Canberra Raiders half George Williams out of Victorian quarantine

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greeneyed
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Canberra Raiders half George Williams out of Victorian quarantine

Post by greeneyed »

Canberra Raiders half George Williams stuck in quarantine in Victoria

Canberra Raiders half George Williams and his partner have unwittingly found themselves in quarantine in a Victorian hotel, after travelling to Melbourne during the New Year period. He took to Instagram today to explain their plight.



Williams says that he and his partner took a Virgin Airlines flight to Victoria, after having been to Bateman's Bay on the 28th to 30th of December and having been in the ACT.

They were told at Canberra Airport before departure that they were permitted to travel to Victoria, but Williams states in his Instagram post that Victoria's rules "changed literally within an hour of leaving". On arrival they were required to enter hotel quarantine for 14 days.

Williams says that neither Bateman's Bay or the ACT should be considered a "hot or red zone" by Victoria.

Victoria closed its borders to the whole of New South Wales from 11:59pm on Friday 1 January. The ACT is considered a "green zone" by Victoria, meaning travel is permitted to that State from the ACT. Williams’ recent trip into NSW appears to be the source of the problem for Victorian authorities, with Bateman’s Bay now in their “red zone”.

Williams says that conditions in hotel quarantine are difficult.

"The rooms are very small with a window you cannot open meaning fresh air is unavailable to us for two weeks," he wrote on Instagram.

"Criminals all get one hour a day fresh air or allowed out of their cell. How is this fair? This is wrong."

A report for The Greenhouse

'Help!' Raiders star George Williams ordered into Victorian hotel quarantine

ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr has offered to personally intervene after Canberra Raiders star George Williams was caught up in Victoria's border confusion over the New Year period.

After being alerted to Williams' plight on Instagram, Mr Barr replied: "Victoria have retrospectively switched green zones to red. We'll talk to them and see what can be done. Best case is likely to be a covid test and direct flight back to Canberra if negative. We can't force Victoria to change their position but we may be able to get people back home after a negative covid test."

Read more: https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/ ... /?cs=14280

‘Criminals get one hour a day fresh air’: Raiders star George Williams’ plea to end detention nightmare: https://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nrl-pr ... b1ebbed678

https://www.news.com.au/sport/nrl/canbe ... e0ccc5bcc5
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Re: Canberra Raiders half George Williams stuck in quarantine in Victoria

Post by Azza »

What a farce, even though some people on the GH are endorsing these rubbish border policies.

PS Season over.
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Re: Canberra Raiders half George Williams stuck in quarantine in Victoria

Post by Matt »

The only issue I have, is that they obviously asked questions re quarantine prior to boarding, got a green light from Virgin only to end up in quarantine.

So...
Was the correct Q asked?
OR
Was the info received/given wrong?
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Re: Canberra Raiders half George Williams stuck in quarantine in Victoria

Post by greeneyed »

The Canberra Times report (link now in the original post) says that Canberrans travelling on New Year's Day were required to fill out a border crossing form for "regional NSW" as a form for Canberra wasn't available. That form says the people agree to go into 14 days quarantine, but ACT people were told that didn't apply to them. They then got conflicting advice at the border, and then all those people from the ACT were forced into quarantine on Saturday night.

It is a little unclear, but the quote from the Chief Minister indicates that Victoria retrospectively changed green zones to red zones... not sure what that means exactly, so perhaps it is the travel to Bateman's Bay had been retrospectively included... meaning quarantine was enforced.

One thing does seem clear. Overall it is a massive stuff up from Victoria.
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Re: Canberra Raiders half George Williams stuck in quarantine in Victoria

Post by sprintman »

2 weeks in front of the TV won’t do wonders for his fitness...
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Re: Canberra Raiders half George Williams stuck in quarantine in Victoria

Post by -PJ- »

2 weeks in a hotel room with the missus..

His fitness will be fine.
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Re: Canberra Raiders half George Williams stuck in quarantine in Victoria

Post by Azza »

PJ you diabolical.
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Re: Canberra Raiders half George Williams stuck in quarantine in Victoria

Post by -PJ- »

I’ll send him some Uno cards..
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Re: Canberra Raiders half George Williams stuck in quarantine in Victoria

Post by RichmondRaider »

Maybe we should drop CNK? Might help?
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Re: Canberra Raiders half George Williams stuck in quarantine in Victoria

Post by Bay53 »

greeneyed wrote: January 4, 2021, 6:42 pm It is a little unclear, but the quote from the Chief Minister indicates that Victoria retrospectively changed green zones to red zones... not sure what that means exactly, so perhaps it is the travel to Bateman's Bay had been retrospectively included... meaning quarantine was enforced.

One thing does seem clear. Overall it is a massive stuff up from Victoria.
My understanding of what it means is that previously if you had been in NSW (but not greater Sydney, Central Coast, Blue Mountains or Wollongong) before 31 December and were then travelling from the ACT you were ok. It seems they then changed that almost en route.

The situation is so ridiculous that the people making the rules don’t even understand them. They are all just on a power trip to close borders.

Hopefully common sense can prevail for George and presumably others who were caught up and they can be “deported” back to Canberra.
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Re: Canberra Raiders half George Williams stuck in quarantine in Victoria

Post by Azza »

Bay53 wrote: January 4, 2021, 7:15 pm
greeneyed wrote: January 4, 2021, 6:42 pm It is a little unclear, but the quote from the Chief Minister indicates that Victoria retrospectively changed green zones to red zones... not sure what that means exactly, so perhaps it is the travel to Bateman's Bay had been retrospectively included... meaning quarantine was enforced.

One thing does seem clear. Overall it is a massive stuff up from Victoria.
My understanding of what it means is that previously if you had been in NSW (but not greater Sydney, Central Coast, Blue Mountains or Wollongong) before 31 December and were then travelling from the ACT you were ok. It seems they then changed that almost en route.

The situation is so ridiculous that the people making the rules don’t even understand them. They are all just on a power trip to close borders.

Hopefully common sense can prevail for George and presumably others who were caught up and they can be “deported” back to Canberra.
Yeah our country has become a bit of a farce recently aye.
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Re: Canberra Raiders half George Williams stuck in quarantine in Victoria

Post by BJ »

Anyone who’s been in England in the last decade should be quarantined in Victoria.

Any Victorian who raves about how amazing the Yarra river is compared to Sydney Harbour should be guillotined in Victoria.
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Re: Canberra Raiders half George Williams stuck in quarantine in Victoria

Post by Bay53 »

Azza wrote: January 4, 2021, 7:38 pm
Bay53 wrote: January 4, 2021, 7:15 pm
greeneyed wrote: January 4, 2021, 6:42 pm It is a little unclear, but the quote from the Chief Minister indicates that Victoria retrospectively changed green zones to red zones... not sure what that means exactly, so perhaps it is the travel to Bateman's Bay had been retrospectively included... meaning quarantine was enforced.

One thing does seem clear. Overall it is a massive stuff up from Victoria.
My understanding of what it means is that previously if you had been in NSW (but not greater Sydney, Central Coast, Blue Mountains or Wollongong) before 31 December and were then travelling from the ACT you were ok. It seems they then changed that almost en route.

The situation is so ridiculous that the people making the rules don’t even understand them. They are all just on a power trip to close borders.

Hopefully common sense can prevail for George and presumably others who were caught up and they can be “deported” back to Canberra.
Yeah our country has become a bit of a farce recently aye.
I feel really strongly about it. The worst is the fact that there are over 2000 Victorians in NSW at the moment, most who have been no where near their hot spots and they can’t return home.

Not they can’t return home unless they quarantine, they are barred from returning to Victoria without an exemption and you couldn’t ring the line to get an exemption and then they are saying they are rarely going to get exemptions.

What are they supposed to do just leave behind their life in Victoria and start a new life in NSW?

That is the sort of stuff that happened in Eastern Europe, not in our country.
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Re: Canberra Raiders half George Williams stuck in quarantine in Victoria

Post by Azza »

I agree. It hardly feels like we are behaving like a united country during these dark times. It makes me sad
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Re: Canberra Raiders half George Williams stuck in quarantine in Victoria

Post by Lui_Bon »

Azza wrote: January 4, 2021, 8:28 pm I agree. It hardly feels like we are behaving like a united country during these dark times. It makes me sad
Lucky we have a Federal Government with oversight of the country....

mmmmpppphhhhhahahahaha
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Re: Canberra Raiders half George Williams stuck in quarantine in Victoria

Post by Seiffert82 »

Bay53 wrote: January 4, 2021, 7:15 pm
greeneyed wrote: January 4, 2021, 6:42 pm It is a little unclear, but the quote from the Chief Minister indicates that Victoria retrospectively changed green zones to red zones... not sure what that means exactly, so perhaps it is the travel to Bateman's Bay had been retrospectively included... meaning quarantine was enforced.

One thing does seem clear. Overall it is a massive stuff up from Victoria.
My understanding of what it means is that previously if you had been in NSW (but not greater Sydney, Central Coast, Blue Mountains or Wollongong) before 31 December and were then travelling from the ACT you were ok. It seems they then changed that almost en route.

The situation is so ridiculous that the people making the rules don’t even understand them. They are all just on a power trip to close borders.

Hopefully common sense can prevail for George and presumably others who were caught up and they can be “deported” back to Canberra.
That's exactly how it appears.

Also, this thing about a form for ACT residents not being available. Seriously? ****?
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Re: Canberra Raiders half George Williams stuck in quarantine in Victoria

Post by MrPosh »

Until Covid, I had no idea Australian states still carried so much power.

I had assumed they were now largely ceremonial and a way of divvying up the cricket teams.
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Re: Canberra Raiders half George Williams stuck in quarantine in Victoria

Post by Azza »

I don't think they realised either to be honest. That's what happens when you have a cuckold PM
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Re: Canberra Raiders half George Williams stuck in quarantine in Victoria

Post by robtheraider »

From an unfortunate Victorian who has been forced to live this nightmare, this is fairly typical of the dysfunction and incompetence of the current Victorian Government.
There is no doubt in my mind that everything that George has said is 100% correct, and its once again a classic knee jerk reaction once they realised how far behind they were in looking at this 3rd phase...which was started by a returned traveler from the NSW northern beaches which refused to home quarantine.
Just a complete and utter shambolic government.
To all the people with telekinetic powers...please raise my hand.
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Re: Canberra Raiders half George Williams stuck in quarantine in Victoria

Post by Seiffert82 »

A report in the Canberra Times today expressed that view. Travellers have basically been provided with different information and advice depending on who they talk to.

It seems half of Victoria either thinks the ACT is part of the greater Sydney area, or that the word "Canberra" is a pseudonym for the Commonwealth Government, and it doesn't exist as a city where people actually live.

To be fair on Victorians, I'm sure half of Australia thinks that way.
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Re: Canberra Raiders half George Williams stuck in quarantine in Victoria

Post by gerg »

Seiffert82 wrote:A report in the Canberra Times today expressed that view. Travellers have basically been provided with different information and advice depending on who they talk to.

It seems half of Victoria either thinks the ACT is part of the greater Sydney area, or that the word "Canberra" is a pseudonym for the Commonwealth Government, and it doesn't exist as a city where people actually live.

To be fair on Victorians, I'm sure half of Australia thinks that way.
We had planned to head up to Sydney the week before Christmas to catch up with my mum and sister. My wife was picking me up from work on the Friday arvo and heading straight up. So just before leaving my supervisor tells me there is a report that Canberrans are being told not to travel to greater Sydney.

So I search the Covid website and Canberra health website and there is absolutely nothing. So I rang the Canberra health hotline and they knew absolutely nothing about it 'don't worry mate it's just the northern beaches'. Check back with my supervisor and she shows me a Canberra times article which has quotes from the Canberra health minister suggesting that Canberrans restrict non-mandatory travel to greater Sydney.

You would think they would be a little more organised by now.

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Re: Canberra Raiders half George Williams stuck in quarantine in Victoria

Post by Dr Zaius »

Meh, I'd have just jumped on a plane and flown back. Or was that not an option, in which case it's ridiculous.
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Re: Canberra Raiders half George Williams stuck in quarantine in Victoria

Post by Bay53 »

Dr Zaius wrote: January 5, 2021, 12:11 pm Meh, I'd have just jumped on a plane and flown back. Or was that not an option, in which case it's ridiculous.
Pretty sure that wasn't an option, or that is exactly what they would have done.

It is the outcome that is trying to be negotiated now.
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Re: Canberra Raiders half George Williams stuck in quarantine in Victoria

Post by BJ »

To be fair on Victorians the ACT Government heavily funds the Greater Western Sydney Giants to be connected to Canberra in the minds of AFL fans.
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Re: Canberra Raiders half George Williams stuck in quarantine in Victoria

Post by Azza »

What an absolute farce. This border situation has basically given a number of state politicians across the country the opportunity to feel more powerful and massively inflate their already over-inflated egos.
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Re: Canberra Raiders half George Williams stuck in quarantine in Victoria

Post by Seiffert82 »

Yeah, it's a bit confusing at times.

On one hand you have border closures which actively prevent people from travelling to a location and on the other hand you have self-regulated quarantine measures if you have travelled from a certain area.

In amongst it all you have the media reporting one thing, government websites saying another, the state health ministers and premiers often using the situation for political purposes when interviewed and finally the CMOs trying to clarify it all.

The communications around this matter have been a bit of a nightmare. Especially given it's the holiday period.
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Re: Canberra Raiders half George Williams stuck in quarantine in Victoria

Post by greeneyed »

Raiders star George Williams waiting on news of quarantine exemption application



Canberra Raiders half George Williams is waiting on a response to an exemption application to Victorian authorities, after unwittingly finding himself in hotel quarantine in Melbourne. Coach Ricky Stuart was expecting Williams back at training on Thursday but now Williams could miss the next two weeks of pre-season.

“When I rang him he was as shocked as me, he wasn’t too happy cause it means I’ll miss training but he knows it wasn’t my fault, it changed when we were in the air,” Williams said. “It’s a work in progress. I’m not allowed to leave my room, but we’re looking at getting me an exercise bike or a treadmill or something.

Read more: http://bit.ly/3nhpLua

Full interview on SEN Summer Afternoons with Chris Warren: https://player.whooshkaa.com/episode?id=776477 (1:31 minute mark)

Canberra Raiders halfback George Williams to miss preseason return as Melbourne quarantine drags on



Halfback George Williams looks set to miss the first chunk of Raiders preseason training this year as his enforced Victorian quarantine in a stuffy Melbourne hotel room threatens to drag into a fourth day.

The ACT Government has confirmed it is negotiating an early release of roughly 20 Canberrans who flew to Melbourne on January 3, only to be told they must immediately quarantine for a fortnight as part of new border restrictions between Victoria and NSW.

Read more: https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/ ... /?cs=14239
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Re: Canberra Raiders half George Williams stuck in quarantine in Victoria

Post by Bay53 »

Great interview. Aside from this issue, it really does show how difficult it has been for our English guys. You could imagine he plans to come to Australia, a big adventure, he has plans for family and friends to come over and suddenly he is in a city where he can’t visit anyone outside the club and definitely can’t have family and friends visit.

Of course there are plenty of people worse off, he would have received the majority of a very decent salary, but it does make it hard.
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Re: Canberra Raiders half George Williams stuck in quarantine in Victoria

Post by Lui_Bon »

This may be a bit unpleasant but actually George hasn't been dudded by some on-air announcement. Several days ago the Victorian government announced that all "their" people had about 36 hours to get across the border - those that did so would be able to home quarantine for 14 days. Couldn't be bothered checking but I think this was about the 29th of December.

However, if you were too late, you would also have mandatory quarantine. In hotels. I had rellies who were going to drive to canberra and stay for a few days, and possibly they would have been alright with then driving back to Victoria and quarantining for 14 days in their own home. The messaging from their clownpeople (spokespersons) was utterly unclear. Neither news.com or the guardian bothered to understand the syntax. However, for once the ABC actually clarified that this deadline meant that anyone returning to Victoria after that midnight deadline, even Victorian residents, would face two weeks of mandatory hotel quarantine. So my bro didn't come to canberra because he wouldn't be able to go home and quarantine, he'd have to go to a hotel.

And that is what George has got. Along with lots of other people. Frankly he, like 20 thousand others, should not be travelling at all. Stupid as it may seem. I blame the federal government. Who don't seem to run a country right now.
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Re: Canberra Raiders half George Williams stuck in quarantine in Victoria

Post by MrPosh »

Lui_Bon wrote: January 6, 2021, 12:43 am I blame the federal government. Who don't seem to run a country right now.
You lads don't even know you're born.
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Re: Canberra Raiders half George Williams stuck in quarantine in Victoria

Post by Dr Zaius »

Bay53 wrote:
Dr Zaius wrote: January 5, 2021, 12:11 pm Meh, I'd have just jumped on a plane and flown back. Or was that not an option, in which case it's ridiculous.
Pretty sure that wasn't an option, or that is exactly what they would have done.

It is the outcome that is trying to be negotiated now.
Why on earth wasn't he allowed to turn around and come back? That makes no sense.
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Re: Canberra Raiders half George Williams stuck in quarantine in Victoria

Post by gangrenous »

Yep, good point Lui. The border communication and system has been a shambles, but it was pretty clear that Victoria wasn’t a good place to holiday for someone who had been in NSW.

Mr Posh - fair. Although a lot of the success in Aus has been through state leadership rather than federal. I don’t think we’d have been in the state of the US or UK had everything been directed by the feds. But I think our government have generally shown themselves to be reactive rather than proactive, not a good philosophy with Covid.
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Re: Canberra Raiders half George Williams stuck in quarantine in Victoria

Post by Bay53 »

Lui_Bon wrote: January 6, 2021, 12:43 am This may be a bit unpleasant but actually George hasn't been dudded by some on-air announcement. Several days ago the Victorian government announced that all "their" people had about 36 hours to get across the border - those that did so would be able to home quarantine for 14 days. Couldn't be bothered checking but I think this was about the 29th of December.

However, if you were too late, you would also have mandatory quarantine. In hotels. I had rellies who were going to drive to canberra and stay for a few days, and possibly they would have been alright with then driving back to Victoria and quarantining for 14 days in their own home. The messaging from their clownpeople (spokespersons) was utterly unclear. Neither news.com or the guardian bothered to understand the syntax. However, for once the ABC actually clarified that this deadline meant that anyone returning to Victoria after that midnight deadline, even Victorian residents, would face two weeks of mandatory hotel quarantine. So my bro didn't come to canberra because he wouldn't be able to go home and quarantine, he'd have to go to a hotel.

And that is what George has got. Along with lots of other people. Frankly he, like 20 thousand others, should not be travelling at all. Stupid as it may seem. I blame the federal government. Who don't seem to run a country right now.
Lui,

You like many other people on social media are not understanding the rules are different for ACT residents. I could have flown to Melbourne and back every day this week if I had wanted to.

The facts, as reported are:

- Williams and his partner are considered ACT residents.

- They were in NSW (Batemans Bay) on 28-30 December.

- They then came back to the ACT between 31 December and 3 Jan.

- on 3 Jan they went to Canberra Airport to fly to Melbourne.

- When they arrived at the airport, ACT residents could enter Victoria if they hadn’t been to NSW since 31 December.

- whilst they were travelling the rules changed and anyone who had been to NSW in the past 14 days couldn’t enter Victoria.

You can argue whether they should be travelling, but it seems they made sure they were in compliance with all the rules but the rules changed on them.
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Re: Canberra Raiders half George Williams stuck in quarantine in Victoria

Post by BJ »

Yep rules definitely changed on the fly and George was provided with incorrect information by someone in authority.

Seems weird that some interstate travellers in the same situation are fine to travel around Victoria at the moment and others have to be in self quarantine despite similar background stories.
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Re: Canberra Raiders half George Williams stuck in quarantine in Victoria

Post by BadnMean »

Lui_Bon wrote: January 6, 2021, 12:43 am

And that is what George has got. Along with lots of other people. Frankly he, like 20 thousand others, should not be travelling at all. Stupid as it may seem. I blame the federal government. Who don't seem to run a country right now.
Not so much the federal governments fault, since they didn't personally design the state/federal commonwealth system. They actually don't have the power to dictate to states by design. National (and state) response has been far from perfect but is a damn sight better than an awful lot of other countries- we had certain advantages in coping with this and they have by and large been used well.

George got caught up in a mess. Not entirely of his making but everybody knew jetting around the country as outbreaks flared up brings a risk of getting stuck- as eventually happened. Plenty of people just crossed their fingers and some got unlucky.

Thing is they don't have a perfect set of rules to roll out efficiently. Due to the unpredictable nature of the outbreak and the desire to be as open as possible, wherever and whenever possible but still balance public safety there WILL be quick changes and decisions made. All the times they do it well, no-one notices. When something isn't planned or communicated effectively, we all hear about it.

But there are an AWFUL lot of moving parts, jurisdictions to juggle, divisons of authority and implementation all doing something they have NEVER had to do before (even if they have planned/trained to some degree).It's a spiderweb of a thing to deal with and implement. Rules clashing with individual needs, experiences and circumstances + the aforesaid administration issues plus some personal competency and legitimate reasons behind mistakes that we may never be privy to... I'm actually not too down on our govts (all of them) handling of this- as I said Britain, USA and many other countries have had worse. Just those bloody kiwis making us look bad.

I'm currently in quarantine in Canberra after returning from a few years working in Singapore and I don't think people would be fans of their handling either in some ways- although they largely did a bang up job of keeping covid from spreading amongst most sectors of the community.
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