Following Scott Morrisons presser announcing the discussion of COVID disaster payment plans for the nation should the developing COVID situation continue to deteriorate, Premier Steven Marshall has addressed the South Australian public to provide an update on how authorities will protect the state.
The deteriorating situation around the country is a major wake up call for South Australia, and Marshall said as we see more cases in Victoria, Queensland, and of course New South Wales, we must take a preemptive response to keep the state safe.
Marshall announced that effective midnight tonight, border restrictions will be updated and restrictions on the South Australian community will be put into place to best prevent the spread of any outbreaks. Restrictions in SA will be returning from midnight, along with changes to borders with QLD and Victoria, and include the following:
SA COMMUNITY RESTRICTIONS:
- 50% density arrangements
- Need to have masks indoors if above 50% density (I.e. theatres)
- Temporary ban on sheesha
- Masks in high risk settings like correctional and aged care facilities
- Masks if undertaking a personal care service
- Restrictions on dancing and singing back in place
- Private activities capped at 150
BORDER RESTRICTIONS
- No changes to border arrangements with ACT and NSW
- Level 6 restrictions on Victoria will be put in place
- Border restrictions on Townsville and Birdsville will be lifted
- 70km border bubble with Victoria will remain
For those people who have not been into greater Melbourne, Geelong and travelling into South Australia will not be required to test on days one, five and 13, unless they’ve been to these areas, then they’ll need to go into 14 day quarantine.
Dr Emily Kirkpatrick then spoke on todays cases in South Australia, announcing there were two new cases to report that were both acquired overseas and are currently in a medi-hotel. The cases are a male in his 40’s and a female in her 20’s, which brings the total state positive cases to 16.
Yesterday saw testing numbers at 7,974 in South Australia, with vaccination numbers reaching 694,463 across the state overall.
Regarding the Stamford Plaza potential medi-hotel transmission that saw an individual test positive on day 13, Kirkpatrick was pleased to say the genomics have returned from SA Pathology and confirmed one was an Alpha variant and one a Delta. This means these cases were not linked, so no risk is posed for the previously departed individuals from the hotel.
TAILEM BEND REMOVALISTS UPDATE
Following the announcement last night of the third exposure site – OTR Motorsport Park Tailem Bend – related to the removalists who travelled from NSW to McLaren Vale, Kirkpatrick said authorities are checking CCTV to find individuals of interest.
25 QR check-ins have been recorded, with some 238 people have been put into quarantine which in includes both primary and secondary contacts of eight workers from the OTR service station. These contacts have now tested negative, but the risk does still remain given the frequency of visits this site sees daily.
If you have visited any of the following sites, you are required to get a test and self-isolate immediately:
Shell service station Tailem Bend: Friday 9 July between 5:20pm and 7:00pm
Coolabah Tree Cafe in Tailem Bend: Friday 9 July from 5:20 to 7:00pm
OTR Motorsport Park Tailem Bend: Friday 9 July between 7.20am to 8.15am
All South Australians who have symptoms of COVID-19 should get tested on the day symptoms appear.
Symptoms include:
– Fever or chills (in the absence of an alternative illness that explains these symptoms)
– An acute respiratory infection e.g. cough, sore throat, runny nose, or shortness of breath
– Loss of smell or alteration in the sense of taste
– Diarrhoea and vomiting
For more information: SA COVID-19 Information Line 1800 253 787; sahealth.sa.gov.au/COVID2019.
