Australian Reports of the Virus Spread

[jakeseven7]

Pretty damming 7:30 report on SA Health’s ventilation testing on their HQ hotels in Adelaide that started this outbreak....again their CHO was crucified and then finally admitted they hadn’t actually consulted occupational hygienists or engineers to map airflow and highlight risks, just used your average aircon and heating specialists..... and they didn’t test every floor / hallway part of the hotel either. Sigh.

Seriously.... what a mess.

(PS I still think the Feds own all the blame by the way)

 

[Rembrandt]

(PS I still think the Feds own all the blame by the way)

Well I would think the Federal government is at least 50% of the blame here. And it's not the vaccination roll-out that is the main issue, it's the fact that they have been sitting on their hands for over a year regarding quarantine facilities. We would've only had maybe at best 10% of the population vaccinated fully by now if the program operated better, so it wouldn't have helped greatly with this outbreak.

The Vic contact tracing and government screwed up yet again. Victoria should've gone into a snap 3 day lock down weeks ago as soon as it was known the person from SA hotel quarantine was in the community and potentially spreading, which of course they were. As soon as I heard about the SA case weeks ago I knew we were in trouble as the Victorian government really didn't do enough to stop the spread.
Melbourne is the worst metropolis in the nation in regards to virus spread, this is due to the population size and the fact that it's so easy to get around the city compared to Sydney where people tend to stay in their urban regions more e.g. northern beaches.

 

[Must...Fly!]

Victoria should've gone into a snap 3 day lock down weeks ago as soon as it was known the person from SA hotel quarantine was in the community and potentially spreading

Plunge the whole city in to lockdown because of the potential of spread?

There's potential of spread every day from multiple inbound sources in to the country that don't involve hotel quarantine.

 

[bcworld]

The Vic contact tracing and government screwed up yet again.

I don't think there's any evidence of this. Unless you're one of those people that thinks that contact tracing means that as soon as the original case is identified there will be no more positive tests. I realise that's a very popular opinion on Twitter!

 

[Rembrandt]

I don't think there's any evidence of this. Unless you're one of those people that thinks that contact tracing means that as soon as the original case is identified there will be no more positive tests. I realise that's a very popular opinion on Twitter!

No I don't, but they made a mistake in regards to the Woolworths the infected man from SA quarantine went to.

Plunge the whole city in to lockdown because of the potential of spread?

There's potential of spread every day from multiple inbound sources in to the country that don't involve hotel quarantine.

Ok delicate genius, what's your answer to this? A short snap lock down clearly would've greatly helped in this situation. Now we're facing at least two weeks. Instead the Victorian government sat on their hands, didn't even mandate mask wearing until it was too late. As mentioned at best we would've had about 10% of the population vaccinated fully if the roll-out went according to plan. The US and UK have roughly 40% fully vaccinated, yet the're not out of the dark yet, they still have many cases and deaths.

 

[bcworld]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1399499640727289856

 

[bcworld]

No I don't, but they made a mistake in regards to the Woolworths the infected man from SA quarantine went to.

OMG...they made a mistake. No doubt this has never happened elsewhere. At this stage there is no indication that the Woolies error has had any bearing on the progression of this outbreak. Again, it's a very popular hypothesis on Twitter that it is 100% the confirmed cause of this outbreak.

 

[jase05]

OMG...they made a mistake. No doubt this has never happened elsewhere. At this stage there is no indication that the Woolies error has had any bearing on the progression of this outbreak. Again, it's a very popular hypothesis on Twitter that it is 100% the confirmed cause of this outbreak.

Can’t blame tracers when blokes wander around for 2 weeks with symptoms and don’t tell the truth about places visited

 

[Rembrandt]

OMG...they made a mistake. No doubt this has never happened elsewhere. At this stage there is no indication that the Woolies error has had any bearing on the progression of this outbreak. Again, it's a very popular hypothesis on Twitter that it is 100% the confirmed cause of this outbreak.

I'm not even saying it's the root cause, don't put words in my mouth. The federal government, SA and Vic governments have all made mistakes. I still firmly believe a short snap lock down weeks ago or at the least mandated mask wearing would've helped. I suppose, you think we should've just sat on our hands and done nothing.

 

[Must...Fly!]

Ok delicate genius, what's your answer to this? A short snap lock down clearly would've greatly helped in this situation. Now we're facing at least two weeks. Instead the Victorian government sat on their hands, didn't even mandate mask wearing until it was too late. As mentioned at best we would've had about 10% of the population vaccinated fully if the roll-out went according to plan.

Nothing delicate about my feelings. I miss my family, I miss traveling, and I am sick and tired of being stuck at home and watching small business shutter around me.

This has kicked people in to gear to get vaccinated. Every person eligible for a vaccination who did not come forward before last Friday has a partial blame in this. As does the Victorian government for not clearly articulating exactly what the goal of this lockdown is, or how long they expect it to go on for.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1399499640727289856

So 3 more since yedterday's press conference.

Just need the detail on the 9 now and if linked or not.

 

[MooTime]

Well I would think the Federal government is at least 50% of the blame here. And it's not the vaccination roll-out that is the main issue, it's the fact that they have been sitting on their hands for over a year regarding quarantine facilities. We would've only had maybe at best 10% of the population vaccinated fully by now if the program operated better, so it wouldn't have helped greatly with this outbreak.

The Vic contact tracing and government screwed up yet again. Victoria should've gone into a snap 3 day lock down weeks ago as soon as it was known the person from SA hotel quarantine was in the community and potentially spreading, which of course they were. As soon as I heard about the SA case weeks ago I knew we were in trouble as the Victorian government really didn't do enough to stop the spread.
Melbourne is the worst metropolis in the nation in regards to virus spread, this is due to the population size and the fact that it's so easy to get around the city compared to Sydney where people tend to stay in their urban regions more e.g. northern beaches.

regarding the Federal blame on quarantine facilities, it was agreed very very early on at National Cabinet between the PM & ALL the state premiers that the states would manage all incoming peoples in city hotel quarantine (maybe it was more of immediate need over long build out project time line, what would happen in the meantime). That was agreed on, finished, kaput. There was no agreement for the Feds to build some alternative facility. If there was such an agreement, we would've well & truly heard about it a million times now by the states.
Yes it's constitutional in Feds hands, but unlike the US const & their gun law, we here in Aus had an agreement.
I think it's poor form to now blame the gov why they haven't built such a facility.

Now IMO they must build as agreed NOW a such site in VIC or more unlikely in QLD, whatever the case this, speed up the planning which I know would be happening in the background, these projects don't get planned, funded & approved o/night, but could be seen at this desperate point in time that they are dragging their feet on it.
Build it for you know what sake.

I'm not sure Melb is anymore travel friendly than Syd & with Syd larger population, why we in Melb has had worse outbreaks is anyone's own theory, but I solely blame Dan the man & his gov on the choice of security company in our 111day lockdown & held zero responsibility. makes me sick still.

Only answer I have is for as many as possible to get the vac, I'm fully aware this isn't the be all & end all as covid will still be caught & spread to a lesser degree, we may have borders open to an extent, but the way our state premiers hang on single digit cases, I simply can't see an end to snap lockdowns or circuit breakers at all, no way, states keep borders open if another state has 20 cases, but vac rate is even 80%, fat chance IMO.
We'll be paying for our covid-0 norm for sometime, it's in the premiers psyche.
We were winning as a nation for many months, but we'll be losing quite soon (if not already) as one of the very very last countries to allow it's own citizens / Residents to leave the country.

 

[bcworld]

I'm not even saying it's the root cause, don't put words in my mouth. The federal government, SA and Vic governments have all made mistakes. I still firmly believe a short snap lock down weeks ago or at the least mandated mask wearing would've helped. I suppose, you think we should've just sat on our hands and done nothing.

No. I let the experts decide when they think TTI alone can contain something (e.g. Black Rock) or when they believe additional steps are necessary. Vic gov is more risk averse than most...for fairly obvious reasons I would've thought. But there is absolutely no way a lockdown was justified on the basis of Wollert man alone....that IS crazy talk.

 

[bcworld]

regarding the Federal blame on quarantine facilities, it was agreed very very early on at National Cabinet between the PM & ALL the state premiers that the states would manage all incoming peoples in city hotel quarantine (maybe it was more of immediate need over long build out project time line, what would happen in the meantime). That was agreed on, finished, kaput. There was no agreement for the Feds to build some alternative facility. If there was such an agreement, we would've well & truly heard about it a million times now by the states.
Yes it's constitutional in Feds hands, but unlike the US const & their gun law, we here in Aus had an agreement.
I think it's poor form to now blame the gov why they haven't built such a facility.

Remember when we all though we'd be travelling again by July 2020? I also wonder if the states expected to be running hotel quarantine for what is likely to be 2+ years. I would support any state that no longer wishes to accept the responsibility, which as you say constitutionally sits with federal government. No doubt any such revolt would happen on party political grounds...but for example if some states were to get together and report back to national cabinet that they are no longer prepared to run HQ after e.g. 31 Dec 2021...I'd fully support that.

 

[Must...Fly!]

But there is absolutely no way a lockdown was justified on the basis of Wollert man alone....that IS crazy talk.

Bit like pizza box gate in SA really...or that ridiculous lockdown in WA after the one Indian guard caught it in the hotel and transmitted to no one...

 

[MooTime]

T

Remember when we all though we'd be travelling again by July 2020? I also wonder if the states expected to be running hotel quarantine for what is likely to be 2+ years. I would support any state that no longer wishes to accept the responsibility, which as you say constitutionally sits with federal government. No doubt any such revolt would happen on party political grounds...but for example if some states were to get together and report back to national cabinet that they are no longer prepared to run HQ after e.g. 31 Dec 2021...I'd fully support that.

True, safe to say no chance states expected this to go this long, hence agreeing to accommodate the returnees.

Howard Springs & a new venue in VIC (Avalon) build it & limit all returnee to these 2 locations. Shirley this can logistically be done without too much trouble.
The money is there, build it, yes we can, make it a decent size, not the reported 200-300 capacity.

Test every 3rd day & most importantly on day of exit, rapid test, whatever & insist on day 17/18 test & share on-going costs to all states or pro rata of where residents reside, take it out of GST revenue, whatever, just do it. and do it now!

 

[dajop]

. But there is absolutely no way a lockdown was justified on the basis of Wollert man alone....that IS crazy talk.

The heat the government would get for a lockdown after one case would be intense. The media would be supercritical.

But I’m almost coming to the view that any such case occurring in specific post codes (outer ring suburbs) justifies it. It gets into the outer west/outer north and just seems to explode. In the for example, inner south east, (or anywhere in the most of rest of Melbourne) it disappears like anywhere else in Australia. A range of factors at play here, family structures, interactions between households, trust (or lack of) in government nature of the work people do, etc

 

[Must...Fly!]

But I’m almost coming to the view that any such case occurring in specific post codes (outer ring suburbs) justifies it.

How is it that we are more risk averse now than 12 months ago?

 

[dajop]

How is it that we are more risk averse now than 12 months ago?

As I said, almost .... but not quite.

But is it risk averse or pragmatic what I was suggesting ... you get a case in everywhere in Australia but Melbourne's outer north/outer west it's maybe 2 cases, maybe 50, but it goes nowhere and peters out. Contract tracing is not challenged, people come forward for testing. Who cares (well almost). Get a case in that ring, and wham it's everywhere within days...

 

[Batterytraveller]

As I said, almost .... but not quite.

But is it risk averse or pragmatic what I was suggesting ... you get a case in everywhere in Australia but Melbourne's outer north/outer west it's maybe 2 cases, maybe 50, but it goes nowhere and peters out. Contract tracing is not challenged, people come forward for testing. Who cares (well almost). Get a case in that ring, and wham it's everywhere within days...

The significant factor here's seems to be that one of the early cases worked as a delivery driver with a very broad area of activity. Combine that with a variant that seems more transmissible and you can see where both the concern and the lockdown come from.

Also I can't see that contact tracing is that challenged it seems to be holding up very well.