Australian Reports of the Virus Spread

[Pushka]

Has been zero mystery cases in VIC since Blackrock cluster ages ago (which was genomically linked to the Sydney outbreak).

Yet another reason why there shouldn't be any border restrictions, anywhere right now.... but you know, logic and the state premiers can't be used in the same sentence.... sigh....

Yes but other states are basing their reactions on the state with the outbreak and in this case Victoria was immediately shut down and with dire predictions of it being the UK strain. Hardly reassuring to anyone.

 

[Lynda2475]

Not all other states, NSW did not close to Vic, just required a border declaration.

NSW 37 days since last community case (a new record). AlsoABC news provided an update on the Wollongong case from a few weeks ago (weak positive after completing HQ) and has now been confirmed to be overseas acquired (not acquired in HQ) case of shedding.

So i think that means only Vic and Qld have had confirmed cases where a person in HQ ontracted covid from an unrelated (i.e. person they werent sharing a room with) fellow arrival whilst in HQ.

 

[Carrots]

NSW 37 days since last community case (a new record). AlsoABC news provided an update on the Wollongong case from a few weeks ago (weak positive after completing HQ) and has now been confirmed to be overseas acquired (not acquired in HQ) case of shedding.

Was that the case which had them concerned about people testing positive a few days after completing their HQ period?

 

[Pushka]

Not all other states, NSW did not close to Vic, just required a border declaration.

NSW 37 days since last community case (a new record). AlsoABC news provided an update on the Wollongong case from a few weeks ago (weak positive after completing HQ) and has now been confirmed to be overseas acquired (not acquired in HQ) case of shedding.

So i think that means only Vic and Qld have had confirmed cases where a person in HQ ontracted covid from an unrelated (i.e. person they werent sharing a room with) fellow arrival whilst in HQ.

Yes. Every other one but them. But I was more referencing SA as that’s the only one I can keep up with.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

Has been zero mystery cases in VIC since Blackrock cluster ages ago (which was genomically linked to the Sydney outbreak).

Yet another reason why there shouldn't be any border restrictions, anywhere right now.... but you know, logic and the state premiers can't be used in the same sentence.... sigh....

As far as outbreak's go this was one where there was very little chance of random people being infected. ie The circumstances that may possibly require a lockdown, or travel restrictions, just were not present.

Outside of the initial workers virtually everyone that tested positive did so while already quarantining. The periods that new cases were out in the community while possibly being positive being in the main very small or even not at all, and early on so most likely not really even infectious when they were.

In addition, despite the brief exposure two rings of contacts were also sent into quarantine (ie sending others who may have been transmitted to into quarantine before they could become infectious). This should have been the most cautious measure deployed, with the other much blunter tools of lockdown and travel restrictions only being deployed if unknown transmission chains in the community had actually have started.

 

[jakeseven7]

Yes but other states are basing their reactions on the state with the outbreak and in this case Victoria was immediately shut down and with dire predictions of it being the UK strain. Hardly reassuring to anyone.

Agree not reassuring at all that border restrictions that decimate livelihoods and also kill people directly (in the case of SA's poor decisions) should be made on reactions...

Again, cannot wait until our state premiers are relegated back to cutting ribbons on roads and opening train stations again, sick of the lot of them!

 

[Lynda2475]

Was that the case which had them concerned about people testing positive a few days after completing their HQ period?

Yep - because of the spread between rooms in Brisbane and in Melbourne there was some worry same may have occurred in Sydney. But was determined that it was shedding from an older overseas infection, and not a case of HQ acquired infection.

 

[dajop]

Yep - because of the spread between rooms in Brisbane and in Melbourne there was some worry same may have occurred in Sydney. But was determined that it was shedding from an older overseas infection, and not a case of HQ acquired infection.

I wonder if there has been any infection spread during the bus trip, or has it definitively been during HQ?

I say this, as my biggest concern was being jammed into a bus from airport to HQ, which in theory involved wearing masks, but old mate in front of me decided that it wasn't necessary to wear one, even though he'd come from the UK. We still had our N95's on though. Ventilation in these buses isn't quite up to the standard of planes ... so I thought it also might be a weak point.

 

[Lynda2475]

I wonder if there has been any infection spread during the bus trip, or has it definitively been during HQ?

Well there has from passenger to driver in NSW (and then from that driver to another driver, who caused Berala cluster).

Which is why drivers should have been given N95s from start.

But nothing shown in genomic testing to suggest passengers in nsw have infected other passengers en route from airport or whilst in HQ. Except where it was a family member quaranting in the same room.

 

[HappyFlyerFamily]

I wonder if there has been any infection spread during the bus trip, or has it definitively been during HQ?

I say this, as my biggest concern was being jammed into a bus from airport to HQ, which in theory involved wearing masks, but old mate in front of me decided that it wasn't necessary to wear one, even though he'd come from the UK. We still had our N95's on though. Ventilation in these buses isn't quite up to the standard of planes ... so I thought it also might be a weak point.

Not hotel quarantine related, but NSW did have one situation where a mask wearing commuter infected another non-mask wearing commuter on public transport (bus) - in the Eastern Suburbs (Bondi, Coogee???) I believe.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

I wonder if there has been any infection spread during the bus trip, or has it definitively been during HQ?

I say this, as my biggest concern was being jammed into a bus from airport to HQ, which in theory involved wearing masks, but old mate in front of me decided that it wasn't necessary to wear one, even though he'd come from the UK. We still had our N95's on though. Ventilation in these buses isn't quite up to the standard of planes ... so I thought it also might be a weak point.

Note that back in December in NSW, that the transport worker was also helping the aircrew with their bags. Sometimes too it was just in minivans and not buses at all.

“His contact in those settings was to basically help people out with their baggage and help them exit a minivan or buses.”​

​

Sydney Airport ground transport worker tests positive for COVID-19 - Travel Weekly

A Sydney Airport ground transport worker has tested positive for COVID-19, marking the first community case of the virus in NSW since 3 December.

www.travelweekly.com.au

​

So pretty poor infection control to have someone hopping in and out of the vehicle, handling bags and mixing with the passengers

He would have been needing to disinfect between each touch point, and I doubt that would have been happening at all.

 

[HappyFlyerFamily]

I wonder if there has been any infection spread during the bus trip, or has it definitively been during HQ?

I say this, as my biggest concern was being jammed into a bus from airport to HQ, which in theory involved wearing masks, but old mate in front of me decided that it wasn't necessary to wear one, even though he'd come from the UK. We still had our N95's on though. Ventilation in these buses isn't quite up to the standard of planes ... so I thought it also might be a weak point.

Oh and if it counts, I believe a NSW nurse was undertaking positive patient transports and became infected that way. Ended up infecting a colleague I believe.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

Looks like this last outbreak may now have ceased.

 

[RAM]

Was up during the early hours and looked out to the sea and being very dark, saw possibly seven container ships waiting it out to berth. It’s been months since there were any reports of COVID amongst crew members in Australia, yet before there would be multiple. Can’t imagine COVID has gone so what has changed?

Perhaps all the crew members have already caught CV by now?

 

[oz_mark]

Was up during the early hours and looked out to the sea and being very dark, saw possibly seven container ships waiting it out to berth. It’s been months since there were any reports of COVID amongst crew members in Australia, yet before there would be multiple. Can’t imagine COVID has gone so what has changed?

Tightened up the processes around crew changes.

 

[Pushka]

Perhaps all the crew members have already caught CV by now?

I did wonder that too.

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Looks like this last outbreak may now have ceased.

As of Friday night SA border completely open. No tests required. Made it by a week with our first business trip to Melbourne in a year next Thursday week.

 

[N860CR]

Has there been an official announcement on the Vic/Qld border situation?

 

[Toula92122]

Whatever the issue is with shipping I hope it all gets resolved soon. We have been waiting over 3 months for our shipment from the US and with winter fast approaching in Canberra it would be nice to haver some warmer options in the clothing department. Also IKEA has been out of so many things for ages obviously due to the slow down in shipping. It will be nice to be able to get the pieces needed without making multiple trips.

 

[jakeseven7]

Has there been an official announcement on the Vic/Qld border situation?

Full reopening Saturday unless another mutant mystery case

 

[Pushka]

Whatever the issue is with shipping I hope it all gets resolved soon. We have been waiting over 3 months for our shipment from the US and with winter fast approaching in Canberra it would be nice to haver some warmer options in the clothing department. Also IKEA has been out of so many things for ages obviously due to the slow down in shipping. It will be nice to be able to get the pieces needed without making multiple trips.

Took five months for sons shipment to get from Aus to UK. He needed his warm stuff too. Arrived before the snow so that’s something.