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Standing by for media conference (due 10.15am AEDT) from Premier Daniel Andrews re news on lifting Victoria's snap 5 day lockdown which was set to midnight tonight...signs are good but may be layers of lifting.... https://twitter.com/VictorianCHO/status/1361810663056703488
Alas it's outside. Good for speakers/journos/COVID risks, bad for microphones..
Premier saying great community spirit, fabulous testing results. He thanks all Victorians for understanding that difficult choices involved in such lockdowns, but when dealing with something that new and different, have to follow advice of experts
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Premier Andrews says pleased to announce restrictions will come off at midnight tonight, as hoped.
Not just because zero cases today, but been able to control the outbreak.
3,400 close contacts: if had stayed open, would have been much, much higher.
Not just because zero cases today, but been able to control the outbreak.
3,400 close contacts: if had stayed open, would have been much, much higher.
This is not over, still 9 days to go for the 14 day period of the last of the positive cases.
Next Friday be more definitive re epidemiological picture, so there will be some exceptions....
Next Friday be more definitive re epidemiological picture, so there will be some exceptions....
From midnight
No longer only 4 reasons to leave home, the 5km restriction is lifted.
Masks inside will remain. Ongoing insurance policy.
Can have 5 visitors to home till Friday week (be reviewed then). 20 people at public gatherings, 50pc capacity workplaces.
No longer only 4 reasons to leave home, the 5km restriction is lifted.
Masks inside will remain. Ongoing insurance policy.
Can have 5 visitors to home till Friday week (be reviewed then). 20 people at public gatherings, 50pc capacity workplaces.
From midnight
Visits to hospitals/care facilities, one per day limit.
Schools reopen tomorrow.
Retail reopen with density limits, so too religious events.
Weddings back, like funerals size be limited by space.
Visits to hospitals/care facilities, one per day limit.
Schools reopen tomorrow.
Retail reopen with density limits, so too religious events.
Weddings back, like funerals size be limited by space.
Not expecting any changes, better or worse, to these restrictions before Friday week (the 14 day viral life)....
He gives shoutout to people who are in isolation...thousands of staff who worked tirelessly.
He gives shoutout to people who are in isolation...thousands of staff who worked tirelessly.
Please note: masks also still required outside if you can't socially distance
(but not necessarily while running/exercising @naomi_priest , unless you're running in a crowd :) )
(but not necessarily while running/exercising @naomi_priest , unless you're running in a crowd :) )
Now Jeroen Weimar, testing logistics commander - talking re Victoria's strong benchmarking on contact tracing etc.
Urges people to test if any symptoms....will continue extended ops at 13 sites today.
Urges people to test if any symptoms....will continue extended ops at 13 sites today.
Q: what guarantee there won't be another snap lockdown.
Premier says can't give guarantees, he can only make decisions based on the health advice etc. Every case on its merits, if public health team believes there could be cases spreading wildly, will make hard decisions.
Premier says can't give guarantees, he can only make decisions based on the health advice etc. Every case on its merits, if public health team believes there could be cases spreading wildly, will make hard decisions.
Here's Premier's statement: https://www.premier.vic.gov.au/statement-premier-86
Re masks
Masks will continue to be a big part of our defence and will be required everywhere indoors except at home – at the supermarket, at the office, at the pub when you’re getting up to pay.
Masks will also be required outside if you can’t physically distance from others.
Masks will continue to be a big part of our defence and will be required everywhere indoors except at home – at the supermarket, at the office, at the pub when you’re getting up to pay.
Masks will also be required outside if you can’t physically distance from others.
Andrews: Constant criticism, political pointscoring, the loudest voices....don't work against this virus.
I know this is a deeply emotional thing, there is pain, there is hurt...
I know this is a deeply emotional thing, there is pain, there is hurt...
Andrews (with little message to Greg Hunt):
It's not over, we've got one palette of vaccines that's turned up, that's great news, but we haven't got any in anyone's arms yet.
Some might see that as the moon landing (but) i think it's (just) the start of the end....
It's not over, we've got one palette of vaccines that's turned up, that's great news, but we haven't got any in anyone's arms yet.
Some might see that as the moon landing (but) i think it's (just) the start of the end....
Andrews:
Victorians know what it's like when this gets away. That's not counterfactual, we lived that, all of us.
(being questioned re whether lockdown was necessary)
"If people want to barrack for a worse set of numbers today...."
Victorians know what it's like when this gets away. That's not counterfactual, we lived that, all of us.
(being questioned re whether lockdown was necessary)
"If people want to barrack for a worse set of numbers today...."
Weimar responds:
Had seen a number of household contacts of hotel quarantine workers become infectious v v quickly....straight to end of 3 predictive rings.
That's what led to lockdown. Didn't know how far it might have spread.
Had seen a number of household contacts of hotel quarantine workers become infectious v v quickly....straight to end of 3 predictive rings.
That's what led to lockdown. Didn't know how far it might have spread.
On the Saturday, identified someone who had not been on radar at all - 9 positive cases came from 6 Feb Coburg party, "a super spreader event".
That led to chains of transmission into mental health, child care, Brunetti's at airport, a couple of schools.....
That led to chains of transmission into mental health, child care, Brunetti's at airport, a couple of schools.....
Have tracked all of those chains down. A number may test positive in the coming days.
Was lockdown necessary? Absolutely. Big concern re kind of settings that saw spread in. 9 days to go, will see more developments, hope in primary close contact, but if beyond, we're up for it.
Was lockdown necessary? Absolutely. Big concern re kind of settings that saw spread in. 9 days to go, will see more developments, hope in primary close contact, but if beyond, we're up for it.
Re 'gold standard' hotel quarantine?
Andrews says it was @amapresident who actually used those words. https://ama.com.au/media/dr-omar-khorshid-western-australian-covid-lockdown
Andrews says it was @amapresident who actually used those words. https://ama.com.au/media/dr-omar-khorshid-western-australian-covid-lockdown
Now @VictorianCHO
It's absolutely a good result, everyone loves a day of zeros, but incubation period is 14 days.....(cases could still emerge).
The 66 close contacts per case is an indication we've swept really broadly..."no close contact left behind!"
It's absolutely a good result, everyone loves a day of zeros, but incubation period is 14 days.....(cases could still emerge).
The 66 close contacts per case is an indication we've swept really broadly..."no close contact left behind!"
"Anyone who tests positive, you'd be v confident they're already identified, already quarantined ... " @VictorianCHO says that's still not a guarantee, people need to check those exposure sites, get tested etc.
Good thread from @Raf_Epstein of @VictorianCHO comments - always a problem, says Sutton - "the great dilemma/frustration of public health is when something doesn't happen, you get accusation that you've done something that wasn't necessary" https://twitter.com/Raf_Epstein/status/1361832992306470913
