Australian Reports of the Virus Spread

[dairyfloss]

And an older population, better access to healthcare and much less crowded and superior living and working conditions.

There is little in common between SA and Australia.

Yes - it's just cricket, rugby, and an inability to travel to Perth.

 

[HappyFlyerFamily]

NT (1795 active 9/1 – 1000 public hospital beds, 20 public/private ICU beds)

2/1 95 positives, 1.9k tests, 26 hospital
3/1 58 positives, 2.1k tests, 21 hospital
4/1 75 positives, 1.8k tests, 24 hospital
5/1 117 positives, 2.1k tests, 21 hospital, 1 ICU
6/1 256 positives, 2.5k tests, 23 hospital, 2 ICU
7/1 412 positives, 2.8k tests, 19 hospital, 2 ICU
8/1 594 positives, 3.0k tests, 17 hospital, 1 ICU
9/1 481 positives, 2.5k tests, 24 hospital, 1 ICU
10/1 404 positives, 26 hospital, 2 ICU

 

[HappyFlyerFamily]

NT makes changes to allow asymptomatic close contacts to fulfill essential roles​

Chief Minister Michael Gunner has announced some changes for fully vaccinated, asymptomatic people who are essential workers who is considered essential for their workplace to function.

They can continue to work if take a daily rapid antigen test, wear their mask and stay isolated for 7 days when not at work.

"This only applies if you are an essential workers and are needed in order to keep that workplace functioning. These are things we've actually done before in specific situations, like we did with Woolworths in Katherine," Mr Gunner says.

Examples provided by Mr Gunner include:

• Childcare centres must stay open, every parent knows this. A childcare worker who is considered a close contact but is not symptomatic can continue working if they wear a mask and getting tested if they are necessary to keep their childcare centre open
• If a nurse at RDH is a close contact but is asymptomatic and continues testing negative, they can continue working while observing all the other safety measures they already have in place like PPE.
• A close contact supermarket worker can keep working while testing negative and being asymptomatic, as long as they are wearing their mask and staying away from common areas like break rooms.

 

[drron]

Victoria mandates third vaccine dose for some industries as COVID-19 hospitalisations rise

The state recorded 34,808 new cases from both at home and laboratory-run tests. There are 161,065 active COVID-19 cases in Victoria.

www.abc.net.au

Basically essential workers with a risk component now required to have a third dose. While correct, it spits on any national cabinet deliberations, and gives no reasons for the change of heart. It is self evident ATAGI chose to wait too long - or knew stock levels and logistics were inadequate. I predict the other states will adopt this measure. In the US, they trained volunteers to give shots. I suggest the song 'Don't worry, be happy' be added to 3 hour plus call waiting lines as telephone muzak.

I add that the breakthrough rates for those who had AZ are higher.

Well the CDC in the USA has only just reduced the interval for a booster to 5 months. If it is self evident that ATAGI waited too long do you believe the CDC is therefore negligent?

 

[Pushka]

Out of interest, briefly why do we think the "Peak" will be in next couple weeks?
What theory is that based on, I mean there's plenty with Omnicron-Covid, but there's till plenty plenty more pp without catch covid, why would the peak be very soonish?

I'm just thinking predicting the Peak is like predicting the peak in Share price of a stock or peak of Gold price etc etc. How can this be predicted with any confidence?

certain $$ of pop infected theory somehow??

It was reinforced again today in SA that the peak is by the end of the month. Likely because PCRs are taking days to return

 

[HappyFlyerFamily]

NT lockout for unvaccinated people ends, new vaccine pass begins​

Mr Gunner has also announced an end to the NT's lockout of unvaccinated people. In its place is a vaccine pass system for certain venues, including:

Pubs, clubs, casinos, restaurants with a liquor licence, cinemas and theatres and ticketed events for more than 500 people in urban centres and 100 people in non-urban centres.

He says people can link their vaccine certificate to the NT check in app.

"Just show that green tick when you are entering a venue and you are good as gold," he says.

"If you are not fully vaccinated, you are not able to enter these venues. That is the law.

"It's not our hospitality venues that are responsible for this law, we are. Don't blame them, blame me.

"Don't whinge at them, or abuse them or threaten them, the police will have very little patience with people who are making our hospitality workers feel unsafe. Don't try it on."

But the lockout will continue in Yuendumu and Yuelamu.

"Despite all our efforts over many months, Yuendumu continues to be a low vaccination community and sadly we are not seeing the numbers increase in any meaningful way," he says.

He says the towns will be in lockout for the next five days is needed to slow the spread and get as many people tested as possible. Unvaccinated people will be in lockdown and will only be able to leave the home for four reasons: medical treatment, essential goods and services, an hour of exercise wearing a mask and to provide care to a family member or person who cannot support themselves.

 

[Lynda2475]

Although what is common between SA and Aus wrt to Omicron is that majority of positives are in under 40 (mostly 11-30s).

 

[HappyFlyerFamily]

Tasmania joins some other states in allowing asymptomatic close contacts to return to key industries​

Tasmania Premier Peter Gutwein is speaking in Hobart.

He says Tasmania will be joining other jurisdictions in making changes so that key workers in some industries will be able to return to work.

He says critical food and grocery production, manufacturing, logistics and distribution facilities to maintain operation.

It allows close contacts who are asymptomatic and who return a negative rapid antigen test to return to work if it is critical they do so.

"To be clear, this does not extend to retail, front of shop or public-facing services," he says.

"It's to ensure people can get the supplies they need and freight systems can operate safely and that we can get the goods and supplies they need."

It comes as the major supermarkets warn that more of a third of their distribution staff have been unable to work.

Coles says around thirty to 35 per cent of workers at its distribution centres are absent because of the coronavirus.

Woolworths has told the ABC that up to 40 per cent of staff at its warehouses have caught COVID or are close contacts of people who have the virus.

Mr Gutwein says a similar arrangement for other critically essential workers, such as emergency, energy, water and port services, are under review.

 

[HappyFlyerFamily]

WA (89 active – 5900 public hospital beds, 179 public/private ICU bed)

2/1 1 local positive, 2.9k tests
3/1 2 local positives, 3.4k tests
4/1 0 local positives, 4.4k tests
5/1 5 local positives, 6.1k tests
6/1 1 local positive, 6.4k tests
7/1 0 local positives, 4.6k tests
8/1 1 local positive, 4.8k tests
9/1 1 local positive, 3.4k tests
10/1 3 local positives (Delta backpacker 23 (+1), Omicron HQ leak 2, second leak 1), 6.1k tests

 

[nutwood]

Tasmania today.
View attachment 268728

Of the people in hospital 11 are because of covid.
Vaccination rates looking very good.

I heard the radio news reporting on this. Headline announcement. "Covid hospital cases TRIPLE in Tasmania! There now 11 people in hospital..."

 

[jase05]

So McGowan saying there is no Covid in WA so don’t waste RAT kits but still keep getting PCR’s


"We're not aware of any COVID in the community in Western Australia so there's no need to use them at this point in time.

"We have PCR testing available at clinics, you can go and get yourself tested. It's a more accurate test as we know.

 

[Lynda2475]

We have PCR testing available at clinics, you can go and get yourself tested. It's a more accurate test as we know.

And higher cost for tax payers!

 

[Pushka]

Tasmania joins some other states in allowing asymptomatic close contacts to return to key industries​

Tasmania Premier Peter Gutwein is speaking in Hobart.

He says Tasmania will be joining other jurisdictions in making changes so that key workers in some industries will be able to return to work.

He says critical food and grocery production, manufacturing, logistics and distribution facilities to maintain operation.

It allows close contacts who are asymptomatic and who return a negative rapid antigen test to return to work if it is critical they do so.

"To be clear, this does not extend to retail, front of shop or public-facing services," he says.

"It's to ensure people can get the supplies they need and freight systems can operate safely and that we can get the goods and supplies they need."

It comes as the major supermarkets warn that more of a third of their distribution staff have been unable to work.

Coles says around thirty to 35 per cent of workers at its distribution centres are absent because of the coronavirus.

Woolworths has told the ABC that up to 40 per cent of staff at its warehouses have caught COVID or are close contacts of people who have the virus.

Mr Gutwein says a similar arrangement for other critically essential workers, such as emergency, energy, water and port services, are under review.

SA is doing the same, except with Covid positive people, but asymptomatic, to keep the abattoir functioning in the SE.

So three days after PCR, still no official result for Covid positive family member but we are happy numbers are down. Mmmm.

 

[drron]

I heard the radio news reporting on this. Headline announcement. "Covid hospital cases TRIPLE in Tasmania! There now 11 people in hospital..."

Well we just have to keep scaring the punters.

 

[HappyFlyerFamily]

SA (29,489 active 9/1 – 4500 public hospital beds, 161 public/private ICU beds)
Certain elective surgery suspended/paused - announced 28/12

2/1 2298 positives, 21k tests, 82 hospital, 7 ICU
3/1 2552 positives, 19k tests, 94 hospital, 9 ICU
4/1 3246 positives, 20k tests, 102 hospital, 12 ICU
5/1 3493 positives, 21k tests, 125 hospital, 12 ICU
6/1 3070 positives, 21k tests, 123 hospital, 12 ICU
7/1 3707 positives, 20k tests, 144 hospital, 16 ICU
8/1 4274 positives, 24k tests, 164 hospital, 16 ICU
9/1 4506 positives, 23k tests, 176 hospital, 18 ICU
10/1 4024 positives, 21k tests, 188 hospital, 21 ICU

 

[nutwood]

Well we just have to keep scaring the punters.

My problem is that it's working. That scares this punter more than anything!

 

[jakeseven7]

My problem is that it's working. That scares this punter more than anything!

What’s working?

 

[drron]

The lady in Hobart who wants to close Tassie's border and go in to lockdown again. Just crazy.

 

[jakeseven7]

The lady in Hobart who wants to close Tassie's border and go in to lockdown again. Just crazy.

Oh right, well a few more weeks let it all wash through good and proper and it will start declining again and everyone can start calming down.

 

[ethernet]

Well the CDC in the USA has only just reduced the interval for a booster to 5 months. If it is self evident that ATAGI waited too long do you believe the CDC is therefore negligent?

USA had mrna vaccines aplenty, given months before Australia had a decent supply. Australian gave lots of AZ - that UK says declines - faster. .au also had shortened booster dose intervals for certain hotspots. And USA does not have state border controls - like .au. so not negligent - but Israel also saw the need. Plus anyone who wants another mrna in USA can get as many as they like.

Australia re covid deliberations- has negligible transparency . If there is a paper on 3 same Pfizer shots, that is different to AZ AZ (Pf or Moderna). Then there is the timing and back to school. And that is why more weighting should be given to UK numbers.