Australian Reports of the Virus Spread

[HappyFlyerFamily]

Showing proof of vaccination against Covid-19 will soon be mandatory at restaurants and fitness centres, on top of existing rules for other venues in Western Australia.

Premier Mark McGowan told reporters on Monday that proof of vaccination requirements would be expanded further in coming days.

“We are currently finalising a longer-term policy, which will cover a wide range of licensed events and venues, restaurants, as well as riskier environments like indoor fitness centres,” he said.

“This policy will come into force as we move closer to easing border controls.”

The WA border is scheduled to reopen on February 5, but some have called for a delay as the Omicron strain surges in the eastern states.

“Far too many resources are being used over east to care for individuals who would not take the basic steps to care for themselves,” Mr McGowan said.

“If you, for some reason, have not had your first dose yet, my advice would be to make a booking today, otherwise life is about to get very difficult for you.”

Proof of vaccination is already in place for venues such as nightclubs, music festivals and major events, pubs, taverns and the Crown gaming floor.

A new app to make the process of showing proof of vaccination easier will be launched on Tuesday.

WA expanding its rules around showing proof of vaccination

Showing proof of vaccination against Covid-19 will soon be mandatory at restaurants and fitness centres, on top of existing rules for other venues in Western Australia.

www.news.com.au

 

[JohnM]

What’s working?

Surely that's obvious?

Scaring the punters.

 

[jakeseven7]

Surely that's obvious?

Scaring the punters.

Oh right yup I know we are swamped handling the ‘Am I going to die’ crowd right now. Makes a nice change from the anti vaxxer nut jobs I guess

I keep thinking another 4-6 weeks this will have ripped through so many people everyone will be calmer about it. Hopefully.

 

[MooTime]

I may be in fairy land, but sort of hoping to NOT catch covid as have 2 under 5yo'ers in the home.

Although our childcare had a covid case this week, on a day we weren't there. But might head to a PCR testing site to grab a 5pack RAT (no other way to get hands on any, still sold out everywhere), see how it plays out and how long wait time is.

 

[jakeseven7]

I may be in fairy land, but sort of hoping to NOT catch covid as have 2 under 5yo'ers in the home.

Although our childcare had a covid case this week, on a day we weren't there. But might head to a PCR testing site to grab a 5pack RAT (no other way to get hands on any, still sold out everywhere), see how it plays out and how long wait time is.

Honestly you may not get it. It’s not a done deal for everyone… We’ve seen families where the whole household has got it sparked from one initial infection. Every single person. That does seem to be the norm.

But we have seen a couple of times the odd person though surrounded by it from the get go has managed not to catch it…. There’s a couple of papers around on people who seem to not catch it, they are doing studies on them. It is very much the minority though of course - but you could be lucky!

The kids are almost always totally fine by the way, even if unvaccinated… and often completely asymptomatic (grr little carriers). It’s the adults that cop it if they catch it. For your sins

 

[HappyFlyerFamily]

I thought NSW was going to be voluntary RAT+ reporting but some media is now making it sound like NSW will move to mandatory reporting of RAT+.

 

[MooTime]

Honestly you may not get it. It’s not a done deal for everyone… We’ve seen families where the whole household has got it sparked from one initial infection. Every single person. That does seem to be the norm.

But we have seen a couple of times the odd person though surrounded by it from the get go has managed not to catch it…. There’s a couple of papers around on people who seem to not catch it, they are doing studies on them. It is very much the minority though of course - but you could be lucky!

The kids are almost always totally fine by the way, even if unvaccinated… and often completely asymptomatic (grr little carriers). It’s the adults that cop it if they catch it. For your sins

Cool. Thanks for that info.
We shouldn't get covid as not at the childcare on the day the case attended.

Was interested in picking up couple rats, but reading now it seems Vic don't have then at PCR sites yet.

Won't worry about it.

 

[Pushka]

The Leader of SA opposition tested positive last week. He is only double vaxxed Pfizer presumably, due to have booster tomorrow but now cancelled. His wife then developed it, as did his three young kids. He reported he had a mild cold for just two days and then much better. Pre Covid he would have still gone to work it was so minor. His wife was unwell for a day or so, a cold, then well today. His three kids, younger than 12, not vaccinated - only knew they were positive because they had to get tested. He says they have no symptoms at all.

He continued to work online from the start.

 

[Lynda2475]

I thought NSW was going to be voluntary RAT+ reporting but some media is now making it sound like NSW will move to mandatory reporting of RAT+

The mandated RAT reporting will be for instances where the RAT is supplied by test centres / government i.e. where you are symptomatic and have presented for a covid test and sent home with a RAT, rather than given a PCR or for workplace surveillance testing.

For privately purchased RATs there is no way for the government to know you have taken a test therefore they can not enforce that you report any results.

Hazard has already confirmed no penalty/fine for not reporting.

Another media beat up.

 

[HappyFlyerFamily]

NSW (315,785 active – 21,000 public hospital beds, 884 public/private ICU beds)
[previous peak hospital/ICU: 1268/242 - September 2021]
Certain elective surgery suspended/paused - announced 7/1

2/1 18,278 positives, 90k tests, 1066 hospital, 83 ICU
3/1 20,794 positives, 96k tests, 1204 hospital, 95 ICU
4/1 23,131 positives, 83k tests, 1344 hospital, 105 ICU
5/1 35,054 positives, 108k tests, 1491 hospital, 119 ICU
6/1 34,994 positives, 111k tests, 1609 hospital, 131 ICU
7/1 38,625 positives, 112k tests, 1738 hospital, 134 ICU
8/1 45,098 positives, 116k tests, 1795 hospital, 145 ICU
9/1 30,062 positives, 98k tests, 1927 hospital, 151 ICU
10/1 20,293 positives, 84k tests, 2030 hospital, 159 ICU
11/1 25,870 positives, 71k tests, 2186 hospital, 170 ICU

Victoria (171,369 active – 15,000 public hospital beds, 476 public/private ICU beds)
[previous peak hospital/ICU: 851/163 - October 2021]
Certain elective surgery suspended/paused - announced 6/1

2/1 7172 positives, 48k tests, 472 hospital, 52 ICU active, 46 ICU cleared
3/1 8577 positives, 44k tests, 491 hospital, 56 ICU active, 48 ICU cleared
4/1 14,020 positives, 60k tests, 516 hospital, 56 ICU active, 52 ICU cleared
5/1 17,636 positives, 59k tests, 591 hospital, 53 ICU active, 53 ICU cleared
6/1 21,997 positives, 64k tests, 631 hospital, 51 ICU active, 49 ICU cleared
7/1 21,728 positives, 68k tests, 644 hospital, 58 ICU active, 48 ICU cleared
8/1 24,928 PCR+, 89k tests, 5923/26,428 RAT+, 731* hospital, 109* ICU active + cleared
9/1 22,104 PCR+, 83k tests, 22,051 RAT+, 752 hospital, 104 ICU
10/1 17,618 PCR+, 78k tests, 17,190 RAT+, 818 hospital, 118 ICU
11/1 19,491 PCR+, 59k tests, 18,503 RAT+, 861 hospital, 117 ICU

Tasmania (8356 active – 1500 public hospital beds, 38 public/private ICU beds)

2/1 404 positives, 454.3k coughulative tests, 3 hospital
3/1 466 positives, 1.9k tests, 2 hospital
4/1 702 positives, 2.0k tests, 1/3 hospital
5/1 867 positives, 2.4k tests, 0/5 hospital
6/1 751 positives, 2.9k tests, 1/5 hospital
7/1 1489 positives, 5.2k tests, 3/8 hospital
8/1 1051 PCR+, 4.4k tests, 1172 RAT+, 4/10 hospital
9/1 598 PCR+, 3.2k tests, 808 RAT+, 4/15 hospital
10/1 397 PCR+, 2.2k tests, 821 RAT+, 11/17 hospital
11/1 364 PCR+, 2.3k tests, 1015 RAT+, 7/18 hospital

 

[drron]

Today's Tassie numbers.


Only 7 hospitalised for covid today.

 

[HappyFlyerFamily]

Active cases in NT reach 1% of population of NT

 

[HappyFlyerFamily]

Qld (109,524 active – 13,000 public hospital beds, 408 public/private ICU beds)
Certain elective surgery suspended/paused - announced 8/1

2/1 3587 positives, 33k tests, 112 hospital, 5 ICU
3/1 4249 positives, 30k tests, 147 hospital, 10 ICU
4/1 5699 positives, 33k tests, 170 hospital, 11 ICU
5/1 6781 positives, 29k tests, 265 hospital, 10 ICU
6/1 10,332 positives, 34k tests, 284 hospital, 12 ICU
7/1 10,953 positives, 36k tests, 313 hospital, 14 ICU
8/1 11,174 positives, 33k tests, 349 hospital, 17 ICU
9/1 13,680 PCR+, 37k tests, 4320 RAT+, 380 hospital, 23 ICU
10/1 5867 PCR+, 21k tests, 3714 RAT+, 419 hospital, 21 ICU (*some non-reporting labs)
11/1 16,380 PCR+, 50k tests, 4186 RAT+, 502 hospital, 27 ICU

 

[Lynda2475]

@Pushka mentioned chicken pox parties a few weeks ago, seems Covid parties are now a real thing in Cane Toad country, from ABC blog:

Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate spoke to Channel 9 this morning, slamming reports of 'COVID parties' in the city.

Queensland Chief Health Officer John Gerrad says they are "utterly ridiculous".

"There is one way, the best way to get immunity to this virus, is through vaccination, not through COVID parties. They are ridiculous, so please stop them. Please stop." Dr Gerrad says.


If people wanting natural immunity against omicron and are otherwise healthy and vaccinated, the risk is likely low for the certainty this would provide for future travel.

 

[Pushka]

@Pushka mentione chicken pox parties a few weeks ago, seems Covid parties are now a real thing in Cane Toad country, from ABC blog:

Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate spoke to Channel 9 this morning, slamming reports of 'COVID parties' in the city.

Queensland Chief Health Officer John Gerrad says they are "utterly ridiculous".

"There is one way, the best way to get immunity to this virus, is through vaccination, not through COVID parties. They are ridiculous, so please stop them. Please stop." Dr Gerrad says.


If people wanting natural immunity against omicron and are otherwise healthy and vaccinated, the risk is likely low for the certainty this would provide for future travel.

Yep. Had a giggle when I saw that. Maybe some are members here? . But apparently they are exposing themselves instaed of being vaccinated. Maybe they are Djokovic fans.

SA reported 2920 approx cases today. Places are deserted. Car parks almost empty even Bunnings. Harvey Norman had just 20 or so cars. The city and roads are quiet. Likely we are going to draw this out for a very long time in SA. Seems we have already peaked.

 

[RAM]

Absolutely however four days and counting before advising of results is also an issue. The negative results took three days.

Agreed - the lack of competent people involved in 'Contingency Planning' keeps being revealed despite now being two years into Covid-19 and a myriad of mistakes that keep being repeated.

All the underlying tenets that the Doherty modelling used to justify 'opening up' have now been invalidated everywhere but in the only State that did not open up, aka WA.

The requirements (tenets) used by Doherty centered mostly on TTIQ standards being upheld, such as

Testing being easily accessible and results reported within 24 hrs.
Tracing being conducted up to the 'standards' of NSW from March to Sept 2020 - (all contacted & in=depth interviewed within 24 hours of results.
Isolation being enforced for 14 days.
Quarantine for international arrivals in managed facilities.

Along with other restrictions such as social distancing, QR codes, no mass events without strict Covid measures (distancing, masks) etc etc.

PCR processing capacity - NSW (for example) can only process around 63,000 tests/day within NSW. NSW Public processing capacity was last (publicly announced) increase in April 2020. Thanks to WA, SA, Vic & Qld for processing NSW tests since early 2020. Tests flown once per day to each state & only processed if any available capacity after that day's tests for the home state had been processed.

Qld has been able to process 60,000 PCR tests/day - and had been processing up to 40,000 NSW PCR tests daily, that is until Qld opened its borders for Xmas. Wonder why the time delays were blowing out in NSW & the restrictions brought in for who could get a PCR test?

Despite all these restrictions & change in definition in 'close contact' - there are still tests from NSW in Qld that are now 6 days old awaiting processing.

So, in comparison, SA is doing relatively well! Would be interesting to know if SA is still processing NSW's PCR tests.

 

[SydneySwan]

SA reported 2920 approx cases today. Places are deserted. Car parks almost empty even Bunnings. Harvey Norman had just 20 or so cars. The city and roads are quiet. Likely we are going to draw this out for a very long time in SA. Seems we have already peaked.

It sounds like SA will plateau rather then peak.

 

[Lynda2475]

NSW (for example) can only process around 63,000 tests/day within NSW.

Please provide a source for this? NSW Healthy run pathology labs have published a capacity, but bulk of testing has been done by private pathology labs including histopath, Douglas Hanly Moir, Forcyte (known issues), Laverty (tardy from the start) etc

Also capacity varies depending on the prevailing positivity rate and whether or not samples can be processed in batches or need to be run separately.

Qld has been able to process 60,000 PCR tests/day - and had been processing up to 40,000 NSW PCR tests daily, that is until Qld opened its borders for Xmas.

Again provide a legitimate source?

Qld has one of the lowest testing rates so I call BS especially since they weren't even able to provide testing facilities in their own state in many popular holiday areas on weekends and public holidays over Christmas. Qld has never tested anywhere near 60k people a day, even though the demand was there for holidays makers during the 2 weeks that the 5th day from entry PCR test was a thing.

 

[love_the_life]

Please provide a source for this? NSW Healthy run pathology labs have published a capacity, but bulk of testing has been done by private pathology labs including histopath, Douglas Hanly Moir, Forcyte (known issues), Laverty (tardy from the start) etc

Also capacity varies depending on the prevailing positivity rate and whether or not samples can be processed in batched or need to be run separately.



Again provide a legitimate source?

Qld has one of the lowest testing rates so I call BS especially since they weren't even able to provide testing facilities in their own state in many popular holiday areas on weekends and public holidays over Christmas. Qld has never tested anywhere near 60k people a day, even though the demand was there for holidays makers during the 2 weeks the 5th day from entry test was a thing.

Certainly back in July the Guardian reported that NSW test samples were being sent to QLD for processing. Not sure what the situation is now with the additional demand in all states.

 

[Lynda2475]

Certainly back in July the Guardian reported that NSW test samples were being sent to QLD for processing. Not sure what the situation is now with the additional demand in all states.

I don't doubt that some private lab swabs may have been processed by their interstate facilities.

But there is absolutely no way that 1/3 of all NSW testing over the last 6 months (which is what 40k out of avg 120k/day is) were processed in Queensland.

If Queensland can indeed do 60k a day, they should have had no issue being able to test all holiday makers who needed day 5 tests.

*** Edited a quick google shows the guardian article in July was primarily about Laverty (notice I referenced them as being known to be unreliable above) . It stated "TCovid nasal test swabs are being put on planes and flown from hotspots in New South Wales to be processed in Brisbane and other cities". QML in Brisbane is owned by Laverty.

Covid tests being flown interstate for diagnosis as Sydney is swamped

With daily tests in NSW hovering around 100,000, pathology turnaround times are being pushed back as residents wait in isolation

www.theguardian.com