AO organisers. Every extra unecessary hanger on adds more risk.

You may possibly be mixing up the training rule, as opposed to the travelling party rules.

• Only players and one 'support person' can leave their rooms for training

Others in each players travelling party cannot leave their rooms, though it does appear that SA may be doing things slightly differently.


With respect to the size of travelling parties:

There was a capping the number of people (over the age of three) who can travel to Australia for the first Grand Slam.
Serena's daughter is I believe aged 3.

Players (not all of them) can be accompanied by a maximum of 2 team members. However players could request more, thought would not necessarily be granted.

 

[nutwood]

Two people “ affiliated with the Australian Open tennis and it’s transport ” have brought COVID into fortress Victoria, while Victorians who don’t have it still cannot get back home for various reasons. The ducking and weaving and excuse-making of the government and its apologists is beyond comprehension. So sad for the ordinary folk who have to deal with the bureaucratic wall and can’t avail some lovely government facilitation.

Not sure about facilitation. I doubt stranded residents are even able to contact those making decisions!
I had a question as to whether pre-existing transit permits were still valid after the 12th. Tried ringing but went into queue for about an hour before the call dropped out. As it wasn't urgent, I then e.mailed short question, stating that answer was not on the FAQ's. Reply came yesterday. Copy and paste response giving me links to the various COVID websites etc. No attempt to address the question.
It was no big deal for me but I can just imagine how frustrating it would be if you were stuck in NSW with your family and had some urgent need to contact someone.

 

[SydneySwan]

The two have been transferred to one of the state's health hotels after returning positive tests for COVID-19.


All other 66 passengers on the flight will need to isolate and be confined to their rooms for 14 days.

This may be enforceable with the tours lesser lights but if a Top 20 player gets caught up in this expect them to insist the condition is waived or that they be allowed to travel home immediately. No player is going to win the tournament if they can't leave their room for 14 days and everyone else is busy training no matter how good they are. Besides if they quarantine for 14 days and then test positive as they are due to leave quarantine they will miss the AO anyway.

I wonder how many flights have arrived so far and how many more to come?

 

[Flying mermaid]

With the reduced international arrivals cap, what does people think about the idea that anyone who is leaving Australia now will jump to the back of the returning queue. Surely that's fairer than what we have now?

It’s really hard to make black and white rules, but certainly there does seem to be something more that needs to be done. Also should someone who has lived overseas for 30 years but now wants to come back be equal to someone who maybe has spent their whole life in Australia and got trapped overseas in the last 12 months, perhaps visiting to look after a dying relative. I don’t know the answer to these or what is fair, but it certainly seems it needs more work!

 

[jase05]

This may be enforceable with the tours lesser lights but if a Top 20 player gets caught up in this expect them to insist the condition is waived or that they be allowed to travel home immediately. No player is going to win the tournament if they can't leave their room for 14 days and everyone else is busy training no matter how good they are. Besides if they quarantine for 14 days and then test positive as they are due to leave quarantine they will miss the AO anyway.

I wonder how many flights have arrived so far and how many more to come?

Most of the big stars are in Adelaide already.
They have quite an advantage over the rest as I’ve seen seen Novak and Serena heading to the courts today for practice

 

[lovetravellingoz]

I wonder how many flights have arrived so far and how many more to come?

I don't know how many have have arrived as yet.. I believe it was about 80 all up to Melbourne and Adelaide

Flights were meant to be on January 15-16, though with flight duration and different time zones that may possibly see some land tomorrow.

However if was to arrive on 15-16 it may all be completed by tonight. Tennys Sandgren's flight departed on the 14th.


EDIT-Added.

Tiley said the toll on organisers had been immense with a 1,270-strong contingent on 80 charter flights, bankrolled by Tennis Australia, journeying to Melbourne and Adelaide this week.

Players must arrive in Melbourne on Jan 15 or Jan 16

And also another link said flights had to arrive within a 36 hour window

 

[Toula92122]

I see all the players have started their whining about their food not being up to scratch tweeting like crazy with their complaints. Special little snowflakes are not showing too much gratitude. Wonder how long it will be before Tennis Australia call Neil Perry into doing the catering for them. Those of us who went through quarantine at our own cost put up with it without the need to complain 24/7.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

I see all the players have started their whining about their food not being up to scratch tweeting like crazy with their complaints. Special little snowflakes are not showing too much gratitude. Wonder how long it will be before Tennis Australia call Neil Perry into doing the catering for them. Those of us who went through quarantine at our own cost put up with it without the need to complain 24/7.

Just read some tweets from players.

Most seem grateful.

Sloane Stephens was on the flight where two tested positive and so has to to do the stricter isolation. She knows about covid from first hand experience and this is what she is tweeting about:

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[Pushka]

Why do we need to let journalists in for AO? They can write their articles from video fottage/ live streams, commentate and interview remotely. Plus plenty of local journos already in the country.

I also note Williamsbrought multiple family members with her, not the 1 support person which was recommended by AO organisers. Every extra unecessary hanger on adds more risk.

The Williams clan are currently quarantining in Adelaide. Both sisters, her child and likely others.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I see all the players have started their whining about their food not being up to scratch tweeting like crazy with their complaints. Special little snowflakes are not showing too much gratitude. Wonder how long it will be before Tennis Australia call Neil Perry into doing the catering for them. Those of us who went through quarantine at our own cost put up with it without the need to complain 24/7.

We had plenty of Aussies complaining at the beginning! Was in the news daily. Just not so much of a story anymore.

 

[RooFlyer]

We had plenty of Aussies complaining at the beginning! Was in the news daily. Just not so much of a story anymore.

Well, yes, but one was Australians forced into isolation returning home (and the hotels early on were a bit rough), the other are (mostly foreign) tennis players choosing to come here to earn money, going into decidedly comfy quarantine, being allowed out to train etc (except those on the Covid Express).

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Well, yes, but one was Australians forced into isolation returning home (and the hotels early on were a bit rough), the other are (mostly foreign) tennis players choosing to come here to earn money, going into decidedly comfy quarantine, being allowed out to train etc (except those on the Covid Express).

For sure... but the same applies with people choosing to fly/travel at the moment during covid and receiving a sub-standard product. Many businesses are using 'covid' as an excuse for declining service. That doesn't mean we shouldn't call it out, if warranted.

 

[RooFlyer]

Premier Andrews on SBS news just now, defending holding the Australian Open Tennis, with 1,000+ being brought in from overseas, including infectees. Its not an exact quote, but close enough:

"If we don't hold the Australian Open, another city will. There are dozens of cities around the world who would want to hold a Grand Slam event."

Really.