Australian Reports of the Virus Spread

[Lynda2475]

All security, lounge and gate staff were masked at SYD when i flew on Friday, but as other have said many passengers in the QF J lounge didnt replace their masks when done eating and drinking.

And many had masks off majority of flight on pretence of drinking. One guy kept removing his mask to sneeze which entirely defeats purose of having a mask. So i think spread on a flight is entirely possible.

What i also found worrisome was that I went to visit a friend in the oncology ward of Canberra hospital yesterday and there was no Check in CBR required, just a survey from security guard, no temperature checks and no need to wear a mask, just asked to sanitise hands.

 

[drron]

In Tasmania visitors to the hospital had to fill in a questionnaire which included name and telephone number and what part of the hospital they were attending.No QR code.
If they said they were going to the ED they were given a mask and told to wear it until seen.Only 1 in 3 did so.

 

[Lynda2475]

ED entrance separate to main entrance, yes i gave the security guard my name, mobile number and name and room number of patient i was visiting, but expected to also need to use official Check in CBR app and to wear a mask given the ward i was visiting was full of imuno compromised patients. Had to go through many doors which said negative pressure so does that make it ok?

No one was obeying physical distancing at National Gallery yesterday, but security guard was enforcing it at National Portrait Gallery, so hit and miss.

 

[HappyFlyerFamily]

Going to sound a bit trite but masks on planes/airports and checking in with the covid contacting tracing app seems to be getting a bit like following the road speed limit - but I’m sure someone else will come up with a better example

 

[lovetravellingoz]

Extract from Vic DHHS Daily Report, 25th April:

Update: contact tracing​

Work continues to test, trace and isolate individuals associated with the interstate acquired case announced Friday.

The individual’s 4 household and social contacts have tested negative.

There are 241 passengers of interest to Victoria from QF778. 135 have to date tested negative. Contact messages have been sent to everyone and follow-up contact tracing work continues.

The remainder of the flight’s passengers are in other states and have been formally referred to the relevant health authorities for their ongoing management.

10 airport staff are linked to the interstate acquired case. 6 have to date tested negative.

42 arrivals in Victoria have identified as having attended WA exposure sites and are also required to quarantine for 14 days. 32 have to date tested negative.

1,217 red zone permit holders have been contacted and advised of their obligation to get tested and quarantine for 14 days. 177 have to date returned a negative test.

Victorian health officials have contacted 9,308 people who are now considered orange zone arrivals advising them of their obligations to isolate and test. 867 have to date returned a negative test.

 

[N860CR]

So Hunt declares the “outbreak” under control before the three day lockdown is even over. Does anyone honestly still think this lockdown was justified?

 

[Lynda2475]

Are WA still doing mixed use HQ? From what I've read they don't seem to move positive cases to medi/hot hotels?

It seems patient zero (Gentlemen who travelled to India to get married and returned with his new wife), arrived at Mercure hotel on 10th, tested positive 13th and was still at that same hotel when his wife tested positive on 15th. It then spread across the hall to the nurse and her son and the man who had returned from China who was in the community from 17th.

I know McGowan is trying to deflect all blame to Feds, but have to ask why positive cases arent being moved to a different hotel to those who test negative (especially when the hotel in questions had been flagged as the least suitable for HQ in the January review); and why WA isnt testing people on departure day and then again 2 days after departure like other states?

 

[Must...Fly!]

McGowan is trying to deflect all blame to Feds

That's it, he has been a master of deflection for over 12 months. The WA public have eaten it all up as well. Reap what you sow. There is blame to be had in a lot of places but WA should not be in this lockdown and it has pretty much nothing to do with the federal government. The screeching from McGowan to have Christmas Island or Defence bases in Learmonth used for international quarantine tells you everything. He would know very well how unsuitable these facilities are, but it serves his selfish purpose. And again, unfortunately, the majority of the WA public just eat it all up.

 

[Pushka]

I thought his comment that his lockdown strategy had worked was hilarious. All it showed was there was no need for the lockdown.

 

[Must...Fly!]

I thought his comment that his lockdown strategy had worked was hilarious. All it showed was there was no need for the lockdown.

Clearly not informed by the health advice given what we know about incubation periods.

And no care for the thousands of businesses once again financially ruined by his government's failure of responsibility. Their quarantine system has been shown time and time again to be sub-par at best and negligent at worst (especially with the news of what the government learned of the Mercure earlier this month).

One must ask, McGowan said there was nowhere else to put those people. OK, but what if there was some kind of fire, or plumbing failure as was seen in the Holiday inn on Flinders Lane in Melbourne that necessitated the hotel be evacuated? Do they have no contingency in place for this clear & obvious risk?

 

[Lynda2475]

SMH reports:

WA Chief Health Officer Andy Robertson has faced questions about why returned travellers were left in rooms across the hall and adjacent to people who had tested positive in Perth’s Mercure Hotel.

“These public hotels are not designed for quarantine,” he said.

“The bottom line, there is no easy solution so we have to work through and transition them out and we are in the process of doing that.”

He said the hotels were full, with 2100 people in Perth hotel quarantine last night.

“There isn’t a spare hotel we can move people to,” Dr Robertson said. “We are able to move them to a degree, but we can’t just close a hotel.”

He admitted it had taken some time to work out that the virus had crossed the corridor and infected people across the hall.

He said as soon as it was identified “that we had an issue”, the people were moved.

WA Premier Mark McGowan said there was no perfect system.

 

[oz_mark]

Are WA still doing mixed use HQ? From what I've read they don't seem to move positive cases to medi/hot hotels?

It seems patient zero (Gentlemen who travelled to India to get married and returned with his new wife), arrived at Mercure hotel on 10th, tested positive 13th and was still at that same hotel when his wife tested positive on 15th. It then spread across the hall to the nurse and her son and the man who had returned from China who was in the community from 17th.

I know McGowan is trying to deflect all blame to Feds, but have to ask why positive cases arent being moved to a different hotel to those who test negative (especially when the hotel in questions had been flagged as the least suitable for HQ in the January review); and why WA isnt testing people on departure day and then again 2 days after departure like other states?

From what i have heard, he was actually in India for four months. Wasn't like he just flew over for a weekend.

 

[Lynda2475]

It seems at this arvos presser McGowan complaining that people leaving for weddings, to study or for funerals are not essential. He does lack compassion re funerals.

He is also saying that Cricketers and Athletes travelling to play sport not essential, I actually agree with him there (maybe a first), traveling to play in IPL or to attend the Olympics seems misguided given escalating cases numbers in India and Japan.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

So Hunt declares the “outbreak” under control before the three day lockdown is even over. Does anyone honestly still think this lockdown was justified?

I dunno...

On Sunday, ANZAC day, the stores opened here in Victoria at 1pm. Hundreds of people, crowded, jostling, no masks, no physical distancing. I mean not even a token attempt at distancing. I didn't see anyone use the hand sanitiser on entry or departure. There was no wiping of self-service kiosks after use by staff.

So if WA is anything like Victoria, I reckon a lockdown is absolutely necessary. I don't think people are willing, or able, to manage physical distancing and other virus prevention methods.

 

[SydneySwan]

From what i have heard, he was actually in India for four months. Wasn't like he just flew over for a weekend.

Isn’t permission to leave fairly automatic if you are going overseas for more than 3 months?

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Isn’t permission to leave fairly automatic if you are going overseas for more than 3 months?

I think it was back then! I believe they have tightened up the requirements of late.

 

[Lynda2475]

Isn’t permission to leave fairly automatic if you are going overseas for more than 3 months?

And if he is a PR or dual citizen cant stop him from leaving.

From SMH:

Man who sparked Mercure Hotel cluster went to India to get married​

Home Affairs Minister Karen Andrews has confirmed the man who sparked WA’s Mercure Hotel cluster was granted permission to travel to India in December to get married.

The man returned four months later with his new wife and the pair entered Perth’s hotel quarantine system on April 10. They tested positive for the virus on April 13 and April 15.

Their infections spread across the hall to three other quarantining guests, one of whom completed his two-week’s isolation and went on to spread the virus to at least two others in the community from April 17.

Speaking to Radio 6PR on Monday morning, Ms Andrews denied the federal government had been too lax in granting exemptions for Australians to travel overseas.

“When the exemption was granted for that particular individual, it was absolutely in line with the criteria at the time,” she said.

“Since then, there has been some changes. We have tightened that criteria from January 8, and in respect to India, we have tightened that as of Thursday last week.

“A wedding would be very unlikely to be approved [under the new criteria].”

 

[oz_mark]

Isn’t permission to leave fairly automatic if you are going overseas for more than 3 months?

Don't know how automatic it is, but is a valid reason to leave (think you have to convince them you are actually going for three months)

 

[dajop]

And no care for the thousands of businesses once again financially ruined by his government's failure of responsibility.

I don't want to defend the lockdown, it did seem over the top for the situation at hand. But on the other hand, this may sound harsh, but perhaps businesses that are "financially ruined" by a 3 day lockdown, were marginal in the first place, at a time when borrowing has never been cheaper? Moreso in WA which has been largely free of restrictions now for 10 months, as opposed to say Victoria's recent 5 day lockdown which dealt a blow on top a horrific four months in the second half of 2020 (although conversely those 4 months definitely wiped out thousands of marginal businesses ... ).

 

[MEL_Traveller]

And if he is a PR or dual citizen cant stop him from leaving.

PR and dual citizens can be prevented from leaving - they have to follow the same criteria as Aussie citizens (apply for an exemption).

Non-residents don't need an exemption to leave.