Australian Reports of the Virus Spread

[Lynda2475]

i wont board a flight without an N95 mask

 

[lovetravellingoz]

I wonder if the sheer number of infected travellers boarding the flight makes a difference to likelihood of spread on board.

Yes.

1/ The more infected people, the more other passengers that will have randomly been near them long enough to become infected. Including aspects such as using the toilet after an infected person and also locations where fomite transmission may occur.

2/ Plus not all infected people will be equally contagious. Some may be shedding a lot of the virus and will be more likely to infect others. Others may mildly contagious and some may not have been contagious at all (ie may have been infected a week or more ago). So if you have a group of infected people it more likely that some in that group are capable of infected people.

And with non-airline situations, as ventilation and filtration is normally very good, in locations such as abattoirs, or hospital wards, with many infected people and less effective ventilation/filtration then the viral load in the air is thought to be greater and more conducive to infecting people.

 

[drron]

Though to be fair,yes even to QF,people would be closer together at the gate,getting on and off the plane despite being warned about social distancing and at the luggage carousel.
But I still feel theNSW Health minister should fall on his sword.The Inquiry laid the major blame on the NSW Dept.of Health and the Minister should shoulder the blame for that.Though I would be satisfied if we have to wait until the virus is definitely under control for that to happen.those responsible for problems should be responsible for cleaning up their mistakes.

 

[jakeseven7]

Sounds like a Dorothy Dixer to raise it today....lol

FML - why didn't the man say this earlier.......so we are probably back to 7/9 (if I remember correctly) since the last mystery case.

QLD's Dr Young Border Clock TM Estimated Opening Updates (according to COVIDLive)

NSW
- If QLD/Dr Young accept the genomic testing NSW is at day 13/28 no mystery cases meaning QLD would open its borders on 15th October
- If QLD/Dr Young does not accept the genomic testing NSW is at day 5/28 no mystery cases meaning QLD would open its borders on 23rd October

VIC
- VIC is at day 2/28 no mystery cases meaning QLD would open its borders on 25th October

*Please note Dr Young's QLD border clocks may be subject to monthly reviews only due to QLD's complete inability to meet more than monthly. Please note Dr Young's QLD border clocks are subjective and agreed upon and supported by no one except Dr Young and QLD so criteria may change at any moment depending on the direction of the wind on the day, we apologise in advance for any errors due to change of mind.

 

[drron]

e). When did we say we would open the border with NSW?
f). It's NSW fault for letting the passengers off the Ruby Princess.
g). We have to protect the health of Queenslanders.

Meanwhile AP is practicing her speech 'No-one opens borders like we do. We have done more to open borders than anybody else.......................

h) apparently we haven't been able to pay hospital providers on time so we can't afford Interstate freeloaders.
i) my abacus broke.

 

[jakeseven7]

h) apparently we haven't been able to pay hospital providers on time so we can't afford Interstate freeloaders.
i) my abacus broke.

j) I lost my abacus at the AFL covid party resort during a party

 

[jakeseven7]

NEW IN VIC

Surveillance testing of food processing businesses (28,000) will by next week be required to test 25% of their staff each and every week. This apart from protecting food, is due the working conditions being more conducive to rapid virus spread between staff if it does enter the workforce there.

As is surveillance testing workers will not need to isolate.

This is actually a really good idea.

Do NSW and QLD do this? They should be.

 

[RooFlyer]

Yes this inquiry seems to have totally missed the mark, and been too focussed on the security guards rather that why and how hotel quarantine failed so badly. We all know that it failed badly. That was a given.

You'll be pleased to see more evidence that the inquiry is investigating more than the security guards:

The inquiry into Victoria’s bungled hotel quarantine scheme will examine how nine workers became infected with coronavirus at quarantine hotels after the program was revamped in late July.

The Australian revealed on Tuesday the nine included a Department of Health and Human Services staff member, a Victoria Police member, two Alfred Health employees and five employees of catering and cleaning company Spotless.
...
Victorian Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton says he does not regard it as as an improbable coincidence that nine staff members infected with COVID-19 while working in the Andrews government’s overhauled hotel quarantine program since late July have been assessed by state health authorities as most likely having acquired the coronavirus elsewhere.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

You'll be pleased to see more evidence that the inquiry is investigating more than the security guards:

The inquiry into Victoria’s bungled hotel quarantine scheme will examine how nine workers became infected with coronavirus at quarantine hotels after the program was revamped in late July.​

​

The Australian revealed on Tuesday the nine included a Department of Health and Human Services staff member, a Victoria Police member, two Alfred Health employees and five employees of catering and cleaning company Spotless.​

...​

Victorian Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton says he does not regard it as as an improbable coincidence that nine staff members infected with COVID-19 while working in the Andrews government’s overhauled hotel quarantine program since late July have been assessed by state health authorities as most likely having acquired the coronavirus elsewhere.​

Yes I read the other news stories yesterday. Not The Australian as I don't have access. Their reporting seems to be a bit different than above.

A spokeswoman from the Department of Justice and Community Safety on Tuesday confirmed nine people working at the Brady Hotel and Grand Chancellor Hotel in the CBD have contracted the virus since July 27. ​

​

Of the nine, one works for the Department of Health and Human Services while another is a Victoria Police member.​

​

"Neither has been assessed as having acquired COVID-19 at a health hotel," the spokeswoman said.​

Another two staff members who contracted the virus were from Alfred Health, while the remaining five worked for catering and cleaning company Spotless.​

The spokeswoman said the Alfred Health and Spotless cases were most likely due to community transmission "outside of the health hotels".​

Given that the quarantine "health" residents were positive and that the samples have had ample time genomic testing to have been completed for both the guests and the nine that one would assume that genomic testing has not linked any of the nine to the guests (unlike the earlier cases). Being in July the guests will all have been people who voluntarily entered quarantine (ie health workers etc) unlike the international travellers who were detained in hotel quarantine.

I am not sure or not whether there were non-positive guests or not working in hospitals and aged care at those particular hotels. If not they must have been accommodated elsewhere.

The DJCS (Prisons Vic) having assumed responsibility from the DHHS in July (seemingly in late July from what I can see and so July-ish will have been a transition period) began hiring as employees Resident Support Officers (including former Qantas and Jetstar Staff). One friend who was at Qantas gained one such position in mid-July. Though they had to be trained before they could start.

The Spotless Staff mentioned above were casuals (not permanent employees) and so the casuals have now been removed from operating the quarantine process, as have the DHHS.

 

[Bundy Bear]

QLD's Dr Young Border Clock TM Estimated Opening Updates (according to COVIDLive)

NSW
- If QLD/Dr Young accept the genomic testing NSW is at day 13/28 no mystery cases meaning QLD would open its borders on 15th October
- If QLD/Dr Young does not accept the genomic testing NSW is at day 5/28 no mystery cases meaning QLD would open its borders on 23rd October

VIC
- VIC is at day 2/28 no mystery cases meaning QLD would open its borders on 25th October

*Please note Dr Young's QLD border clocks may be subject to monthly reviews only due to QLD's complete inability to meet more than monthly. Please note Dr Young's QLD border clocks are subjective and agreed upon and supported by no one except Dr Young and QLD so criteria may change at any moment depending on the direction of the wind on the day, we apologise in advance for any errors due to change of mind.

I would expect qLD/NSW border to be open 23 October 1 day before the AFL grand final and 8 days before the election.
Victoria and Qld probably the 1 November after the election.

 

[HappyFlyerFamily]

Along with SA today going to zero active cases again, Australia has under 400 active cases (Vic, NSW, WA, Qld).

 

[lovetravellingoz]

This is actually a really good idea.

I agree.

It is a good proactive measure that guards against there being some unknown cases bubbling away, that then infect a particular workplace potentially causing scores or more of cases before it is detected by someone presenting for testing.

I doubt that provided cases are zero for a while that they would maintain it for a length period. But certainly over the next few months it makes enormous sense.

With these workplaces too they have just recently had the % who can work any one shift increased and so risk has also increased. So surveillance monitoring is a good move in these workplaces.

 

[Pushka]

I agree.

It is a good proactive measure that guards against there being some unknown cases bubbling away, that then infect a particular workplace potentially causing scores or more of cases before it is detected by someone presenting for testing.

I doubt that provided cases are zero for a while that they would maintain it for a length period. But certainly over the next few months it makes enormous sense.

With these workplaces too they have just recently had the % who can work any one shift increased and so risk has also increased. So surveillance monitoring is a good move in these workplaces.

With a rapid test this opens up many opportunities for monitoring.

 

[TomVexille]

We're finally starting to see High Risk locations published in line with other states

Location	Site	Exposure period	Notes
Altona North	Woolworths Altona North, 302-330 Millers Rd Altona North	18/09 - 8am, 19/09 - 8am, 20/09 - 8.00am	Case visited for approx. 10 mins each time
Ashwood	Woolworths Ashwood	26/09/2020	Customer was there for an hour
Camberwell	Chemist Warehouse Burwood, 1424 Toorak Road	20/09,2020, 4pm	Customer visit to shop
Carrum	Carrum Foreshore SLSC	18/09/2020
Chadstone	Aldi Chadstone Shopping Centre, 1341 Princes Highway	19/09/2020, 8am-9am	Customer shopped for an hour
Chadstone	The Butcher Club - Chadstone Shopping Centre	23/09/2020 - 26/09/2020, 6am-6pm	Staff member who worked
Chadstone	Chadstone Shopping Centre Fresh Food Precinct	23/09/2020 - 26/09/2020, 6am-6pm	Staff member who worked and used public toilets
Chadstone	Coles Chadstone	27/09/2020	Customer was there for about 15 minutes
Chadstone	Woolworths Chadstone Shopping Centre, 1341 Princes Highway	19/09/2020, 8am-9am	Customer shopped for an hour
Clayton	Sarawan Spices, 335 Clayton Rd, Clayton	19/09/2020, 6pm
Clayton	Coles Clayton, Centre Rd &, Cooke St, Clayton	19/09/2020, 6pm
Clayton	Clayton Supa Wash Coin Laundrette, 1298 Centre Rd, Clayton	20/09/2020, 6pm
Dandenong South	FacadeX, 3/433-435 Hammond Road, Dandenong South	17/09/2020 - 18/09/2020
Doveton	Dan Murphy, 26 Princes Hwy, Doveton	27/09/2020, 12.30pm-3pm	Case spent 45 minutes in store between 1230pm and 3pm
Flinders Street Train	Between Ringwood and Mitcham	23/09/2020, 2pm
Hoppers Crossing	Pacific Shopping Centre Werribee, 250 Heaths Road, Cnr Derrimut Road, Hoppers Crossing	17/09/2020, 10am-12pm
Hoppers Crossing	Woolworths Hoppers Crossing. Morris Road and Old Geelong Road, Hoppers Crossing	19/09/2020
Lilydale	Lilydale train between Mitcham and Ringwood	23/09/2020, 12.15pm	Person travelled on train from Mitcham Station to Ringwood station at approx 1215 and back at approx 1400
Malvern East	Hedgley Dene Gardens, Tollington Avenue	27/09/2020, 10.30am-11.30am	Walked around garden for an hour
Melbourne	Victorian Market Communications, Queen Victoria Market F Shed	17/09/2020 - 18/09/2020, 9am-3pm
Melton	Primary Medical and Dental Centre, 247-251 Station Road, Melton	16/09/2020 - 17/09/2020
Melton	Woolworths, Coburns Central Shopping Centre, 523-531 High St, Melton	16/09/2020-17/09/2020
Mitcham	Bus 907 to/from Mitcham Station	19/09/20, 3pm and 3.30pm	Person travelled on bus to Mitcham Station from home at 1500 and returned on bus from Mitcham Station at 1530 - each trip approx. 7 mins
Mitcham	Bus 907 to/from Mitcham Station	23/09/20, 12pm and 2.30pm	Person travelled on bus to Mitcham Station from home at 1200 and returned on bus from Mitcham Station at 1430 - each trip approx. 7 mins
Mitcham	Coles Mitcham, Victoria Avenue	19/09/2020, 3.15pm	Person was grocery shopping
Mitcham	Coles Mitcham, Victoria Avenue	23/09/2020, 2pm	Person was grocery shopping
Niddrie	Woolworths Central Shopping Centre, Keilor Road	18/09/2020
Springvale	Continental Mart, 219 Springvale Road, Springvale	27/09/2020, 12.30pm-3pm	Case spent about 20 minutes shopping in store
Springvale	Woolworths Springvale, 302 Springvale Road, Springvale	27/09/2020, 12.30pm-3pm	Case spent about 15 minutes shopping in store
Sunbury Train Line	Between Ginifer Station and Footscray Station	22/09/2020, 4pm-6pm	Case embarked on the train at Ginifer Station to Footscray Station on the Sunbury line
Tarneit	Coles Tarneit West, Tarneit Rd, Tarneit	20/09/2020, 12pm-1pm
Werribee	Shearwater Village Park, Tundra Esplanade	20/09/2020, 4.30pm - 5.30pm	Case and siblings attended the park for approximately 1 hour, met friends of case during park attendance. No indication of activity whilst at the park.
Werribee Train Line	Between Footscray Station and Werribee Station	22/09/2020, 4pm-6pm	Case embarked on the train at Footscray Station and travelled to Werribee Station.

 

[jakeseven7]

We're finally starting to see High Risk locations published in line with other states

This has been happening for a while now....

 

[lovetravellingoz]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1311436897407905795

Post automatically merged: Oct 1, 2020

This has been happening for a while now....

As in for many weeks now

 

[lovetravellingoz]

So unkown Vic cases are still dropping which is good.


We really want to see daily cases dropping back into the single digits now though.

 

[blackcat20]

This has been happening for a while now....

They're making it easier to find though, most people haven't been aware of it before.

 

[jase05]

Seems like the Vic government have learnt from their past mistakes

Police step in at quarantine hotel as infection-control fears emerge

The Victorian government hastily stood down private security in the state’s remodelled hotel quarantine program and sent in police to guard people infected with coronavirus after concerns were raised about poor infection control.

www.theage.com.au

 

[lovetravellingoz]

Seems like the Vic government have learnt from their past mistakes

Police step in at quarantine hotel as infection-control fears emerge

The Victorian government hastily stood down private security in the state’s remodelled hotel quarantine program and sent in police to guard people infected with coronavirus after concerns were raised about poor infection control.

www.theage.com.au

Well that is disappointing as I thought that the Spotless Staff, as opposed to the Spotless cleaners, were already meant to have been ceased. It appears that the interface roles only were removed and that some Spotless Staff have been kept for the Floor Monitoring Role.

I would be more comfortable if all the casual staff roles were removed.