Australian Reports of the Virus Spread

[Must...Fly!]

The Age has more.

Contact tracing faltered as ‘hyper-infectious’ COVID strain pushes state into lockdown

Victoria’s public health team is under pressure to explain why contact tracers took too long to get in touch with people exposed to the rampant British variant.

www.theage.com.au

This is an absolute sh** show.

Just thinking on this further

Brunetti exposure at T4 was on February 9th (Tuesday), the day that Victorian contact tracers only contacted 57% of close contacts. Which presumably would have been identified Monday but then "failed to be contacted" presumably leading to the high figure on Tuesday itself.

Now, the lockdown is almost exclusively attributed to this exposure site, as all was well in control according to various in the government including the premier himself.

Is it possible that if the Victorian contact tracing was operating efficiently - as we were promised week after week after week - that someone would have got in touch with this worker from Brunetti on Monday, prior to them attending work on Tuesday morning?

 

[jase05]

Also reporting Nicole Kidman pregnant again!

With their record probably more chance of her being pregnant than being correct

 

[jakeseven7]

With their record probably more chance of her being pregnant than being correct

Maybe the super infectious mutant strain causes pregnancy? A side effect? Good follow up story for the HS / No News Corp

 

[burmans]

You need to look at the number of cases and deaths Israel has had compared to Australia.
716643 cases and 5286 deaths.In a country with a population of less than 40% of Australia's at just over 9 million.
They qualified for emergency authorisation.
I prefer to have a lot less deaths and wait a little longer for the vaccine.

It’s not the time to get authorisation that bothers me, but when the authorisation came and we were ready to go then we should have been ready to go.

 

[jakeseven7]

Well at least all this rubbish is forcing the Feds to reconfirm vaccine timelines and actually do something for once to help... Just shove it in peoples arms already, end the states power hold on us all please!

 

[jase05]

Seven new tier 1 exposure sites have just been added.

Saturday 6 February
Function venue: 426 Sydney Rd, Coburg – 7:14pm – 11:30pm

Monday 8 February
Coates Hire Werribee: Hoppers Crossing - 6.45am - 7.30am
Caltex Woolworths: Hoppers Crossing - 6.40am - 7.15am
Stowe Australia: South Melbourne - 10.30am - 10.45am

Tuesday 9 February
901 bus route - (Melb Airport to Broadmeadows Station) – 1:02pm – 1:49pm
Craigieburn Line train (Broadmeadows Station to Glenroy Station) – 1.25pm – 1.59pm
513 bus route - (Glenroy Station towards Eltham) – 1.35pm – 2.17pm

 

[N860CR]

The spoilt, rich nation of Australia. Where else in the world is there enough money that people can literally spend an entire year scared and hiding under the doona. Australia had a chance to shine, and we've proven we have absolutley no idea what we're doing.

How on earth does anyone think that a large nation of 25 million people who live on every corner of the globe can honestly "eradicate" a contagious, fast spreading virus that is so mild 80% of people don't know they've got it? This goal of "zero" virus in the country is absoutley insane, and I cannot believe the general population has fallen for it. "We must listen to the health advise!". Have we ever done this before? If our politicians listened to health advise, do we honestly believe we'd be selling cigarettes? Having the massive level of alcohol consumption that we do? Tollerate people living in squaller in nursing homes? (nobody wanted to listen to "health advise" after that royal commission, did we?).

We have literally gone through an entire pandemic with hospitals empty, ICU beds unused, the death rate at an all time low, doctors careers set back by years, nurses stood down (I'm not even going into the non-health related personal collapse). And for what? So we can say "oooohhhh, no cases today!". Yep, the USA and the UK didn't do well, but that doesn't mean that a handful of clearly traced cases mean we turn into that tomorrow. There are over 200 nations on this planet, and it's funny how we never hear how the rest of them are going. We are just told that Australia is the "gold standard" and we've "smashed the curve". What curve was that again?

 

[MEL_Traveller]

The spoilt, rich nation of Australia. Where else in the world is there enough money that people can literally spend an entire year scared and hiding under the doona. Australia had a chance to shine, and we've proven we have absolutley no idea what we're doing.

How on earth does anyone think that a large nation of 25 million people who live on every corner of the globe can honestly "eradicate" a contagious, fast spreading virus that is so mild 80% of people don't know they've got it? This goal of "zero" virus in the country is absoutley insane, and I cannot believe the general population has fallen for it. "We must listen to the health advise!". Have we ever done this before? If our politicians listened to health advise, do we honestly believe we'd be selling cigarettes? Having the massive level of alcohol consumption that we do? Tollerate people living in squaller in nursing homes? (nobody wanted to listen to "health advise" after that royal commission, did we?).

We have literally gone through an entire pandemic with hospitals empty, ICU beds unused, the death rate at an all time low, doctors careers set back by years, nurses stood down (I'm not even going into the non-health related personal collapse). And for what? So we can say "oooohhhh, no cases today!". Yep, the USA and the UK didn't do well, but that doesn't mean that a handful of clearly traced cases mean we turn into that tomorrow. There are over 200 nations on this planet, and it's funny how we never hear how the rest of them are going. We are just told that Australia is the "gold standard" and we've "smashed the curve". What curve was that again?

We achieved zero. And the freedoms and liberties that came with that.

Thankfully, due to our efforts, our hospitals weren't - for the most part - overwhelmed. And we are able to conduct elective surgery. We could have our whole families, including elderly grandparents, together for Christmas.

The reason we wanted to eradicate it is because of the devastating impacts the virus has on vulnerable populations. 80% of the population may not know they have it, but that's of little comfort to the 350,000 families who have lost loved ones in the USA, or the 116,000 families in the UK. It's of little comfort to the medical staff who were stretched to the limit in Victoria during the major outbreak.

Cases are coming in through returned travellers. Through improved management, and a dose of good luck, we have managed to keep covid away from vulnerable populations. But we may not always be that lucky.

Only a couple more months to go and we'll have vaccinated those most in need.

Not a bad effort I'd say.

 

[N860CR]

but that's of little comfort to the 350,000 families who have lost loved ones in the USA, or the 116,000 families in the UK.

Thank you for proving my point

 

[drron]

We were reassured that the Victorian HQ system was now the best in Australia having learnt from their mistakes last year.
Yet from the links already posted here we find that their contact tracing team have not kept up to their aim of all close contacts notified within 48 hours.
The nebuliser guy has said he informed staff of his nebuliser and was given permission to use it.
He says he became symptomatic on Day 6 and asked for a test but was refused.positive on Day 11.
And now a heath care worker at another HQ hotel photographed without PPE.

Why this picture of a nurse is sparking fury in Melbourne

The Holiday Inn cluster swelled to 13 on Friday, leaving five million Melburnians on edge as they brace for a potential city-wide lockdown over the weekend.

www.dailymail.co.uk

 

[OATEK]

I have relatives in Melbourne who as late as last evening were still saying they think Dan has done a good job. But surely hubris is going to be his undoing. The claims this week about being the best in HQ, and other states following Vic, and the nebuliser not being authorised, could have been avoided, but he is so sure of himself and his following that he couldn't stop himself.

I for one think HQ and contract tracing are done very well everywhere, but not perfectly. However, there is something about the NSW system that has given them the edge. Outbreaks will happen, lockdowns will be needed, but it is the extent they are applied which again marks out NSW (NB) from Vic.

 

[kyle]

I have relatives in Melbourne who as late as last evening were still saying they think Dan has done a good job. But surely hubris is going to be his undoing. The claims this week about being the best in HQ, and other states following Vic, and the nebuliser not being authorised, could have been avoided, but he is so sure of himself and his following that he couldn't stop himself.

Contrast this with nearly everyone I've met who's working or runs a business is not a fan of DA.

 

[jakeseven7]

Why are we being consistently told that these strains are so incredibly contagious then? Resulting in Perth and Brisbane being locked down after just 1 case? Remind me? Has someone not down their homework...?

——

Mutant strains are more infectious, but only by a small amount, respected epidemiologist says​

Respected epidemiologist Catherine Bennett has hosed down some claims about the infectivity of the UK variant virus that has been used to justify several states’ lockdown.

Professor Bennett, Deakin University’s chair of epidemiology, said while the mutant strains of COVID-19 were more infectious, it was only by a degree of a few percentage points.

“We know they’re more infectious, but the data tell us that the difference is between 11 per cent of your close contacts being infected after exposure and 14.7 per cent. So, it’s an increase of what is actually, on average, a low base,” she told ABC’s Weekend Breakfast program this morning.

“That’s what we saw in Queensland and WA: very low or little, or no, transmission beyond those workers. So, this should be manageable.”

As it happened: Victoria records one new case on state’s first day of lockdown as Holiday Inn cluster grows; 2021 Australian Open to proceed with no crowds

Seven new high-risk coronavirus exposure sites have been identified in Melbourne as Victorians begin their first day of a snap five-day lockdown.

www.theage.com.au

 

[jakeseven7]

Glad there was a lockdown.....

 

[lovetravellingoz]

 

[Must...Fly!]

Glad there was a lockdown.....

Didn't you get the mail?

It's a "Circuit Breaker Action" according to the government.

 

[Carrots]

Why are we being consistently told that these strains are so incredibly contagious then? Resulting in Perth and Brisbane being locked down after just 1 case? Remind me? Has someone not down their homework...?

——

Mutant strains are more infectious, but only by a small amount, respected epidemiologist says​

Respected epidemiologist Catherine Bennett has hosed down some claims about the infectivity of the UK variant virus that has been used to justify several states’ lockdown.

Professor Bennett, Deakin University’s chair of epidemiology, said while the mutant strains of COVID-19 were more infectious, it was only by a degree of a few percentage points.

“We know they’re more infectious, but the data tell us that the difference is between 11 per cent of your close contacts being infected after exposure and 14.7 per cent. So, it’s an increase of what is actually, on average, a low base,” she told ABC’s Weekend Breakfast program this morning.

“That’s what we saw in Queensland and WA: very low or little, or no, transmission beyond those workers. So, this should be manageable.”

As it happened: Victoria records one new case on state’s first day of lockdown as Holiday Inn cluster grows; 2021 Australian Open to proceed with no crowds

Seven new high-risk coronavirus exposure sites have been identified in Melbourne as Victorians begin their first day of a snap five-day lockdown.

www.theage.com.au

But the Premiers have all taken health advice that it is super dooper extremely rapidly fast hyper infectious.

A classic example of current world problems... way too many differing opinions, and quite often the outcomes don’t agree with actions, but the spin says they do. Ugh.

 

[jakeseven7]

Lots of constructive help from the Feds....

While QLD supporting VIC helpfully points out that their Wagner, cough sorry, Wellcamp solution should have saved the day!!

——

‘We’re not running it’: PM refuses to take over hotel quarantine​

Prime Minister Scott Morrison dismissed talk of overhauling the system in a growing debate over federal and state responsibilities for border control and whether new facilities are needed to quarantine travellers.

“We’re not going to be running it,” Mr Morrison said of the hotel quarantine system on Friday.

One week after national cabinet raised the cap on international arrivals to about 6500 per week and said the new level should last to the end of April, Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews paused all international flights into Victoria from Saturday.

As it happened: Victoria records one new case on state’s first day of lockdown as Holiday Inn cluster grows; 2021 Australian Open to proceed with no crowds

Seven new high-risk coronavirus exposure sites have been identified in Melbourne as Victorians begin their first day of a snap five-day lockdown.

www.theage.com.au

 

[Carrots]

Gees did you note the comment/post in that link that whilst the Premier has said 5 days, the actually emergency order is for 2 weeks?!

 

[MEL_Traveller]

But the Premiers have all taken health advice that it is super dooper extremely rapidly fast hyper infectious.

A classic example of current world problems... way too many differing opinions, and quite often the outcomes don’t agree with actions, but the spin says they do. Ugh.

If you look at some other articles written by Professor Bennett (as quoted in the link by jakeseven7), she makes the point that outcomes won't necessarily be same even if all things start equal. For example she says could have a super-spreader in one city leading to an uncontrolled outbreak, compared to just a single infection in another. You just don't know.