Australian Reports of the Virus Spread

[p--and--t]

2020

At least it is >60% gone

Only 137 days to Xmas.

 

[SydneySwan]

Which leads to a potential future scenario of Victoria through its hard shut down getting the virus down a point where some states will reopen to them, and NSW may still be left out in the cold, as they are content to let it bubble along at current levels.

Weird world.

WOW - so presumably a possible scenario is NSW reopening its border to Victoria and then Victoria closing the border to NSW! I suppose at least it would give Victorian government an opportunity to see if it could administer a closed border properly. NSW are using police and army. I wonder what Victoria would use?

 

[Seat0B]

That is true but this little black duck would like to go somewhere else.

yes me too! Including to see family interstate.

 

[Lynda2475]

NSW Premier and various Ministers have repeatedly said that they are not pursuing an elimination strategy, that they are happy with some underlying degree of virus in the community

Well that is aligned with the federal stance - ScoMo has never stated elimination is the goal.

NSW has taken over 60% of all international arrivals since the hotel quarantine program began, so unless we stop all international arrivals permanently we will never get to zero. Where fallible people are involved, there is always some risk of a traveller infecting someone at the airport or en route to isolation or a self entitled Richard Cranium doing the wrong thing like setting off the fire alarms to escape briefly or transmission when treating in hospital, So if NSW get to zero community transmission for a month (2 infection periods) will borders be slammed shut again if there is 1 infection due to a breach ?

One would think there is a low tolerable number that if they can test, track/trace and ring-fence is acceptable, given we will be living with this for years (if not forever). Even with the worlds best vaccine, zero cases indefinitely is unlikely. we have very high levels of vaccination for measles, yet there are still cases every year.

 

[jakeseven7]

I thought it was quite telling this morning that the Qld presser gave forewarning to border residents to think about how they will operate in the event of a closed border shutting off access for even them.

Please, she's got an election to win, got to play the scary cards.....

 

[RAM]

This is just another example of the 'lack of response' despite all the spin put out - evidence given today at the Aged Care Royal Commission. Among other sad points of note - Australia has one of the highest CV death rates in Aged Care facilities whilst having one of the lowest death rates overall.


NO COVID-19 PLAN FOR AGED CARE

Mr Rozen told the commission there was no national co-ordinated plan for how to deal with COVID-19 in aged care from either the federal government – who is responsible for aged care – or from the industry.

“How well prepared is the Australian aged care sector for 2019?” he asked.

“On July 29 2020, as COVID-19 was raging through a large number of nursing homes in Melbourne with devastating consequences, commonwealth Health Minister Greg Hunt was quoted as saying that, and I quote, ‘aged care around the country has been immensely prepared’.

“In a number of important respects, the evidence will demonstrate that the sector has been underprepared.

“While there was undoubtedly a great deal done to prepare the Australian health sector more generally for the pandemic, the evidence will reveal that neither the commonwealth Department of Health nor the aged care regulator developed a COVID-19 plan specifically for the aged care sector.”

He said a regulator was set up in July last year to keep the sector in line – but its preparation, after the coronavirus was first identified in Australia in March, largely consisted of sending out a survey that providers filled out themselves.

And 99.5 per cent of providers assessed their readiness for the coronavirus as satisfactory, with 42.7 rating themselves as “best practice” – including Newmarch House, where 17 residents died from an outbreak.

------------------------------------
Mentioned later the NSW Dept of Health at the outset specifically requested that no residents from Newmarch House be admitted to hospital as 'it may set a precedent'. At best an unethical request and possibly borderline illegal to request it seems.

 

[Pushka]

Well that is aligned with the federal stance - ScoMo has never stated elimination is the goal.

NSW has taken over 60% of all international arrivals since the hotel quarantine program began, so unless we stop all international arrivals permanently we will never get to zero. Where fallible people are involved, there is always some risk of a traveller infecting someone at the airport or en route to isolation or a self entitled Richard Cranium doing the wrong thing like setting off the fire alarms to escape briefly or transmission when treating in hospital, So if NSW get to zero community transmission for a month (2 infection periods) will borders be slammed shut again if there is 1 infection due to a breach ?

One would think there is a low tolerable number that if they can test, track/trace and ring-fence is acceptable, given we will be living with this for years (if not forever). Even with the worlds best vaccine, zero cases indefinitely is unlikely. we have very high levels of vaccination for measles, yet there are still cases every year.

But travellers from overseas haven’t caused the current issues. I suspect it has been bubbling away in the western parts from very early on.

 

[dajop]

Where fallible people are involved, there is always some risk of a traveller infecting someone at the airport or en route to isolation or a self entitled Richard Cranium doing the wrong thing like setting off the fire alarms to escape briefly or transmission when treating in hospital, S

But for the grace of god, other states could have ended up like NSW or even worse Vic, not because of particular failings of their governments, but the lowest common denominator being the behaviour of individuals ...

First person jailed for breaching coronavirus quarantine laws after sneaking out of hotel

A 35-year-old man becomes the first person in Australia to be jailed for breaching emergency coronavirus laws after he repeatedly left his Perth hotel room while he was supposed to be in quarantine.

www.abc.net.au

 

[RooFlyer]

Victorian coronavirus hotel quarantine nurse alleges DHHS relaxed infection controls to appease guests

Departmental staff in charge of running Melbourne's quarantine hotels were more concerned with appeasing guests than infection control, according to a nurse who worked at the troubled facilities.

Some guests were given extra so-called "fresh air" breaks and took advantage of the increasingly relaxed system, threatening to self-harm if they were not given allowances to leave their rooms, the nurse — who does not want to be named — said.
...

She said each hotel was run differently, depending on the DHHS member in charge.

When asked if there had been any changes in policy or attitudes after the suicide in hotel quarantine, Mr Andrews said the concerns raised by the nurse "probably speaks to at least that person's view ... a tone or atmosphere very much on the ground", rather than policy decisions.

 

[Lynda2475]

But travellers from overseas haven’t caused the current issues. I suspect it has been bubbling away in the western parts from very early on.

Actually that isn't true. NSW health have stated multiple times all of the active cases in NSW in this second wave have been linked to the Vic Quarantine breaches by genomic testing - so yes the source was ultimately international.

Whilst they may not have found patient zero on all cases yet (not sure when they stop looking), I reckon in the south west / west sydney cases there will have been overlap somewhere, that people either haven't remembered or been honest about being somewhere.

Im also not convinced that other states are doing a significantly better job than NSW, there has been a huge degree of luck. Queensland are lucky the Melbourne Shoplifting trio didnt infect more people, another case today of border control failure today with the teenagers in Noosa, only been found out on their lie days after entering. There is so much more through/transit traffic of freight and people through NSW than any other state, in many respects the challnge is much bigger with international plus 5 domestic borders.

NSW have kept the second wave of Covid out of aged care, i.e. at Ashfield there was a worker infected from dining at Thai Rock Wethertill Park, but because of correct PPE usage no residents or other staff members were infected.

I wish that the premiere would close down pokies, make masks on PT mandatory and ban religious gatherings - to help get numbers down more, but I also feel that we will be in limbo forever as the zero cases ongoing goal isnt realistic due to reasons previously stated.

A researcher today was calling for mandatory vaccination once available, even if 100% of Australians get vaccinated (knowing that isnt possible die to some medical conditions) - it still wont mean zero cases. Vaccination isnt a guarantee you wont catch Covid.

The pragmatists in me, just cant see anyone being able to guarantee no cases, unless its eliminated world wide. If NSW gets to zero community transmission for whatever period the other states demand, and then there is another case slamming the borders shut again with short notice, NSW residents will just write off those states as no go zones.

 

[Flying mermaid]

That is true but this little black duck would like to go somewhere else.

Winter is nearly done - I must admit at the weekend I was thinking longingly of Port Douglas, but once it gets to Spring it lovely here. No Floriade this year though

 

[Pushka]

Actually that isn't true. All active cases in NSW have been linked to the Vic Quarantine breaches by genomic testing - so yes the source was ultimately international.

Well of course that’s a given and the same all around the world except China. But my point is that NSW manages the process well so can’t the reason for the current bubbling.

 

[TheRealTMA]

This is just another example of the 'lack of response' despite all the spin put out - evidence given today at the Aged Care Royal Commission. Among other sad points of note - Australia has one of the highest CV death rates in Aged Care facilities whilst having one of the lowest death rates overall.


NO COVID-19 PLAN FOR AGED CARE

Mr Rozen told the commission there was no national co-ordinated plan for how to deal with COVID-19 in aged care from either the federal government – who is responsible for aged care – or from the industry.

“How well prepared is the Australian aged care sector for 2019?” he asked.

“On July 29 2020, as COVID-19 was raging through a large number of nursing homes in Melbourne with devastating consequences, commonwealth Health Minister Greg Hunt was quoted as saying that, and I quote, ‘aged care around the country has been immensely prepared’.

“In a number of important respects, the evidence will demonstrate that the sector has been underprepared.

“While there was undoubtedly a great deal done to prepare the Australian health sector more generally for the pandemic, the evidence will reveal that neither the commonwealth Department of Health nor the aged care regulator developed a COVID-19 plan specifically for the aged care sector.”

He said a regulator was set up in July last year to keep the sector in line – but its preparation, after the coronavirus was first identified in Australia in March, largely consisted of sending out a survey that providers filled out themselves.

And 99.5 per cent of providers assessed their readiness for the coronavirus as satisfactory, with 42.7 rating themselves as “best practice” – including Newmarch House, where 17 residents died from an outbreak.

------------------------------------
Mentioned later the NSW Dept of Health at the outset specifically requested that no residents from Newmarch House be admitted to hospital as 'it may set a precedent'. At best an unethical request and possibly borderline illegal to request it seems.

Yes and some, one, senior federal minister from Victoria has been lambasting state premier and state government demanding accountability. Where’s the mia culpa and accountability from the feds for the aged care deaths?

I read that the commissioner in the Aged Care Quality and Safety commission was less than impressed with the federal response.

 

[moa999]

7News Latest with an Inside Hotel Quarantine at 9.30pm tonight

 

[RooFlyer]

Yes and some, one, senior federal minister from Victoria has been lambasting state premier and state government demanding accountability. Where’s the mia culpa and accountability from the feds for the aged care deaths?

I agree, but of course the actual care in the facilities has been as a result of interaction between the feds and state authorities.

From today's Royal Commission, via the ABC and the Oz:

Counsel assisting the commission Peter Rozen QC outlined arguments between commonwealth and state officials over how to handle residents who had contracted coronavirus, and a “hospital in the home” policy imposed on Newmarch residents.

“There was a vigorous disagreement between the Commonwealth and NSW officials on this question of hospitalisation of COVID-19 positive residents in the early days of the outbreak at Newmarch House,” Mr Rozen said.

“The following words (in the email) appear next to the words ‘NSW Health’: ‘Preference is not to decant residents into hospitals given the precedent this would set. Need to find solutions that enable appropriate care to be provided in the facility. Looking at Hospital in the Home and ‘in-reach’ palliative care if needed.” Mr Rozen said.

Mr Rozen then cited an email from aged care quality and safety commissioner Janet Anderson on the same day, after the meeting, raising serious concerns about the NSW Health department’s position.

Ms Anderson’s email said in part “if there is a view sitting behind the NSW Health position that aged care residents with COVID-19 should always be cared for in situ and should not be transferred to a hospital in any circumstances, then WE MUST CALL THIS OUT as an intolerable and unsupportable assumption.”

The situation in Victoria is not being looked at for now, so as not to divert resources.

 

[Flying mermaid]

Not taking any chances!

Teenagers detained at Queensland shopping centre for alleged coronavirus breaches

Queensland police are questioning two teenage girls over COVID-19 breaches after they allegedly lied about travelling from a declared hotspot.

www.abc.net.au

 

[get me outta here]

The Commonwealth Govt has been “building on it’s plan” for it’s aged care sector since January. I’d hate to see what it looks like when they don’t actually have a plan seeing as 2/3 of our deaths are from aged care.

 

[TheRealTMA]

I agree, but of course the actual care in the facilities has been as a result of interaction between the feds and state authorities.

From today's Royal Commission, via the ABC and the Oz:

Counsel assisting the commission Peter Rozen QC outlined arguments between commonwealth and state officials over how to handle residents who had contracted coronavirus, and a “hospital in the home” policy imposed on Newmarch residents.

“There was a vigorous disagreement between the Commonwealth and NSW officials on this question of hospitalisation of COVID-19 positive residents in the early days of the outbreak at Newmarch House,” Mr Rozen said.

“The following words (in the email) appear next to the words ‘NSW Health’: ‘Preference is not to decant residents into hospitals given the precedent this would set. Need to find solutions that enable appropriate care to be provided in the facility. Looking at Hospital in the Home and ‘in-reach’ palliative care if needed.” Mr Rozen said.

Mr Rozen then cited an email from aged care quality and safety commissioner Janet Anderson on the same day, after the meeting, raising serious concerns about the NSW Health department’s position.

Ms Anderson’s email said in part “if there is a view sitting behind the NSW Health position that aged care residents with COVID-19 should always be cared for in situ and should not be transferred to a hospital in any circumstances, then WE MUST CALL THIS OUT as an intolerable and unsupportable assumption.”

The situation in Victoria is not being looked at for now, so as not to divert resources.

yes but, it’s the feds who have responsibilities that they have consistently underfunded and under monitored.

i was amused with the article in the papers the other day about the owners of one of the worst homes, showing their excess profits with Ferrari and Masarari cars and luxury trips to US resorts, all while providing absolute minimum staffing and services. Very like the productivity commission forced amalgamation of milk producers and childcare centres. Absolute rubbish to allow these things with no supervision.

 

[HappyFlyerFamily]

Another NSW school is closing with Batemans Bay High School advising parents that a student had tested positive for the coronavirus.

In a Facebook post the school said it would closed tomorrow, Tuesday, August 11

 

[lovetravellingoz]

Well of course that’s a given and the same all around the world except China. But my point is that NSW manages the process well so can’t the reason for the current bubbling.

Even if a new case/cluster does not have a "patient 0 " genomic testing can tell who it passed through. So NSW will know in most cases (evidently with a small % of samples the genomic testing does not work).

So NSW Health will know if it was from the second wave hotel quarantine or not. I have not been following all the NSW cases, but the occasional times I have heard someone speak, or write, on it who should know they have referenced it back to hotel quarantine genome.