Covid 19 -

[FairmontGS]

Traveller describes 'totally chaotic' response from Victorian authorities hours after Brisbane red zone declared

A man who tried to travel to Victoria from Brisbane before it was declared a red zone says he was forced into hotel quarantine, despite repeated assurances from the Department of Health he would not be.

Acting Police Minister Danny Pearson said governments needed to be able to respond to challenges quickly.

"I do understand that this has impacted a small number of travellers who, as I understand it, were probably in the air at the time those directions were made," he said.

"But the government has a clear responsibility to keep Victorians safe and we make no apology for that. We will protect our borders and we will protect our community."

A short time later Mr Pearson apologised for the inconvenience.

"I'm sorry if people have been inconvenienced," he said.

...


Victorian Opposition Leader Michael O'Brien described Sam's experience as an "absolute debacle".

"These people were held at the airport for hours. No food. No water. Couldn't even get a jumper out of their cases."

"The government has had months and months to get it right, they're telling us they've learnt from their mistakes, and they haven't," he said.

"These people deserve a lot better than being given misinformation by the state government."

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-03-...urne/100041204

[Polyal]

So...will see how the announcement goes today, just to clarify, its OK to drive through a red zone/hot spot but if you get out and mingle then that's a no no.

Also, anyone know if Coffs is part of the "zone" in NSW? Ive looked at the NSW website and ill be stuffed if I can find a map that makes it simple with an outline of the zones. Seems its just Ballana and Byron?

BTW thats defined by NSW, not worried about what the other states think.

[buggerlugs]

What a difference 12 months makes. 12 months ago there were calls for the Feds to take over from the states in handling Covid. Now there are calls for the states to take over from the feds in the distribution of the vaccines........
Even "Honest" Gladys is agreeing with Plucka Chook.............

[FTE217]

Originally Posted by Polyal

So...will see how the announcement goes today, just to clarify, its OK to drive through a red zone/hot spot but if you get out and mingle then that's a no no.

Also, anyone know if Coffs is part of the "zone" in NSW? Ive looked at the NSW website and ill be stuffed if I can find a map that makes it simple with an outline of the zones. Seems its just Ballana and Byron?

BTW thats defined by NSW, not worried about what the other states think.

Coffs is fine Polyal.
Rules and restrictions

Commencing 5pm, 31 March 2021
In addition to the rules that apply to the whole of NSW, the following specific rules apply to the Tweed Shire, Ballina Shire, Byron Shire, and City of Lismore Local Government Areas.

[FairmontGS]

Aunty Glad says it's all clear for travel...

NSW Premier gives green light for Easter long weekend travel: 'You're allowed to go anywhere'

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian says she's "not overly concerned" about potential new cases in the northern part of the state due to the region's swift response in heeding COVID-19 testing.

She moved to reassure holidaymakers from NSW they can travel north into Queensland over Easter and not worry about being forced into hotel quarantine on their return.

"As far as NSW is concerned, we always have open borders," Ms Berejiklian told Today.

"Our citizens should never feel they can't come back home."

https://www.9news.com.au/national/co...b-3e2d5ef78648

[Citroënbender]

Re Bluesfest; am I the only one to find irony in the cancellation of an event whose name reflects a musical tradition of faith, betrayal, toil and melancholia?

Well I woke up this morning,
Found my festival done gone

[T3rminator]

Originally Posted by FairmontGS

Aunty Glad says it's all clear for travel...

NSW Premier gives green light for Easter long weekend travel: 'You're allowed to go anywhere'

https://www.9news.com.au/national/co...b-3e2d5ef78648

LOL too too funny. A very compassionate and proportionate response indeed. You can travel anywhere, but we'll shut down a festival costing $100m hit to the economy based on 1 case.

I did notice an attempt to pin the Bluefest decision on the organisers here, where in fact it was government authorities that pulled the plug.

Flame suit on.

[FairmontGS]

ABC reporting Brisbane lockdown ends in a few hours, not extended.

[FoxtrotGolfXray 5.0]

Does anyone else think that the risk of an outbreak in Vic is going to be high soon:

• Hotel quarantine about to restart
• School holidays where people are likely to travel all over the state
• Easter, where families are likely to gather in large numbers
• An active cluster in Queensland
• Easing of restrictions for mask use and gathering limits

Seems to me we're setting oursleves up for a perfect storm....

[FairmontGS]

Interesting... I don't fancy their chances.

Stranded Australians have filed legal action with the UN against the Morrison government

Stranded Australians have filed legal action against the federal government in the United Nations’ Human Rights Committee in Geneva.

The group of Australians declared the Morrison government has “arbitrarily breached their right to return to the land of their birth or citizenship”, noting they were willing to comply with the public health measures required of them, including a 14-day quarantine period.

They said the caps on incoming flights prevented them from returning home.

...

Almost 500,000 Australians have returned home since the pandemic began, but more than 36,000 Australians remain stranded overseas due to government-enforced travel caps.

https://www.sbs.com.au/news/stranded...son-government

[Polyal]

https://www.sbs.com.au/news/brazil-p...y-resignations

How is that bloke still in power...holy crap.

[Citroënbender]

Originally Posted by Polyal

…How is that bloke still in power...holy crap.

He’s their equivalent of DJT.

[T3rminator]

Originally Posted by Polyal

https://www.sbs.com.au/news/brazil-p...y-resignations

How is that bloke still in power...holy crap.

What Citreon said, and also a large part of their population (around 50%, so my friend living there tells me) are big supporters of Trump.

Originally Posted by FairmontGS

Stranded Australians have filed legal action with the UN against the Morrison government

Any ideas how many other countries are severely restricting returning citizens?

My bro in law from the US just recently came back to visit his ill mum. Booked the flight 2 weeks out without any issues, flew over in United Airlines, flight was completely empty, quarantined in Syd then came to Melb. What's the hold up?

[FairmontGS]

Originally Posted by T3rminator

Any ideas how many other countries are severely restricting returning citizens?

My bro in law from the US just recently came back to visit his ill mum. Booked the flight 2 weeks out without any issues, flew over in United Airlines, flight was completely empty, quarantined in Syd then came to Melb. What's the hold up?

https://www.pm.gov.au/contact-your-pm

HTH

[LG17]

Originally Posted by buggerlugs

What a difference 12 months makes. 12 months ago there were calls for the Feds to take over from the states in handling Covid. Now there are calls for the states to take over from the feds in the distribution of the vaccines........
Even "Honest" Gladys is agreeing with Plucka Chook.............

Palachook's really lost the plot this time.


Basically a couple of cases in Brisbane and the entire state has to wear a mask. It's just ridiculous.
I might have to pull out my Ned Kelly mask

[russellw]

Data valid as at 00:00 GMT March 31st, 2021.

Note: As not all Australian States report at the same time, the data below is based on the previous full day reporting.

11 new cases for Australia and no deaths so the CMR is 3.102%.

2 new case and 0 deaths for NZ so CMR is 1.041% and active cases 72.

The UK had a higher 4,052 cases yesterday and 43 deaths. That's the 5th consecutive day under 5k cases.

Just under 63k new cases in the USA yesterday and 874 deaths sees CMR at 1.814%. Note that the USA is actually minus one day due to time differences.

Other notable points:
Asia sets a new daily case high of 182,032 cases;
Switzerland passes 600k cases and Sweden 800k;

Cabo Verde (191) - the previous high on 11/10/20;
Maldives (241);
Cuba (1,051);
North Macedonia (1,511);
Bosnia (1,972);
Uruguay (3,088);
Bangladesh (5,358);
Iraq (6,664); and
Turkey (39,302)

... recorded new daily highs; those in blue for the second consecutive day and those in red for a third or more consecutive day.

Croatia and Tunisia move above the 90th percentile for their 10 day average while no countries drop below.

[Bossxr8]

Originally Posted by FoxtrotGolfXray 5.0

Does anyone else think that the risk of an outbreak in Vic is going to be high soon:

• Hotel quarantine about to restart
• School holidays where people are likely to travel all over the state
• Easter, where families are likely to gather in large numbers
• An active cluster in Queensland
• Easing of restrictions for mask use and gathering limits

Seems to me we're setting oursleves up for a perfect storm....

Vic government is incapable of doing anything right, so I expect more quarantine screw ups before long.

[FairmontGS]

Did the UK outsmart the EU over AstraZeneca vaccines?

In the “vaccine spat” between the EU and the UK, the common perception is that the UK is winning. The UK health secretary, Matt Hancock, has said this is because his government secured a better contract with vaccine manufacturers, in particular with AstraZeneca, than the EU did.

The EU produces far more vaccines than the UK, but it also exports far more, including to the UK, whereas no vaccines go the other way. In response to this imbalance, which is creating shortages in the EU while the UK is well supplied, the EU has threatened to block exports to countries with higher vaccination rates until its member states catch up.

To date, 80% of the vaccines administered in the UK, 26 million out of the 32 million total, have been imports, of which 5 million came from India, and 21 million, or two-thirds came from the EU.

Why would the EU be so generous? Hancock referred to the clauses in the UK’s vaccine supply contracts requiring vaccine producers to supply it preferentially: if there are production shortages, then the UK order must be fulfilled by diverting supplies from other customers. A failure to do so attracts fierce penalties.

As a result, the UK has had its orders fully met, whereas the EU suffered early shortfalls from Pfizer, and is now receiving less than a quarter of what it contracted for from AstraZeneca, which has experienced production problems.

https://theconversation.com/did-the-...accines-157926

[Tassie f100]

Originally Posted by LG17

Palachook's really lost the plot this time.


Basically a couple of cases in Brisbane and the entire state has to wear a mask. It's just ridiculous.
I might have to pull out my Ned Kelly mask

Yeah I suppose it is only about 2,000 km from Brisbane to Cairns,so some fast moving virus is going to infect everyone up there within a matter of minutes LOL

[LG17]

Originally Posted by Tassie f100

Yeah I suppose it is only about 2,000 km from Brisbane to Cairns,so some fast moving virus is going to infect everyone up there within a matter of minutes LOL

I was thinking more of the rural areas.
I can understand having to wear them in, say, Cairns as it's a busy port for New Guinea and it's rife up there.

[FairmontGS]

Victorian hospitals insist AstraZeneca vaccine is safe, amid reports of 'quibbling' among healthcare workers

Some Victorian healthcare workers have been told they will be sent to "the back of the queue" if they miss vaccine appointments, as some hold out hope of receiving the Pfizer jab instead of the AstraZeneca injection.

An email, sent to all staff at Austin Health last week, reiterates to workers that "you do not get your choice of vaccine".

Craig Aboltins and Wanda Stelmach said staff were "privileged" to have access to the vaccines, given there had been 2.5 million COVID-19 deaths worldwide.

"The brand of vaccine is not allocated according to priority group and individuals can't choose which brand they receive," they wrote.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-04-...inty/100043104

[cheap]

QLD Health - contract tracing - what a disgrace!

My daughter works part-time in a shop that today QH placed on their "get tested immediately and quarantine until you're negative" website

The C19 contact occurred on 16th March, 2 full weeks ago. And no one from QH has contacted the shop owner.

One of the staff checked the QH website and noted their shop was listed, she then put the information up on their group chat. My daughter got tested because of the medical degree she is undertaking - negative result.

[Tickford.]

Another ✅ for the Pfizer vaccine.
Looks like 'Scotty doesn't know' picked the wrong vaccine for Australia.

Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine found to be highly effective for adolescents

Pfizer and BioNTech's COVID-19 vaccine is safe, effective and produces robust antibody responses in 12- to 15-year olds, according to a trial run by the companies.

Neither of Australia's COVID-19 vaccines have been approved for children, with the Pfizer option recommended for those aged 16 years and older and the AstraZeneca shot only for adults.

The results signify a 100 per cent efficacy in preventing the illness, the companies said in a statement.

AstraZeneca in December removed children from a mid-to-late-stage trial of its COVID-19 vaccine in Britain.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-04-...ents/100043334

[FairmontGS]

France ordered into third national lockdown as new COVID-19 infections double in a month

France is withdrawing into its third national lockdown as the death toll from the country's coronavirus pandemic nears 100,000.

With intensive care units in the hardest-hit regions at breaking point and a slower than planned vaccine rollout, President Emmanuel Macron has been forced to abandon his goal of keeping the country open to protect the economy.

"We will lose control if we do not move now," he said.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-04-...n=abc_news_web


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[FairmontGS]

Leaders of Covid-hit German states call for national lockdown

Regional leaders of two German states badly hit by a third wave of coronavirus have urged the rest of the country to reimpose a tough lockdown to flatten infection rates, as a leading virologist said Germany was in a “serious and complicated” stage of the pandemic.

In a joint letter reported on by Süddeutsche Zeitung newspaper, Bavaria’s conservative premier, Markus Söder, and the Green head of Baden-Württemberg, Winfried Kretschmann, said the situation was “more serious than many believe”.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/20...ab-to-over-60s

[FairmontGS]

Fears of fourth coronavirus wave grow as Spain enters high-risk situation

Fears of a fourth wave are looming in Spain as the country once again entered a high-risk situation as defined by the coronavirus alert system. Under this traffic light system, an area is at high risk when the 14-day incidence rate exceeds 150, the seven-day incidence rate is more than 75, and the occupancy rate in intensive care units (ICUs) is between 15% and 20%.

The system also takes into account the positivity rate, i.e. the percentage of tests that come back positive out of the total; the traceability rate – how many contacts are detected per 100 cases; and the occupancy rate of normal hospital beds.

https://english.elpais.com/society/2...situation.html

[buggerlugs]

Originally Posted by FairmontGS

Leaders of Covid-hit German states call for national lockdown

Regional leaders of two German states badly hit by a third wave of coronavirus have urged the rest of the country to reimpose a tough lockdown to flatten infection rates, as a leading virologist said Germany was in a “serious and complicated” stage of the pandemic.

In a joint letter reported on by Süddeutsche Zeitung newspaper, Bavaria’s conservative premier, Markus Söder, and the Green head of Baden-Württemberg, Winfried Kretschmann, said the situation was “more serious than many believe”.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/20...ab-to-over-60s

It's certainly not going away. Waiting for America's next wave. It'll be nasty....

[FairmontGS]

Continuing our roundup of countries that face the UK in Europe and how they are going...

Norway’s Covid-19 infection rate starts to slow

https://www.thelocal.no/20210331/nor...hority-update/

[Bossxr8]

Originally Posted by Tickford.

Another ✅ for the Pfizer vaccine.
Looks like 'Scotty doesn't know' picked the wrong vaccine for Australia.

Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine found to be highly effective for adolescents

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-04-...ents/100043334

Why the hell would kids even need the jab?

[FairmontGS]

One month after first restrictions eased, what is status of Covid-19 pandemic in Denmark?

https://www.thelocal.dk/20210330/one...ic-in-denmark/