Australian Reports of the Virus Spread

[Kendall Roy]

Dan just said that the NSW outbreak came from a Hotel quarantine breach

Well, he'd know a bit about that.....

In all honesty, once this thing is over, abolish states!

 

[HappyFlyerFamily]

Dan just said that the NSW outbreak came from a Hotel quarantine breach

May be misspoke.....time will tell

 

[I love to travel]

South Australia has followed Victoria’s lead and announced tighter border measures on travellers from New South Wales.
Residents from Greater Sydney will be unable to travel to South Australia without undertaking 14 days of quarantine from midnight on Sunday.
Anyone who has been in the Northern Beaches will be locked out entirely.

Those who do arrive will have to have a coronavirus test three times, once on arrival and again on days five and 12 of isolation.

People arriving from regional New South Wales will be allowed in but must undergo a test on arrival.

So given that it is not mandatory hotel quarantine works on an honour system. That is sure going to work over Xmas

 

[Pushka]

So given that it is not mandatory hotel quarantine works on an honour system. That is sure going to work over Xmas

The honor system does work for maybe 98% of the population. It’s the remaining percentage that ignores it and it only takes 1 person from that 1-2%.

 

[SydneySwan]

Dan just said that the NSW outbreak came from a Hotel quarantine breach

I will wait for the WA premier to confirm. He is the expert on the virus in NSW.

 

[SydneySwan]

Did Dan say anything about Victorians in international hotel quarantine in Sydney? If they are discharged and fly to Melbourne on Tuesday onwards do they get slapped with another 14 days? At least if they do it should be free as Dan said there is no legislation to charge people for domestic hotel quarantine (yet).

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Aren’t we all supposed to be in this together, because you don’t believe it’s fair to ask some to sacrifice more than others?

That's right. I am opposed to a two-tiered system where some argue the young and healthy (old and young) should be free to socialise, go to pubs and restaurants, cinemas, have Christmas lunch with their families, while those in aged care or otherwise vulnerable are 'locked down' and can't even visit the RSL with their mates. Everyone should be subject to the same restrictions.

With the hot-spot zoning system everyone from that zone is subject to restriction. There is no 'two-tiered' approach.

 

[N860CR]

That's right. I am opposed to a two-tiered system where some argue the young and healthy (old and young) should be free to socialise, go to pubs and restaurants, cinemas, have Christmas lunch with their families, while those in aged care or otherwise vulnerable are 'locked down' and can't even visit the RSL with their mates.

Except that’s what’s happening now anyway. Aged care facilities are locked down and the vulnerable are generally isolating at home.

 

[HappyFlyerFamily]

That's right. I am opposed to a two-tiered system where some argue the young and healthy (old and young) should be free to socialise, go to pubs and restaurants, cinemas, have Christmas lunch with their families, while those in aged care or otherwise vulnerable are 'locked down' and can't even visit the RSL with their mates. Everyone should be subject to the same restrictions.

With the hot-spot zoning system everyone from that zone is subject to restriction. There is no 'two-tiered' approach.

Don’t sweat it.

The same people in previous weeks were arguing - can’t be shutting down for a tiny amount of cases, need to open international borders quicker, need to roll out vaccine quicker, the list is endless. I’m sure in their mind every State has got their current response wrong on borders because we are in a pandemic and people get infected/die

 

[lovetravellingoz]

May be misspoke.....time will tell

Yes he may have meant inclusive of aircrew, though they were not technically in quarantine. Though international aircrew will now be in supervised isolation in NSW, so that will pretty much be in quarantine.

 

[RAM]

I wonder if there have been any overseas travelers given an exemption from Hotel quarantine who are/were undertaking quarantine at a residential address in the Northern Beaches in the last couple of weeks?
There’s a lot of high end short term rentals there.

As we discovered thanks to the ICAC earlier this year with NSW MP exemptions staying at another MPs rental.

Where is the Prime Minister? Christmas is being destroyed for hundreds of thousands of Australians right now and more businesses will go to the wall. The anger in the community is white hot.

Isn't this Hawaii time?
Or perhaps he's isolating due to the two Cronulla venues that have been identified....

anyway given the catastrophic effect on people and the economy it would probably be cheaper to get Qantas to do repatriation flights to replace any airline that cancels because of this.

No need to pay Q or any other airline any money.

Simply increase the number of seats allowed per plane from the typical just 30 or 31 seats for flights into Sydney - will improve economics of Qatar significantly for example. The adverse PR for any airline that cut out would be disasterous in the current climate.

Can someone remind me why (legally) the NSW government is unable to mandate mask wearing? I do remember there was a discussion about that a while ago...

All this pretty please wear a mask is stupid. Just mandate it for certain environments like VIC.

Could it be that the NSW modus operandi is not to be 'the reason'? Create enough concern to force the hand of others - so NSW cannot be held to account? Following the Ruby Princess principle - everyone else is bad, at fault, wrong & we're not.

As Brad Hazzard repeatedly said in previous day's appearances, there's nothing wrong with NSW's international air crew isolation. It's all the fault of non-compliance by them, it was not mandatory so we did not have to monitor them.

 

[RAM]

Well, he'd know a bit about that.....

In all honesty, once this thing is over, abolish states!

Not sure there are many politicians who would support that call. Where else can they get such good retirement schemes & life-time perks?

Let alone easy access to travel restrictions!

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Except that’s what’s happening now anyway. Aged care facilities are locked down and the vulnerable are generally isolating at home.

Not in Victoria! Which is why we are so keen to stop the spread from interstate.

 

[N860CR]

The same people in previous weeks were arguing - can’t be shutting down for a tiny amount of cases, need to open international borders quicker, need to roll out vaccine quicker, the list is endless. I’m sure in their mind every State has got their current response wrong on borders because we are in a pandemic and people get infected/die

With all due respect, do you honestly think think constant chopping and changing of borders is really the solution? We have what should be the best health system in the world, why is it that we’re not even prepared to let it do it’s job?

How about we just let the contract tracers do their job, let the small number of cases be managed (as NSW has proven is entirely achievable) and try to find a way to move forward. The long term damage this is causing is going to be far greater in the long term

 

[HappyFlyerFamily]

Just curious about the unknown source of the Avalon cluster, referring to the power/knowledge of the AFF forum

- more likely it’s airline crew
- foreign crew are unlikely to be in Northern Beaches in case stranded due to bridge issues
- also not that many suitable hotels near Avalon
- local international crew (Qantas/Virgin) not currently flying to US???
- old hotel quarantine positive - they do stay an extra 10 days if first positive on day 11??

 

[astrosly]

Victoria Premier's media release: Further Measures To Protect Victoria | Premier of Victoria

"Based on the most up-to-date information available, the current outbreak in New South Wales is linked to a returned traveler in that state's Hotel Quarantine program."

and ...
"Without mandatory mask rules and stay at home orders across Sydney, our Government and state's health authorities do not have confidence that the situation remains safe."

 

[SydneySwan]

I think it has been very lucky that the outbreak has been on the Insular Peninsula and many of those folk don’t ever cross into Common Sydney

Interesting description of the rest of Sydney. Whenever I have driven south over the Spit Bridge into Mosman from the Northern Beaches I thought I was entering an even more upmarket area than the one I was leaving. I think Mosmanites may be deeply offended!

 

[HappyFlyerFamily]

Victoria Premier's media release: Further Measures To Protect Victoria | Premier of Victoria

"Based on the most up-to-date information available, the current outbreak in New South Wales is linked to a returned traveler in that state's Hotel Quarantine program."

and ...
"Without mandatory mask rules and stay at home orders across Sydney, our Government and state's health authorities do not have confidence that the situation remains safe."

Interesting......I guess they are referring to the 1 December traveller. NSW Health didn’t sound wholly convinced.

Edit: 28 venues (outside Northern Beaches) and a handful of public transport route + plus non-mandatory masks was enough for Vic to pull the pin and make all of Sydney and Central Coast a red zone.

 

[andye]

Just curious about the unknown source of the Avalon cluster, referring to the power/knowledge of the AFF forum

- more likely it’s airline crew
- foreign crew are unlikely to be in Northern Beaches in case stranded due to bridge issues
- also not that many suitable hotels near Avalon
- local international crew (Qantas/Virgin) not currently flying to US???
- old hotel quarantine positive - they do stay an extra 10 days if first positive on day 11??

I saw a rumour it was a celeb who was given a quarantine exemption. Don't really see someone like Nicole Kidman popping down the RSL or Bowlo even the Avalon ones

 

[HappyFlyerFamily]

I saw a rumour it was a celeb who was given a quarantine exemption. Don't really see someone like Nicole Kidman popping down the RSL or Bowlo even the Avalon ones

Or an Anytime Gym....lol

NSW Health Minister was pretty clear at the press conference that so far no specific exemption (granted on exceptional circumstance) has been a positive case.