Australian Reports of the Virus Spread

[lovetravellingoz]

The justification for SA lockdown was that it was the UK strain.

Yes I understand what they said at the time.

I think it was more that they believed that they may had a more recent strain mutation that could jump easily by fomite transmission on the pizza boxes.

That plus the large family gave then a rapid number of cases which while normal spooked them.

Personally I think that panicked somewhat and just used the pizza guy as a scapegoat.

They indicated in the follow up that they did not fully believe his story when interviewed.

 

[Pushka]

Yes I understand what they said at the time.

I think it was more that they believed that they may had a more recent strain mutation that could jump easily by fomite transmission on the pizza boxes.

That plus the large family gave then a rapid number of cases which while normal spooked them.

Personally I think that panicked somewhat and just used the pizza guy as a scapegoat.

They indicated in the follow up that they did not fully believe his story when interviewed.

Yes. The interesting thing is that they said the genomics supported it was the Uk variant along with his story, that was the justification and maintained when the lie was discovered (so downplaying the fact the state was shut down because of a lie) but that now seems to not be the case.

 

[nutwood]

The SA lockdown was reasonable when considered against the information available at the time of the decision. I liked the fact that they didn't muck about and just did it, but were equally quick to undo it when more information came to hand.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

The SA lockdown was reasonable when considered against the information available at the time of the decision. I liked the fact that they didn't muck about and just did it, but were equally quick to undo it when more information came to hand.

Yes agree it is better to be cautious than not.

But I still think it was that the first case was being in a very large family and it spooked them. They even stated at the time that there had been several generations of the virus at that time when there had not been. This was another reason why they went into lockdown.


It is a luck dip if you patient zero is in a small or large household. In Brisbane the cleaner on had a partner and so cases became only 2. Al that means less close contacts. In Adelaide patient zero was part of a very large household and so as they tested all the close (household) contacts they got a rapid jump in numbers. Plus with more people who were infected you then have a larger pool of close contacts.

In NSW patient zero unknown in Avalon and may have been out an about for some time before multiple cases showed up . With that time delay it meant that you also got multiple transmission chains popping up.

The more frequent testing of quarantine staff and aircrew along with quicker containment measures should hopefully mean that we never get another Avalon or Vic Second Wave. Interstate border controls are now to my way of thinking an unnecessary measure except for restricting cases, close contacts of cases, and contacts of close contact, as well as people who were at exposure sites in the designated time windows. Border restrictions should only be implemented now if there are a large number of cases, or obvious unknown transmission chains in evidence. ie The recent cases in WA, Qld and Vic should all have not had border controls.

NSW is a bit harder due the multiple transmission chains without a known source, with the Berala outbrek layered on top. But all of NSW was an overkill, as was Vic giving people under two days to get back.

 

[Flying mermaid]

This is an interesting article on the UK variant

The UK variant of coronavirus is more infectious, so why hasn't it spread widely in Australia?

The UK variant of COVID-19 is more infectious than the original but so far it has mainly been contained to people in hotel quarantine. That's down to luck, the environment and statistics, two epidemiologists say.

www.abc.net.au

 

[Pushka]

This is an interesting article on the UK variant

The UK variant of coronavirus is more infectious, so why hasn't it spread widely in Australia?

The UK variant of COVID-19 is more infectious than the original but so far it has mainly been contained to people in hotel quarantine. That's down to luck, the environment and statistics, two epidemiologists say.

www.abc.net.au

How many more sleeps?

 

[Flying mermaid]

How many more sleeps?

5 until she is in Canberra

 

[lovetravellingoz]

 

[jakeseven7]

NSW now asking (voluntary) HQ inmates to test on day 16 as well

——

Tests proposed for returned travellers after NSW quarantine​

NSW Health has announced it will be asking returned overseas travellers to take an additional voluntary test after after multiple breaches of its hotel quarantine program resulted in lockdowns, restrictions and a seeding event interstate.

Travellers emerging from hotel quarantine can now expect a phone call from NSW Health contact tracers two days after their 14-day quarantine stay. The call is intended as a final health check to arrange a visit to a nearby testing clinic.

The day 16 test is not mandatory but strongly recommended as an enhanced measure to protect the community, NSW Health said. If the person being tested is asymptomatic, they will not have to isolate, even while awaiting test results.

Australia plans for life after COVID with vaccines on the way

People living near vaccination sites may receive surprise calls telling them to get jabs as part of plan to prevent waste.

www.theage.com.au

 

[lovetravellingoz]

NSW now asking (voluntary) HQ inmates to test on day 16 as well

——

Tests proposed for returned travellers after NSW quarantine​

NSW Health has announced it will be asking returned overseas travellers to take an additional voluntary test after after multiple breaches of its hotel quarantine program resulted in lockdowns, restrictions and a seeding event interstate.

Travellers emerging from hotel quarantine can now expect a phone call from NSW Health contact tracers two days after their 14-day quarantine stay. The call is intended as a final health check to arrange a visit to a nearby testing clinic.

The day 16 test is not mandatory but strongly recommended as an enhanced measure to protect the community, NSW Health said. If the person being tested is asymptomatic, they will not have to isolate, even while awaiting test results.

Australia plans for life after COVID with vaccines on the way

People living near vaccination sites may receive surprise calls telling them to get jabs as part of plan to prevent waste.

www.theage.com.au

Looking at what keeps happening in NZ it sounds prudent to have some form of follow up test.

 

[jakeseven7]

Looking at what keeps happening in NZ it sounds prudent to have some form of follow up test.

If it’s that important I don’t know why it’s not rolled out to be compulsory... Wonder if the other states will try it too.

 

[HappyFlyerFamily]

NZ got as late as plus 5 days.....it makes you wonder whether intra-quarantine infection is happening

Post automatically merged: Feb 7, 2021

If it’s that important I don’t know why it’s not rolled out to be compulsory... Wonder if the other states will try it too.

Now now , some may suspect why it won’t be adopted nationally .....

 

[HappyFlyerFamily]

After yesterday’s zero local cases, we go around again Vic Qld NSW...

 

[Lynda2475]

 

[bcworld]

Positive test in NSW at Day 16.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1358362726481817601

 

[HappyFlyerFamily]

Positive test in NSW at Day 16.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1358362726481817601

Snap...breaking news...beat me to it

 

[Pushka]

Hotel transmission?

 

[Must...Fly!]

Positive test in NSW at Day 16.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1358362726481817601

Feel so sorry for those in NSW with family in WA they are desperate to see.

I wonder if Victoria will slam the border shut and declare greater Sydney a red zone as they did with Perth last week after one case.

I guess we will at least on this occasion be spared the ramblings of Mark McGowan thumbing his nose at NSW.

 

[HappyFlyerFamily]

Hotel transmission?

Implied in the statement - NSW Health thinks it’s overseas acquired and not quarantine acquired.

If you don’t read twitter, here’s the text

Public health alert - New venues​

07 February 2021
NSW Health is carrying out precautionary public health follow-up in relation to a returned overseas traveller who tested positive to COVID-19 on day 16 after being released from hotel quarantine on day 14.
The person from the Wollongong area returned two negative tests during their quarantine period.
The person did not have any symptoms but underwent testing as part of the recently enhanced day-16 follow-up. As an additional precautionary measure, NSW Health has introduced symptom checking and day-16 COVID-19 tests for overseas travellers who have been released from hotel quarantine.
Test results indicate that the person has a low level of infection and their household contacts have returned negative results to date.
Investigations to date suggest the infection was likely acquired overseas and there is no indication at this stage that there was transmission in the hotel quarantine setting.
Close contacts of the case not associated with venues have been identified and are already in self isolation.
The person visited a number of venues in Wollongong and surrounding areas, as well as a café in Brighton Le Sands in south-eastern Sydney, before they were notified of the positive result from their day-16 test.

News - Public health alert - New venues

NSW Health is carrying out precautionary public health follow-up in relation to a returned overseas traveller who tested positive to COVID-19 on day 16 after being released from hotel quarantine on day 14.

www.health.nsw.gov.au

 

[jakeseven7]

Sigh here we go again... hopefully it’s not the super duper transmissible mutant strain

——

NSW health alert after returned traveller tests positive for COVID-19 following hotel quarantine​

NSW Health has issued an alert after a Wollongong resident tested positive for the coronavirus two days after leaving hotel quarantine.

The returned overseas traveller, who did not have any symptoms, tested positive on day 16 after two weeks of quarantine.

NSW health alert after returned traveller tests positive for COVID-19 following hotel quarantine

The Wollongong resident visited a number of venues, including a south-eastern Sydney cafe, before returning a positive test result.

www.theage.com.au