Australian Reports of the Virus Spread

[lovetravellingoz]

After all the testing in SA in quarantine that this man had, we should be very grateful that he did go in for another test and didn't dismiss the symptoms.

There are no exposure sites on the 9th at present. So he may have developed symptoms late on the 8th, laid low on the 9th and when symptoms maintained went and got tested on the 10th.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

I think they were moved on 4 May

So with testing on days 1, 5, 9 and 13 if that schedule was maintained they may have been positive for 4 days prior to that. So the overlap is there. ie 1st to 3rd.

 

[Lynda2475]

Its strange for safety sake that the flight number has not been provided

 

[lovetravellingoz]

How it spreads​

The virus can spread from person to person through:

• close contact with an infectious person (including in the 48 hours before they had symptoms)
• contact with droplets from an infected person’s cough or sneeze
• touching objects or surfaces (like doorknobs or tables) that have droplets from an infected person, and then touching your mouth or face.

COVID-19 is a new disease, so there is no existing immunity in our community. This means that COVID-19 could spread widely and quickly.

About coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)

Find out how we define and monitor cases of COVID-19, how you can get vaccinated, and where you can learn more about this disease.

www.health.gov.au

 

[Lynda2475]

WA hotel quarantine security guard stood down, another investigated for breaching COVID rules

A WA hotel quarantine security guard is stood down and another is under investigation for working a second job in breach of protocols brought in by the state government to reduce the risk of coronavirus spread.

www.abc.net.au

 

[SydneySwan]

I understand that in an 'abundance of caution' Greg Hunt is about to announce that HQ is being extended from 14 days to 5 years and you will be billed $66k for your stay.

 

[HappyFlyerFamily]

I understand that in an 'abundance of caution' Greg Hunt is about to announce that HQ is being extended from 14 days to 5 years and you will be billed $66k for your stay.

More time to catch it inside HQ perhaps lol

 

[SydneySwan]

More time to catch it inside HQ perhaps lol

Yes indeed but with no-one being let out it should hopefully put a stop to those cases where travellers are testing positive after being released!

 

[lovetravellingoz]

 

[Pushka]

There needs to be a ‘sigh’ or ‘groan’ reaction these days.

 

[nutwood]

Yes the SA nomenclature all understood now. Well except why they are using the Med term for non med facilities

Though Tom's does have: "We have also increased health support and mental health wellbeing checks for guests."

Med+ ?

 

[lovetravellingoz]

Med+ ?

SA seems to call all their HQ Medi-hotels including the "hot" facility where CV19 positive travellers are moved to.

 

[nutwood]

SA seems to call all their HQ Medi-hotels including the "hot" facility where CV19 positive travellers are moved to.

Medi-Hot?

 

[Pushka]

Sigh. Police meeting flights from Melbourne tonight and every passenger taken aside and questioned as to whether they had been to hotspots in Melbourne. Just what you need after a full day work in Melbourne and a late flight. Even the flight attendants seemed very frustrated with it all.

 

[dajop]

Sigh. Police meeting flights from Melbourne tonight and every passenger taken aside and questioned as to whether they had been to hotspots in Melbourne. Just what you need after a full day work in Melbourne and a late flight. Even the flight attendants seemed very frustrated with it all.

The irony

 

[moa999]

HQ leakage is really just part of the new normal now. Nobody seems interested in addressing that.

Question is how.
Most states have now done detailed air con and vent testing on hotels to ensure they are appropriate.
We still have tens of thousands of empty hotel rooms.

We don't have thousands of empty mining camps or immigration facilities..

And even if you could find them or suddenly build then, remote locations bring their own issues.
- you've got to transport people to them (the Darwin one has historically taken direct flights) - so putting possibly infectious people on another plane or bus
- access to health and critical care facilities
- staffing. You've got to get people willing to go to remote places, and transport them in/out (again putting high risk workers in close proximity to each other)

HQ may not be perfect, but neither is any alternative

 

[oz_mark]

Question is how.
Most states have now done detailed air con and vent testing on hotels to ensure they are appropriate.
We still have tens of thousands of empty hotel rooms.

We don't have thousands of empty mining camps or immigration facilities..

And even if you could find them or suddenly build then, remote locations bring their own issues.
- you've got to transport people to them (the Darwin one has historically taken direct flights) - so putting possibly infectious people on another plane or bus
- access to health and critical care facilities
- staffing. You've got to get people willing to go to remote places, and transport them in/out (again putting high risk workers in close proximity to each other)

HQ may not be perfect, but neither is any alternative

Certainly, for all the whining about it, it seems to have been reasonably effective in doing what it needed to do.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

Question is how.
Most states have now done detailed air con and vent testing on hotels to ensure they are appropriate.
We still have tens of thousands of empty hotel rooms.

It seems that not all have, and for the ones who have at least some of the hotels have not had their HVAC upgraded as yet, as well as other required improvements to control the airflow., as well as factors such as humidity control. As someone with decades of experience in building services I actually suspect the majority of hotels used for HQ have not been suitably upgraded.

A report is only useful if it is acted upon, and the building modified to achieve better air control.

We don't have thousands of empty mining camps or immigration facilities..

And even if you could find them or suddenly build then, remote locations bring their own issues.
- you've got to transport people to them (the Darwin one has historically taken direct flights) - so putting possibly infectious people on another plane or bus
- access to health and critical care facilities
- staffing. You've got to get people willing to go to remote places, and transport them in/out (again putting high risk workers in close proximity to each other)

HQ may not be perfect, but neither is any alternative

Yes no alternative is ideal. But there are options better than what we are in some cases still using, and there has been too much procrastination in doing things better.

However when HQ was commenced they 1/ had to find somewhere quickly and 2/ it was considered that the virus was not spread by aerosolisation unless invasive procedures were performed and/or you had had high concentrations of infectious people in a room.

Both 1/ and 2/ are not now the case. For well over half a year now it has been known that HQ as it was was not suitable. While Howard Springs has been expanded, separate cabin facilities should have been expanded by now. If not in full, then certainly in greater numbers.

I would note that Howard Springs has not had cases spread within the facility.

I would also note that the hot hotels with where the HVAC and other measures were upgraded also have not had cases spread within them. Vic upgraded some hotels late last year, but only after the breaches of a few months back have they moved to upgrading all hotels.

So we know that well designed facilities do not generate the problems that average hotels have done.

Some of the hotels with open windows you have seen in recent times were always not suitable (Yes separate cabins good, but not buildings with shared corridors etc), and presumably chosen by people who thought fresh air was good without understanding that this also meant that you had no control then over how air would move within a building.

For some reason it was deemed ok to only upgrade the hot hotels and not the the other hotels where people would sometimes become positive during there stay. It is these properties where people have caught CV19 within the facilities whether they be staff or fellow travellers.

Authorities in Australia have chosen for way too long to continue to use some buildings which simply were not suitable. You can continue to do this, or to upgrade or to also build more cabin type facilities.

Cabin type facilities do not have to be only in remote areas. There are locations that that can be used in or near most major cities. Sydney would be the hardest though.


So in summary:

• Upgrade now any HQ to better standards that have not been already.
• Increase the stock of cabin type quarantine,

Note also that a things recover more and more hotel operators will not want their buildings tied up as HQ.

 

[dajop]

Sydney would be the hardest though.

There's always this place

Accommodation - Q Station Manly

Heritage accommodation within Sydney Harbour National Park.

www.qstation.com.au

 

[lovetravellingoz]

There's always this place

Accommodation - Q Station Manly

Heritage accommodation within Sydney Harbour National Park.

www.qstation.com.au

I actually know it well having stayed there. Great spot for a holiday which is why I stayed there and I highly recommended it to anyone who has not. Great and fascinating history as a quarantine station, great views and it has its own private beach too.

But the buildings there are not actually that suitable for a modern quarantine facility.