Australian Reports of the Virus Spread

[jakeseven7]

Masks weren't a requirement to be worn in WA's HQ program..... oh dear

-----​

Why the WA hotel quarantine guard wasn't wearing a mask​

Today's WA presser grew heated as journalists peppered infectious disease expert Paul Armstrong with many questions about why the security guard in question was not wearing a mask.

He explained it was not previously a requirement, based on public health advice, but that the policy had now changed.

"The policy is that guards who are static guards on the floors guarding rooms and if they can keep more than 1.5m away from somebody, and they have got a mask ready to don and eyewear ready to don, if the door is opened or somebody comes close to them, that's when they put it on," he said.

‘It’s over’: Relief as WA lockdown ends

WA is finally free after Perth's snap five-day lockdown lifted at 6pm local time (9pm AEDT).

www.news.com.au

 

[drron]

The new mutations-UK and SA - are 30-70% more transmissable than the garden variety though more likely to be 30 -50% more transmissable but media need a scary number.
Now with the original virus not every close contact would get infected.Probably ~ 30%.So a virus that is 50% more transmissable could infect 45% of close contacts.Super Spreader events were quite small in numbers therefore I am not surprised that the ~ 4 events of mutation exposure in Australia have not led to a super spreader event.

 

[oznflfan]

I’m watching the news now. Inside hotel transmission. So do we bash Melbourne HQ again now, rather than WA? “Has Victoria not learned from past experience and past mistakes?” Etcetera, etcetera. I think some AFFers should moderate their vitriol against various States lest it come back to bite them.

I don’t think it is necessarily the health departments at fault, or the measures put in place. It has been noted many times that some people will always ignore the rules, do what they want, not wear their masks and choose to ignore social distancing.

Rumour mill WA about to declare Victoria Medium Risk due to COVID transmission breakout.

 

[Port Power]

Rumour mill WA about to declare Victoria Medium Risk due to COVID transmission breakout.

But it didn’t break “out” did it? It’s inside the quarantine hotel.

 

[Flying mermaid]

How is Dr FM coping in Quarantine

She seems to be thoroughly enjoying herself to be honest. Food is fine, she is doing lots of workouts and is enjoying being able to talk to friends in the same time zone again. She has had two tests and both are negative, so one more on Monday and then she is free on Thursday. I have found awards to fly her from Adelaide to Canberra and then a few days later on to Brisbane. So nice to have her back and not worrying about flights!

 

[RooFlyer]

I think its time for Tassie or NT to have a go? Perhaps the ACT.

Don't worry our bloke (Tas) has probably got his finger in the air right now, judging the strength of the westerly winds, worrying that 'mutant virus' will be blown across and he can then lock everyone down.

 

[jakeseven7]

But it didn’t break “out” did it? It’s inside the quarantine hotel.

Its a joke

 

[Ric]

I have asked this before but are they putting travellers from different regions in the same hotels or are they segregating them into batches of a certain region to the same hotel e.g. All UK returnees in Hotel A, All European returnees to Hotel B, S.E. Asian returnees to Hotel C etc.

Are there any considerations of them doing this now that there are reports of "allegedly" transmission within the hotel due to air conditioning/ventilation factors?

 

[jakeseven7]

'No evidence' for Perth lockdown, states should follow Melbourne and Sydney approach​

Speaking to ABC News, Professor Peter Collignon from the Australian National University said there wasn't evidence that recent lockdowns made a difference in the coronavirus fight.

"The recent short lockdowns – Brisbane, Adelaide, and now Perth – so far there's no evidence that it gives you additional benefits to having good testing and good case finding" the infectious disease expert said. "The advantage of a lockdown comes when you have a lot of community cases, and particularly mystery cases"

"And if we look at the last lockdowns – those particular ones don't seem to have made any difference to the cases that were found or transmission in the community.

And the three largest clusters recently – Melbourne with its restaurant one, Sydney with its Berala and also its Avalon one – they didn't go into widespread lockdowns, yet were able to control it and, again, their case finding and testing found all the vast majority of people who were at risk and managed to contain it."

Full article:

‘It’s over’: Relief as WA lockdown ends

WA is finally free after Perth's snap five-day lockdown lifted at 6pm local time (9pm AEDT).

www.news.com.au

 

[hydrabyss]

'No evidence' for Perth lockdown, states should follow Melbourne and Sydney approach​

Speaking to ABC News, Professor Peter Collignon from the Australian National University said there wasn't evidence that recent lockdowns made a difference in the coronavirus fight.

"The recent short lockdowns – Brisbane, Adelaide, and now Perth – so far there's no evidence that it gives you additional benefits to having good testing and good case finding" the infectious disease expert said. "The advantage of a lockdown comes when you have a lot of community cases, and particularly mystery cases"

"And if we look at the last lockdowns – those particular ones don't seem to have made any difference to the cases that were found or transmission in the community.

And the three largest clusters recently – Melbourne with its restaurant one, Sydney with its Berala and also its Avalon one – they didn't go into widespread lockdowns, yet were able to control it and, again, their case finding and testing found all the vast majority of people who were at risk and managed to contain it."

Full article:

‘It’s over’: Relief as WA lockdown ends

WA is finally free after Perth's snap five-day lockdown lifted at 6pm local time (9pm AEDT).

www.news.com.au

What they need to do is when a state goes into lockdown the Premier of that state must also go into lockdown as well and not be allowed to speak to the media until the lockdown is over.

 

[N860CR]

I have asked this before but are they putting travellers from different regions in the same hotels or are they segregating them into batches of a certain region to the same hotel e.g. All UK returnees in Hotel A, All European returnees to Hotel B, S.E. Asian returnees to Hotel C etc.

Ive never understood this either. Australia, for some odd reason, has a one size fits all approach which means somebody from say Vanuatu or the Cook Islands (which I don’t think ever had a COVID case?) is being forced into a facility with people from India or the USA which are at the other end of the spectrum. Person A poses zero risk to the Australian community, however Person B now poses a big risk to Person A.

 

[Ric]

Ive never understood this either. Australia, for some odd reason, has a one size fits all approach which means somebody from say Vanuatu or the Cook Islands (which I don’t think ever had a COVID case?) is being forced into a facility with people from India or the USA which are at the other end of the spectrum. Person A poses zero risk to the Australian community, however Person B now poses a big risk to Person A.

And I am really dreading this scenario when I return with Mrs Ric who is diabetic.

 

[Seat0B]

She seems to be thoroughly enjoying herself to be honest. Food is fine, she is doing lots of workouts and is enjoying being able to talk to friends in the same time zone again. She has had two tests and both are negative, so one more on Monday and then she is free on Thursday. I have found awards to fly her from Adelaide to Canberra and then a few days later on to Brisbane. So nice to have her back and not worrying about flights!

Oh you must be so so so excited to see her.

 

[jase05]

Not a big problem hopefully with their daily testing etc

https://twitter.com/x/status/1356905272413880320

 

[Must...Fly!]

Not a big problem hopefully with their daily testing etc

https://twitter.com/x/status/1356905272413880320

great

 

[nutwood]

I must admit the requirement to wear masks in the terminals had escaped me, but then I'm not planning to fly anywhere for some time.

The terminal mask laws are bit strange. There's currently no community transmission in Tasmania and no general wearing of masks. No mask laws all last year but suddenly they are now essential, but only if you are in an airport.

 

[jase05]

great

Wonder if that resets Mr McGowans 28 day clock?

 

[Must...Fly!]

Wonder if that resets Mr McGowans 28 day clock?

He foolishly locked down 2+ million of his constituents based on the same event

I'd say there is no doubt whatsoever

 

[drron]

The terminal mask laws are bit strange. There's currently no community transmission in Tasmania and no general wearing of masks. No mask laws all last year but suddenly they are now essential, but only if you are in an airport.

Yes indeed.Where I am working anyone attending ED is given a mask to wear.Amazing if you see 50% of those in the waiting room wearing the mask and at least 50% of those have it on the chin or just over the mouth.Hardly ever see a mask outside of the hospital.

 

[jakeseven7]

The terminal mask laws are bit strange. There's currently no community transmission in Tasmania and no general wearing of masks. No mask laws all last year but suddenly they are now essential, but only if you are in an airport.

Heaps of free masks at LST! Some bewildered Tasmanians walking in circles trying to put them on