Predictions of when international flights may resume/bans lifted

[Princess Fiona]

This is what news.com.au reports:
*All flight crew who have been overseas during the 14-day period before their arrival in NSW must travel directly to their place of residence or accommodation and isolate for 14 days or until their departure on another flight that leaves Australia, consistent with the current rules for unvaccinated flight crew;

I think/ hope that is a mistake that will get rectified.
It’s 72 hours the same as pax in VIC

 

[MelMel]

Yes you do. View attachment 266072

My apologies @sylvia different websites show different things

 

[Princess Fiona]

My apologies @sylvia different websites show different things

It’s been a frequent issue with all the updates on various government websites

 

[RAM]

View attachment 266068

How bad can this Omicron really be? Look at the stats of South Africa with other similar sized countries ~60 million. Not to mention that South Africa is only 23.8% vaccinated and it is not killing that many people. I am just so sick of the media induced panicking!

It is a conundrum that South Africa seems very good at detecting variants but very poor at recording Covid deaths - poverty levels have much to do with this.

Given the state of South Africa's general health system - I class the figures coming out of South Africa along with those from China, Russia, North Korea & Iran.

The level of 'excess deaths' for South African deaths reported over the Covid period stands at around 3 to 4x times the Covid death figure.

Measuring Africa’s Data Gap: The cost of not counting the dead

Just eight countries in Africa have adequate death registration systems, a BBC investigation finds.

www.bbc.com

The article (from Feb 2021) illustrates this point around half way through.

 

[justinbrett]

We can’t be far off the point now where every single person on earth has been “infected”.

The fact that South Africa managed to all but eliminate the virus is a good sign that it’s running out of people.

I read some commentary from an epidemiologist today who was saying if it's more transmissible than Delta, border closures and hotel quarantine won't be able to stop it (it barely worked for Delta) and thus there might be no other option than to let it rip.

 

[N860CR]

I read some commentary from an epidemiologist today who was saying if it's more transmissible than Delta, border closures and hotel quarantine won't be able to stop it (it barely worked for Delta) and thus there might be no other option than to let it rip.

Hopefully. Certainly sad that we focuses more on boosters than getting the developing world vaccinated, but fortunately their relatively young median age is keeping mortality under control.

 

[Melburnian1]

14 days isolation after (each and every) flight has now been applied to international flight crew. Australian crew will be in permanent isolation. Don’t plan on flying QF any time soon.

Doesn't this sort of government policy run the risk of causing more problems than it solves?

I could imagine some staff in this situation ringing in sick for an international flight, because they finally wanted to be able to enjoy life like 'normal people' (well, as much as one can with coronavirus loss of freedoms).

Having to be constantly isolated may be very stressful for some, and unhelpful to loving family relationships. It may eventually lead to mental illness of some type.

 

[robbo135]

With Omicron now confirmed to be in Sydney, if there is any additional community spread, this could be mean more hoops for Australian's hoping to head overseas in the next few weeks. Worst case scenario is that countries block Australians from entering altogether.

 

[Melburnian1]

With Omicron now confirmed to be in Sydney, if there is any additional community spread, this could be mean more hoops for Australian's hoping to head overseas in the next few weeks. Worst case scenario is that countries block Australian's from entering altogether.

Agree.

'SMH" says:

Urgent genomic testing has confirmed two overseas travellers coming into Sydney were infected with the emerging Omicron variant.

“Both passengers came to Sydney from southern Africa on the evening of Saturday November 27. They underwent testing on arrival and tested positive for COVID-19 late last night,” NSW Health said in a statement issued on Sunday evening.

“The two positive cases, who were asymptomatic, are in isolation in the Special Health Accommodation. Both people are fully vaccinated.”

The two passengers were among 14 people from southern Africa who arrived on Qatar Airways QR908 from Doha, arriving around 7pm on Saturday.

The remaining 12 passengers are undertaking 14 days of hotel quarantine.

Around 260 passengers and air crew were deemed close contacts and have been directed to isolate.

------------

What's most interesting is not the new virus variant - media and government panic again, yawn - but how this inbound QR flight had c.240 passengers (plus c.20 crew) = 260. We've bcome used to reports of inbound international flights with 25 not 250 patrons during mandaytory hotel quarantine months.

 

[justinbrett]

Worst case scenario is that countries block Australian's from entering altogether.

Block Australian's what?

 

[Tropic]

Australia's Australians...

 

[robbo135]

Block Australian's what?

bruised egos

Fixed grammar in original post.

 

[Pom-DownUnder]

Dr Angelique Coetzee, Chair of the South African Medical Association saying at this point its a storm in a tea cup with the world over-reacting

South African doctor who raised alarm about omicron variant says symptoms are ‘unusual but mild’

Dr Angelique Coetzee noticed otherwise healthy patients showing unusual symptoms and worries how the new variant might hurt the elderly

www.telegraph.co.uk

 

[Must...Fly!]

Interesting claims @Pom-DownUnder . Exhaustion could theoretically, I presume, be explained by our immune system being able to much more effectively battle the virus in the early stages, without it progressing toward severe illness?

 

[Pushka]

Dr Angelique Coetzee, Chair of the South African Medical Association saying at this point its a storm in a tea cup with the world over-reacting

South African doctor who raised alarm about omicron variant says symptoms are ‘unusual but mild’

Dr Angelique Coetzee noticed otherwise healthy patients showing unusual symptoms and worries how the new variant might hurt the elderly

www.telegraph.co.uk

It was indeed heartening to read this.

 

[mviy]

“The two positive cases, who were asymptomatic, are in isolation in the Special Health Accommodation. Both people are fully vaccinated.”

People in quarantine testing positive isn't as big an issue as if there was community spread.

 

[Pushka]

People in quarantine testing positive isn't as big an issue as if there was community spread.

There still has been no community spread in SA despite people being out and about in the community.

 

[Tiki]

Dr Angelique Coetzee, Chair of the South African Medical Association saying at this point its a storm in a tea cup with the world over-reacting

South African doctor who raised alarm about omicron variant says symptoms are ‘unusual but mild’

Dr Angelique Coetzee noticed otherwise healthy patients showing unusual symptoms and worries how the new variant might hurt the elderly

www.telegraph.co.uk

OMG it makes people feel tired for a few days! Quick, slam the borders shut!

 

[dajop]

OMG it makes people feel tired for a few days! Quick, slam the borders shut!

FFS:

Victoria mulls extending quarantine for all international travellers as first Omicron cases emerge

A 72-hour quarantine period for all arrivals could be extended as soon as Monday to guard against the new variant, with a return to 14 days’ quarantine on the table.

www.theage.com.au

 

[Must...Fly!]

OMG it makes people feel tired for a few days! Quick, slam the borders shut!

Funny thing is, if it really is that mild then you should open your borders and get it in ASAP. If tiredness and very mild symptoms is all it creates then you most definitely want it to outpace and eliminate the prior variants.

Just like happened in 1918-20