Covid Australia live update: Victoria records 57 new local cases; NSW outbreak yet to peak amid race to vaccinate young

August 18, 2021
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7.18pm EDT19:18

The ACT government is seeking urgent talks with the federal health minister on boosting the Covid-19 workforce reports Paul Osborne from AAP.

The territory’s outbreak grew to 67 on Wednesday, with 22 new cases and a lockdown running until September 2.

More cases are expected to be announced on Thursday as the number of exposure sites expand and pressure rises to do more testing, tracing and vaccinations.

An extra 10,000 vaccine doses are on their way to pharmacies and GPs this week.

The territory government is seeking to boost its professional and volunteer workforce, but there are anecdotal reports of retired nurses and others facing hurdles in joining the team.

ACT health minister Rachel Stephen-Smith said she would raise the issue with her federal counterpart Greg Hunt.

But she said in the meantime anyone wanting to help could be tasked with other roles while they waited for formal approval for their professional services.

To ease pressure on the health system the government is looking to scale back non-urgent surgery.

But the minister said anyone impacted would be directly notified if there were any changes.



7.17pm EDT19:17

Here is the breakdown of how Melbourne actually got to that 200-day lockdown mile stone.

Rohan Smith
(@Ro_Smith)

Melbourne has reached 200 days of lockdown. Cannot wait to get out of this awful cycle.
1: 43 days
2: 111 days
3: 5 days
4: 14 days
5: 12 days
6: 15 days and counting@newscomauHQ


August 18, 2021



7.09pm EDT19:09

A reminder that once the press conference hour of suffering begins this blog will mostly focus on Australia’s Covid-19 situation.

If you are keen to keep up to date with Afghanistan as well you can open a second tab with the Guardian global live blog:

Updated
at 7.14pm EDT



7.02pm EDT19:02

Outdoor playgrounds and sporting grounds listed as Victorian exposure sites

Calla Wahlquist

Calla Wahlquist

A number of outdoor playgrounds and sporting grounds have been on the Victorian government’s exposure site list since Monday.

This is a new phenomenon – and presumably not because this is the first time that people who have the virus have visited a playground.

It’s also important to note that an exposure site just means that a person who has the virus has been in that location – it is not a transmission site.

Having said all that, if you or your family have been at any of these playgrounds in Melbourne, they are tier two sites so you must get tested and isolate until you get a negative result.

– Jacana skatepark at 61 Johnstone Street, Jacana, from 11.30am to 12.25pm on 14 August

– Jack Roper Reserve playground, 217 Camp Road, Broadmeadows, from 3pm to 5.30pm on 14 August

– Wedge Road Oval in Carrum Downs from 2pm to 3.30pm on 11 August, 10am-11.30am on 12 August, and 1pm to 2.30pm on 14 August

– Lahinch Street playground in Broadmeadows from 3.35pm to 4.30pm on 16 August

Updated
at 7.13pm EDT



6.50pm EDT18:50

Thanks, Tony! Thoughts and prayers!

Anthony Albanese
(@AlboMP)

Thinking of everyone in Melbourne this morning, waking up to their 200th day in lockdown.


August 18, 2021

(I’m on my 200th day of lockdown, I’m allowed to be bitter.)

Updated
at 6.57pm EDT



6.48pm EDT18:48

On the bright side in Victoria, testing numbers are way up, with 49,607 people fronting up to testing centre for a stick up the nose yesterday.

Victorian health authorities have been urging people to keep this number well above 30,000, especially for those in the St Kilda area where there are a number of unlinked cases.

Updated
at 6.57pm EDT



6.46pm EDT18:46

Victoria records 57 new local Covid-19 cases

Updated
at 6.51pm EDT



6.44pm EDT18:44

Anne Davies

Anne Davies

Analysis: The state government is in danger of losing control of this Delta wave yet we’re getting less information when transparency should be the top priority.

The headline figure that New South Wales had reported a record 633 new Covid cases obscured some other truly terrible statistics in the latest press conference by the NSW premier, Gladys Berejiklian. These reveal some alarming trends.

The first of these was the revelation that the current reproduction number of the virus, its R factor, is 1.3 – well over the rate of 1.0 which is needed to stabilise case numbers. At present, each positive person is infecting 1.3 others.

That means numbers will inevitably get worse – potentially a lot worse – and NSW is in danger of completely losing control of this Delta wave.

The second troubling statistic revealed on Wednesday suggests NSW’s much-vaunted “gold standard” contact tracing system is under severe strain.

You can read the full report below:

Updated
at 6.51pm EDT



6.40pm EDT18:40

Queensland is up nice and early for the presser today: 10am AEST.

@MartySilk
(@MartySilkHack)

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk and Chief Health Officer Jeannette Young will give a COVID-19, vaccination and border update at 10am.


August 18, 2021

Updated
at 6.42pm EDT



6.34pm EDT18:34

This is interesting: NSW police minister David Elliott has said he is happy to enforce harsher lockdown restrictions if the police commissioner says they are required.

Peter Stefanovic
(@peterstefanovic)

NSW Police minister David Elliott just now on @SkyNewsAust says he’d be happy to impose tougher restrictions including curfews if comm Mick Fuller calls for it.


August 18, 2021

Updated
at 6.42pm EDT

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