Go home Victoria to enter snap seven-day lockdown from 8pm

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews has confirmed that Victoria will lock down for seven days from 8pm after eight new local cases emerged since the state reported zero cases on Wednesday.

Mr Andrews said there was no alternative but to listen to the advice of public health experts and take a “very difficult decision” based on that advice.

Mr Andrews said the decision to have the restrictions kick in from 8pm was made to avoid groups gathering at venues on Thursday night and he cited the example of a COVID-19 transmission occurring at Cremorne restaurant Ms Frankie on the eve of the last lockdown.

“This evening go home, and begin that lockdown. Don’t be out and about because all you might be doing is spreading the virus,” he said.

“I would prefer we didn’t have to make this decision now. But my fear is if we were to wait a few days and the advice to me from the experts is, if we were to wait even just a few days, there is every chance, instead of being locked down for a week, this gets away from us.”

Health officials are concerned that the infected teacher at Al-Taqwa College and three new cases linked to her may have spawned cases in the several days they were infectious in the community. The source of those infections, as well as a new case located in Maribyrnong, remain a mystery.

Mr Andrews said he hoped the lockdown would end after seven days, but this was not something he could guarantee. “Seven days is what we believe is necessary, but let’s hope that it is accurate. We will be working as hard as we can to make sure that come 8pm next Thursday we can be out of this.”

He also justified locking down regional areas by saying wastewater tests in Wangaratta in Victoria’s north-east had indicated COVID-19 could be present in the community.

“We have some reason to believe there is COVID-19 in that community or has been in that community. We saw last time, a few weeks ago this went from Melbourne into Bacchus Marsh, Barwon Heads, all the way up to Mildura. We all have to work as hard as we can to avoid the spreading any further than it already has.”

The government is confident that the tightness of the current rules, with home visits banned and strict density limits, means the outbreak is unlikely to have spread rapidly, but the infectiousness of the Delta strain means officials are being ultra-cautious in their decision-making.

In reference to snap lockdowns to counter the infectious Delta variant, Mr Andrews had earlier said: “If you look at the Doherty [Institute] modelling, the Prime Minister’s been very clear, the federal Treasurer, everybody has been very clear about the fact there’s only one real way to deal with Delta outbreaks.

“But what I can indicate, obviously, is that the government’s priority is to avoid what’s going on in Sydney. We’ve got to do everything we can to avoid cases getting out of control like they are in Sydney.”

The Premier urged workers to get tested, saying support packages would be available for those in need.

“If you don’t have resources to fall back on, and you need to get tested and stay away from work for a day, we will pay you $450, no questions asked. Because you staying at home is worth so much more than $450.

“Secondly if you are positive or a close contact that has to isolate for two weeks, we will give you $1500. So no one in Victoria has to make that choice between feeding their family and doing the right thing by the rest of us.“

Health Minister Martin Foley revealed two additional cases of coronavirus had been identified on top of six reported earlier on Thursday morning.

Three schools have closed, the list of exposure sites has swelled to 80 and health authorities worked through the night to try to figure out how three of the new cases contracted the virus. The remaining cases are linked to existing outbreaks.

Mr Foley said discussions about implementing tighter restrictions were under way.

“We’ve got nothing to say at this time. When we get public health advice on how to respond, we’ll be sure to share that as quickly as we possibly can,” he said.

Health officials remain concerned that an infected female teacher at Al-Taqwa College in Truganina, who was announced as a positive case on Wednesday night, may have spawned cases in the several days she was infectious in the community.

Nearly 2500 students and teachers at Al-Taqwa College in Truganina are now isolating at home after she taught at the school last Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.

Mr Foley said health authorities expect more than 10,000 people to soon become primary close contacts of the new outbreak and be forced into isolation.

“Given our understanding of the school community, as well as the other exposure sites that are coming online, we will very quickly pass 10,000 close contacts and secondary contacts within hours if not days,” he said.

“Numerous exposure sites have been published online so far and as interviews continue and as working verification continues, we would forecast that there will be more exposure sites listed.”

The teacher’s partner, a man aged in his 20s who works in Caroline Springs and plays football for Newport Football Club, was among Thursday’s new positive cases.

Another two of his relatives have since tested positive, but will be officially recorded in Friday’s numbers.

A third new case under investigation is a man aged in his 20s, who lives in Maribyrnong and works in a Derrimut warehouse.

More than 20 new exposure sites spanning Melbourne’s south-west to north-west were added to a growing list of high-risk venues on Thursday and a coronavirus testing site was set up on the grounds of Al-Taqwa College.

At least three more schools with links to Al-Taqwa College have also closed several campuses and students will continue their classes from home.

Ilim College has closed three campuses in Melbourne’s north, the Australian International Academy has closed two campuses in Coburg and Caroline Springs and the Islamic College of Melbourne has closed its Tarneit campus for two days.

Dr Mukesh Haikerwal at Thursday’s COVID-19 press briefing.Credit:Scott McNaughton

There are now 12 tier-one venues among the new sites listed on the Victorian government’s coronavirus exposure sites, which include a doctor’s office, pharmacy, cafes, supermarkets, a gym and an optometrist practice.

The Western Region Football League confirmed a Newport Football Club player had tested positive to the virus on Wednesday had played a seniors match on Saturday against West Footscray but did not attend club training on Tuesday.

Two new tier-2 exposure sites - one at Newport Football Club in Altona North and another at West Footscray Football Club in West Footscray â€" were added to the state government’s list of exposure sites and players and officials have been advised to get tested and isolate until further notice.

There were 27,279 tests processed while 17,229 doses of vaccine were administered across the state. There are now 80 active cases across the state.

Cars queue at the pop-up testing clinic at Al-Taqwa College on Thursday morning. Eligible candidates are also being offered a dose of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine. Credit:Wayne Taylor

Vaccines offered at Al-Taqwa testing site

Every staff member, student aged 16 and over and their relatives who presented for testing at Al-Taqwa College in Melbourne’s west today has been offered a Pfizer vaccine.

State Education Minister James Merlino revealed in question time that a “pilot pop-up vaccination program” had been put in place this morning.

“The availability of Pfizer for the program is made possible following Victoria’s decision to revise the recommended Pfizer second dose to six weeks,” Mr Merlino said.

“This program will provide the department with data regarding pop-up vaccination coverage, which will inform future vaccine programs once more supply becomes available.”

Victoria widened the gap between Pfizer doses at state clinics from three to six weeks on the weekend in a move that will free up about 100,000 extra first doses in the coming weeks. The aim is to give as many eligible Victorians as possible at least partial protection against COVID-19 before Commonwealth supply becomes more plentiful from September onwards.

Altona North GP and former president of the Victorian Australian Medical Association Dr Mukesh Haikerwal made an impassioned plea for people to get vaccinated.

“This is so dangerous, so, so easy to get that we’re being so cautious and shutting the whole school down ... it’s done for good reason, with good science,” he said.

“I think we need to get our core message right, and the core message needs to be, you need to get vaccinated because you don’t want to die. You don’t want people around you to get sick.”

New tier-1 sites include several stores at Caroline Springs shopping centre CS Square, where a positive case is believed to have worked at Spectacle Hub on July 29 and 30 and August 2 and 3.

Other tier-1 sites include the Elm Rd Family Clinic in Altona North on July 31, Elite Sports Performance Gym in Spotswood on August 3 and Wolf Cafe & Eatery, also in Altona North, on August 1.

The health department also listed several tier-2 sites in Melbourne’s south-west, including Newport 1881 Coffee - Pastries on July 29 and 30 and Pharmacy 4 Less and Caltex Woolworths in Altona North on July 31.

Other tier-2 sites include Woolworths in Caroline Springs on July 29 and Star Pizza & Pasta Cafe on July 31.

NSW records 262 new local cases, five deaths

NSW reported 262 new local COVID-19 cases and five deaths on Thursday, the highest number of local cases ever recorded in the state in a 24-hour period.

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian confirmed three men in their 60s, one man in his 70s and a woman in her 80s had died.

Ms Berejiklian said “unfortunately, four out of those five people were not vaccinated at all ... I cannot stress enough how it’s so important for everybody of all ages to come forward and get the vaccine.”

She said Sydney’s ongoing outbreak had revealed the spread of the Delta variant would not be stemmed by more restrictions, but by increased vaccination rates in the western suburbs.

When announcing the lockdown on Thursday afternoon, Mr Andrews said the outbreak in NSW was inevitably impacting Victoria.

“No one is more upset to see cases in Sydney going up than me because their problem is our problem.

“Not to be criticising or to be obsessing with Sydney but if they opened up tomorrow, the hospitals would be overrun in a matter of days. We don’t want that to happen here, or anywhere for that matter.”

Mr Andrews said he was surprised to hear that extra Pfizer vaccines would be going to NSW and that he had requested a boost to Victoria’s supply.

With David Estcourt, Hanna Mills Turbet, Mary Ward, Sarah McPhee and Cassandra Morgan

Stay across the most crucial developments related to the pandemic with the Coronavirus Update. Sign up to receive the weekly newsletter.

Staff conduct COVID-19 tests at a pop-up clinic at Al-Taqwa College in Truganina on Thursday. The school has been closed and all 2500 staff and students are isolating for 14 days.Credit:Wayne Taylor

Paul is a Victorian political reporter for The Age.

Michael Fowler is a state political reporter for The Age.

Timna Jacks is Transport Reporter at The Age

Share this post