Coronavirus

[greeneyed]

ACT shuts border to non-residents from COVID-affected NSW areas: https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/ ... /?cs=14225

[Azza]

I'm out of lockdown from tomorrow!

I have to say, I am still very, very comfortable with the way NSW is handling this. I'd be feeling much more confident about getting this outbreak under control here quickly compared to Victoria.

[Dr Zaius]

I'm out of lockdown from tomorrow!

I have to say, I am still very, very comfortable with the way NSW is handling this. I'd be feeling much more confident about getting this outbreak under control here quickly compared to Victoria.

Good stuff Azza!

I think that Melbourne will be fine

I do note however that most Victorians haven't howling for Melbourne to be locked down like they have been for Sydney. Seems it's easy to demand that a city of 5 million is locked down when you don't live in it.

[Azza]

Haha yeah I'm just having a jab at Vic given how jumpy they are, and the fact they basically came and learnt from NSW contact tracers after the massive issues they had earlier this year. IMO NSW is about the best there is at the moment with contact tracing capabilities.

[BJ]

Haha yeah I'm just having a jab at Vic given how jumpy they are, and the fact they basically came and learnt from NSW contact tracers after the massive issues they had earlier this year. IMO NSW is about the best their is at the moment with contact tracing capabilities.

Victorians lose all sense of reality wherever NSW is involved. It’s bizarre to watch as a Canberran without any skin in the game.

I even secretly tested a few news stories on Victorians by swapping the State names over in the report and the Melbournians were changing their views to suit whichever approach was best for Victoria.

[Azza]

Must be the lack of vitamin d.

[Dr Zaius]

I'm resisting the urge to jump on social media and demand that they go into lockdown

[greeneyed]

The ACT keeps tightening the border controls... and they’re now tighter than they’ve ever been... so they must be worried. The NSW Premier taking pot shots at others again today... but their systems have now seen coronavirus spread back to Victoria and (I think) Queensland. Hopefully it can be contained as all are promising. Hopefully Canberra can avoid it all.

[-TW-]

As opposed to Victorians bringing it into NSW?

Not sure how the government is responsible for people travelling. But your anti NSW sentiment is amusing.

Sent from my Pixel 5 using Tapatalk

[Azza]

I doubt even Corona wants to go to Tuggeranong tbh.

[Dr Zaius]

The ACT keeps tightening the border controls... and they’re now tighter than they’ve ever been... so they must be worried. The NSW Premier taking pot shots at others again today... but their systems have now seen coronavirus spread back to Victoria and (I think) Queensland. Hopefully it can be contained as all are promising. Hopefully Canberra can avoid it all.

I listened to her entire press conference today. She did not make a single reference to any other state or jurisdiction. I don't know why you keep insisting that she is taking pot shots at other states.

[greeneyed]

I guess sometimes you need to see the subtext in what’s being said: https://www.news.com.au/world/coronavir ... 9132615aac

I’ve read the quotes, it’s pretty clear what she’s saying.

[Dr Zaius]

And the ACTs approach is entirely reasonable, as is Queenslands and NTs.

ACTs strategy means that they can enforce people not coming to Canberra.

Banning whole states is ridiculous. Banning hotspots is common sense.

[Dr Zaius]

I guess sometimes you need to see the subtext in what’s being said: https://www.news.com.au/world/coronavir ... 9132615aac

That's BS GE. The media is trying to stir up division. Go and watch press conference and see what she said in context. You can do better than that.

[Azza]

McGowan's argument for not adopting the hotspot approach is that people "don't hang around in their postcodes". So, someone infected in Cabramatta means someone from Mildura is a risk to the health of all Western Australians.

Bravo.

[Dr Zaius]

McGowan's argument for not adopting the hotspot approach is that people "don't hang around in their postcodes". So, someone infected in Cabramatta means someone from Mildura is a risk to the health of all Western Australians.

Bravo.

[gangrenous]

McGowan's argument for not adopting the hotspot approach is that people "don't hang around in their postcodes". So, someone infected in Cabramatta means someone from Mildura is a risk to the health of all Western Australians.

Bravo.

Two days ago you might have written Bega instead of Mildura to try and make your point.

Food for thought.

[Dr Zaius]

McGowan's argument for not adopting the hotspot approach is that people "don't hang around in their postcodes". So, someone infected in Cabramatta means someone from Mildura is a risk to the health of all Western Australians.

Bravo.

Two days ago you might have written Bega instead of Mildura to try and make your point.

Food for thought.

Except that the Bega/Eden/Bermagui people got the virus in Melbourne and took it to rural NSW. The ironing

[Azza]

Yeah that's kinda the point I'm trying to make... the whole thing is farcical.

[gangrenous]

McGowan's argument for not adopting the hotspot approach is that people "don't hang around in their postcodes". So, someone infected in Cabramatta means someone from Mildura is a risk to the health of all Western Australians.

Bravo.

Two days ago you might have written Bega instead of Mildura to try and make your point.

Food for thought.

Except that the Bega/Eden/Bermagui people got the virus in Melbourne and took it to rural NSW. The ironing

That actually makes the point more pertinent. It travelled round multiple distant destinations before anyone was aware.

It’s really not farcical. Particularly at Christmas time.

[Azza]

I think it's farcical, so again we'll have to agree to disagree. Basically, by that logic if a mouse farts in the woods outside of Narooma, it's a risk to the safety of all Australians being infected with Covid 19.

[gangrenous]

I’m curious as to why masks suddenly got mandated today. Doesn’t seem to be anything in the case numbers to indicate the need for a policy shift.

Wonder if they’re concerned about some of these new strains getting loose and spreading fast.

[Dr Zaius]

McGowan's argument for not adopting the hotspot approach is that people "don't hang around in their postcodes". So, someone infected in Cabramatta means someone from Mildura is a risk to the health of all Western Australians.

Bravo.

Two days ago you might have written Bega instead of Mildura to try and make your point.

Food for thought.

The thing is, nothing is zero risk. Not while you are in a global pandemic. But it's pretty low risk.

In the 3 months that the Queensland border was closed, there were only 8 cases in rural NSW and only one of them was not acquired in Sydney. There were none north of Newcastle.

WA closing out NSW probably isn't a big deal, but closing the Queensland and Victorian borders, and to a lesser extent the SA border significantly impacts on those communities.

[Dr Zaius]

I’m curious as to why masks suddenly got mandated today. Doesn’t seem to be anything in the case numbers to indicate the need for a policy shift.

Wonder if they’re concerned about some of these new strains getting loose and spreading fast.

It's a bit of a mystery. It seems a pretty simple measure.

They asked Dr Kerry Chant about it at the presser. What I took from it was that they felt that they needed a certain percentage of people wearing masks to be effective. They felt that they were going to get there without mandating, but fell short.

[Azza]

Looks like John Travolta has been diagnosed with coronavirus

Apparently it's Saturday night fever.

[BJ]

I doubt even Corona wants to go to Tuggeranong tbh.

The only case of Corona down Tuggeranong way sits on a shelf in Dan Murphy’s.

Ask for a Corona with lemon at the Kambah Inn and I wouldn’t fancy your chances of leaving in one piece.

[Dr Zaius]

3 new cases today in Victoria. All 3 close contacts of known cases.

All cases in Victoria currently are linked to the Thai Restaurant on the 21st of December.

The strain is genomically linked to the NSW outbreak. Patient Zero in Victoria has not been identified.

Victoria Health are confident that they have all close contacts in quarantine. I think that they'll snuff this out pretty quickly.

[Azza]

Disagree Zaius, the end of days is upon us. It was nice knowing you all.

[Dr Zaius]

Disagree Zaius, the end of days is upon us. It was nice knowing you all.

Lock down Melbourne! LOCK IT ALL DOWN!

[Dr Zaius]

NSW 8 new locally acquired cases. All linked.

- 2 to Avalon cluster
- 5 to Berala cluster
- 1 a household contact in Wollongong

Testing numbers low at around 18,923 (not unusual on a weekend).

Revised advise for Berala cluster (BWS bottleshop). Anyone who attended BWS 22nd to 31st of December (specific times) is a close contact, must get tested immediately and quarantine for 14 days from time last at BWS.

Anyone that is considered a close contact is asked that they ask their family and friends (close contacts) isolate until first test result comes back negative.

Berala is linked genomically to the Transport Worker cluster not the Avalon cluster. There is a clear line of transmission for this cluster.

Avalon, Croydon and Wollongong are linked genomically but not physically.

Berala cluster looks a worry. Lots of people exposed, over a long period of time. Difficult to trace unless they used credit card or loyalty cards.

Dr Kerry Chant saying about 1000 people attended the BWS on Christmas Eve. 2000 people have been contacted by NSW Health.

A contact of the Transport Worker attended BWS on the 20th of December, which is how NSW Health believes that cluster started.

[gangrenous]

That seems to clear up the trigger for masks. Finding that a transmission occurred from an apparently brief exposure at BWS and then thousands of potential further exposures.

[Dr Zaius]

I guess sometimes you need to see the subtext in what’s being said: https://www.news.com.au/world/coronavir ... 9132615aac

I’ve read the quotes, it’s pretty clear what she’s saying.

Journalists really trying to draw NSW Health Minister into criticising Victoria at the presser today (and vice versa). He dodged it, but no doubt they will twist what he said. Media are clearly trying to cause division amongst the states - its great click bait

[Dr Zaius]

That seems to clear up the trigger for masks. Finding that a transmission occurred from an apparently brief exposure at BWS and then thousands of potential further exposures.

Yeah, may explain it. Very forceful messaging from the Health Minister and Acting Police Commissioner at the presser today.

[Azza]

So now two separate breaches from the hotel quarantine system resulting in spread into the community. Clearly things need to be re-visited.

[Dr Zaius]

So now two separate breaches from the hotel quarantine system resulting in spread into the community. Clearly things need to be re-visited.

They do. Open up more facilities like Howard Springs.