Covid 19 -

[naddis01]

There were massive queues at the border check point at Mildura this morning.

[DJR-351]

New UK mutation of coronavirus detected in returned travellers in NSW

https://www.9news.com.au/national/co...-in-nsw_211220

A new strain of coronavirus currently spreading across the UK has been detected in returned travellers in Australia.

NSW Health Chief Medical Officer Dr Kerry Chant confirmed today there is concern about the mutation, but it is not circulating in the community.

"I'm advised that we've had a couple of UK returned travellers with the particular mutations you're referring to," Dr Chant said in response to a question about the strain.

"Can I be very clear that the Avalon cluster strain does not have those mutations.

"But the key point, regardless, is that we need to treat all people with that end-to-end process of making sure that they're not coming in contact and there is not a risk of exposure to any residents in New South Wales."

About 60 per cent of cases in London are believed to be due to this new mutation, and the capital city now has the highest infection rate in England.

"There's no evidence to suggest it is more lethal or causes more severe illness," UK Prime Minister Boris Johnston stressed.

He added there was no proof that vaccines will be less effective against the new strain.

England's chief medical officer, Chris Whitty, said the UK has alerted the World Health Organisation that the new variant identified this week appears to be accelerating the spread of COVID-19.

The government's scientific advisers came to that conclusion based on preliminary modelling figures, and they are continuing to analyse the available data, he said.

Viruses mutate regularly, and scientists have found thousands of different mutations among samples of the virus causing COVID-19.

But many of these changes have no effect on how easily the virus spreads or how severe symptoms are.

UK strain needs to be 'put in context'

Australia's Chief Medical Officer Paul Kelly said there have been thousands of mutations of the coronavirus, and the new mutation needs to be "put in context".

"The particular strain circulating, especially in the south-east of England at the moment, has particular mutations related to the spike protein, important because it is the way the virus gets into the cells and the particular part of the virus that the vaccines are attacking, all the vaccines, relate to the spike protein," Professor Kelly said.

"There is no definite evidence that this is a significant change."

He said higher rates of transmission in the south-west of the UK could be due to a number of other factors, including people moving around ahead of Christmas and the fact it is winter there.

Professor Kelly noted anyone entering Australia from the UK is going into hotel quarantine.

[FairmontGS]

Originally Posted by naddis01

There were massive queues at the border check point at Mildura this morning.

People calling into ABC and saying that they just drove through Albury bypass into Victoria. No checkpoints. A couple of Victorian HP cars doing random checks.

[CyberWasp]

Is there any numbers on how many people each State has received from Overseas and quarantined during the Pandemic from overseas?
Would be interesting to see who has done the most work in preventing cases compared to how many they have processed.

[DJR-351]

Anyone surprised ?

Hard border to return between Queensland and NSW from tomorrow morning

3:49pm Dec 21, 2020

Annastacia Palaszczuk has announced a hard boarder will return between Queensland and NSW tomorrow morning.

As coronavirus cases continue to grow on Sydney Northern Beaches, all road entry points with NSW will be policed from 6am on December 22.

The Premier said the tough measures were needed because people were doing the wrong thing.

"People are breaching and are being turned around so there will be a hard border closure that will be going in place," Ms Palaszczuk said.

"People will start to see barricades going up again this afternoon and by 6am tomorrow morning it will be back to the strong border measures we have seen in Queensland."

Queensland Police Commissioner Steve Gollschewski said everyone who comes into Queensland will need to have a border declaration pass by 6am tomorrow.

"Please everyone that wants to coming into Queensland, please have the correct border declaration pass," he said.

"Please identify whether you are coming out of the hotspot area."

Mr Gollschewski revealed that 81 people had been turned around at the Queensland border from 1am this morning.

"I have no doubt that people were deliberately trying to get into the state," he said.

"They did not have passes some of these people, or they had the incorrect pass knowing they should have had a hotspot pass."

The Commssioner warned anyone caught doing the wrong thing would face harsh penalties from 6am tomorrow morning.

Ms Palaszczuk also reiterated the call for anyone who has travelled to Queensland from the Northern Beaches from December 11 to get tested for COVID-19.

[Tickford.]

NSW allowed thousands of international flight crew to dodge security by quarantining at any hotel they wanted - while hundreds of foreign diplomats were allowed to isolate at HOME

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...antine-at.html

https://www.facebook.com/iwakeupwith...32408317261145


How ****ing stupid are NSW Health!??

This is the reason we all are in the **** once again! Pathetic governance!

[roKWiz]

Originally Posted by FairmontGS

People calling into ABC and saying that they just drove through Albury bypass into Victoria. No checkpoints. A couple of Victorian HP cars doing random checks.

They wouldn't see anything in Albury. They don't want to slowdown the free movement of border residents who simply can prove their local residence by drivers licence.
The Victorian highway patrol are set up further down the hwy pulling over NSW plated cars, if they don't have a permit proving where they have come from they will be enjoying a 14 day stay and a large fine for their stupidty.

So I wouldn't go encouraging anyone to do this.

[Mr_G6ET]

[Tickford.]

If you hand over $400'000 to Gladys, she will let you skip hotel quarantine.

https://au.finance.yahoo.com/news/ma...214910698.html

This was 4th December, before the recent NSW outbreak. The strain is said to be a US based strain.

edit: Forgot to add, it was Wahlberg PLUS his entourage.


BTW, how's that "Gold Standard" contact tracing going? NSW is still unable to trace who case zero is.

[FairmontGS]

Originally Posted by roKWiz

They wouldn't see anything in Albury. They don't want to slowdown the free movement of border residents who simply can prove their local residence by drivers licence.
The Victorian highway patrol are set up further down the hwy pulling over NSW plated cars, if they don't have a permit proving where they have come from they will be enjoying a 14 day stay and a large fine for their stupidty.

So I wouldn't go encouraging anyone to do this.

People were calling in from Chiltern, Wang and beyond having not been stopped. Apparently the hard-border will be up by Wednesday night according to Victoria Police.

[GasoLane]

Originally Posted by Tickford.

If you hand over $400'000 to Gladys, she will let you skip hotel quarantine.

https://au.finance.yahoo.com/news/ma...214910698.html

This was 4th December, before the recent NSW outbreak. The strain is said to be a US based strain.

edit: Forgot to add, it was Wahlberg PLUS his entourage.


BTW, how's that "Gold Standard" contact tracing going? NSW is still unable to trace who case zero is.

One more NSW/Gladys bashing post and you'll be starting you Christmas holidays early.


*I don't particularly like Gladys and voted independent at our last election. I'm also nowhere near Syd and Covid has had virtually no effect on my lifestyle.

[Itsme]

Originally Posted by Tickford.

If you hand over $400'000 to Gladys, she will let you skip hotel quarantine.

https://au.finance.yahoo.com/news/ma...214910698.html

This was 4th December, before the recent NSW outbreak. The strain is said to be a US based strain.

edit: Forgot to add, it was Wahlberg PLUS his entourage.


BTW, how's that "Gold Standard" contact tracing going? NSW is still unable to trace who case zero is.

A while back you seem to be vocal and disliked anyone who bagged Daniel Andrews for his **** ups yet take pleasure bagging Gladys Berejiklian.... think you are being politicly biased in your posts.

[Tickford.]

Originally Posted by GasoLane

One more NSW/Gladys bashing post and you'll be starting you Christmas holidays early.

So... NSW/Gladys "bashing" posts are not allowed, but...

Originally Posted by FairmontGS

Meanwhile...

Victorian hotel quarantine inquiry report unable to determine who made private security decision

The final report from the inquiry into Victoria's botched hotel quarantine program has been unable to determine who commissioned the use of private security and has slammed the Andrews Government for failing to do "proper analysis" of the plan.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-12-...eased/13002882

VIC/Andrews "bashing" posts are allowed? As it has been all along this entire time? Ok. Not a problem. That's a fair and unbiased request. All good here. Will comply.

[FairmontGS]

Originally Posted by Tickford.

So... NSW/Gladys "bashing" posts are not allowed, but...


VIC/Andrews "bashing" posts are allowed? As it has been all along this entire time? Ok. Not a problem. That's a fair and unbiased request. All good here. Will comply.

You could have clicked through and seen that what I posted was from the ABC article.

"The final report from the inquiry into Victoria's botched hotel quarantine program has been unable to determine who commissioned the use of private security and has slammed the Andrews Government for failing to do "proper analysis" of the plan."

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-12-...eased/13002882

[GasoLane]

Originally Posted by Tickford.

So... NSW/Gladys "bashing" posts are not allowed, but...


VIC/Andrews "bashing" posts are allowed? As it has been all along this entire time? Ok. Not a problem. That's a fair and unbiased request. All good here. Will comply.

As has been mentioned, that was a direct quote from the ABC with a link, not FairmontGS's personal opinion.

[Mr_G6ET]

WTF, idiocy at best

Australia's outbreak, here we come !?

https://www.news.com.au/world/corona...d696d15d93b79e

[GasoLane]

Originally Posted by Mr_G6ET

WTF, idiocy at best

Australia's outbreak, here we come !?

https://www.news.com.au/world/corona...d696d15d93b79e

Oh dear

[T3rminator]

It has been mentioned that finding patient zero is no longer a priority as it might be "beyond" them and also that they are not interested in blaming or finger pointing. That rings a lot of alarm bells, especially when epidemiologists say it is key to identifying gaps in the chain of transmission and helping to stop the spread.

https://au.news.yahoo.com/mystery-re...045109389.html

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-12-...ified/12998634

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...ver-found.html

This is unbelievable. The less you know the less question you ask?


Tickford, if you have a recording of the first presser they did, maybe you can share it. One reporter asked if there was any truth in large political doners being exempted from quarantine. The health minister batted the question away refusing to answer it on the basis that it was a "silly question".

[CyberWasp]

The Fireworks have been laced with vaccine powder.
What a brilliant way to treat a whole city in one hit.

[FairmontGS]

Northern beaches coronavirus outbreak unlikely to lead to Melbourne-style lockdown, expert says
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-12-...break/13004512


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[T3rminator]

Originally Posted by FairmontGS

Northern beaches coronavirus outbreak unlikely to lead to Melbourne-style lockdown, expert says
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-12-...break/13004512


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

That's a very early crow, but I hope they are right. I think Vic had similar numbers, up a couple of days, down the next, then up, then down, then BOOM.

The saving grace might be demographics. I heard the people that seeded the Vic outbreak lived in houses with an average size of 6. The Vic average house size overall is 2.3. The Northern Beaches is 2, and also Northern Beaches residents are less likely to be in casual jobs working in more than one venue.

[FairmontGS]

How a dispute inside government helped cause huge problems in Victoria's quarantine program

Who was in charge?
Ms Coate found a meeting at the State Control Centre (SCC) on March 28 made clear that the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) was in charge as the control agency of the program, and that the Department of Jobs, Precincts and Regions (DJPR) was a support agency.

But she found there was a dispute between the two departments about which was responsible for the program, with DJPR being clear that DHHS was in charge, while DHHS was adamant that it was only responsible for parts of the program, and that DJPR was jointly responsible and accountable for its delivery.

Ms Coate found this dispute caused "considerable and significant problems with the way in which the program operated" and also "occupied an inordinate amount of time during the inquiry".

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-12-...eport/13002956


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[Citroënbender]

That’s damning insight respective to the crucial workings of government. Nicely worded, but it’s still a boot in the face.

[T3rminator]

A report on the aged care outbreak in Vic has just been released, where over 600 residents died.....

Report into St Basil's and Epping Gardens COVID-19 outbreaks highlights failures

"An independent review of the outbreaks at St Basil’s Homes for the Aged and Heritage Care’s Epping Gardens, conducted by Professor Lyn Gilbert and Adjunct Professor Alan Lilly, found the homes had deteriorated to a shocking state during the crisis."

"The review also found that a St Basil's manager told replacement staff after the permanent staff had been stood down and the home taken over by the state government that "she was not to be contacted ... and that, since they had been stood down, neither she nor St Basil’s staff were to have any ongoing involvement"."

"Christine Golding, whose 84-year-old mother Efraxia died after contracting coronavirus at St Basil's, said the report showed "what a horror show" it was inside the facility.

But she said it was a "whitewash" for the Commonwealth government. "It doesn't really refer to them or their role in stopping this happening."

""What's missing from the review is accountability – they talk about systemic failures, but who was ultimately responsible for the neglect?""

"The chief executive of Epping Gardens, Greg Reeve, said the report was “a pretty honest account” of what had occurred, but said much of the blame should be sheeted home to the federal government, not the operators, who were dealing with extraordinary circumstances.

He said throughout the outbreak at his centre, the Commonwealth tried to tell him that, since Epping Gardens was the approved provider, it had to deal with the problem."


"But opposition health spokeswoman Julie Collins said the report showed the federal government did not have a COVID-19 plan for aged care, and it had failed to learn from earlier aged care outbreaks in NSW.

“The Morrison government’s failings are heartbreaking and completely unforgivable,” she said. “This could have been avoided if the Morrison government had a proper plan for COVID-19 in aged care and learnt from previous mistakes.”"

https://www.theage.com.au/politics/f...21-p56pcw.html

[MITCHAY]

Get on the beers Xmas lights

https://m.facebook.com/christmasligh...66480868552975

[mostly_broncos]

Originally Posted by Tickford.

NSW allowed thousands of international flight crew to dodge security by quarantining at any hotel they wanted - while hundreds of foreign diplomats were allowed to isolate at HOME

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...antine-at.html

https://www.facebook.com/iwakeupwith...32408317261145


How ****ing stupid are NSW Health!??

This is the reason we all are in the **** once again! Pathetic governance!

Hey thats how we roll in the US ! I'm sure it will be fine

[mostly_broncos]

Originally Posted by russellw

Now there's a surprise. So we spent $10M on the inquiry and $192 on the hotel quarantine program and that's all we get for it. I could have reported the same result 3 months ago (in fact I did) for nix.

If you want the study to show that no one was at fault its very expensive the main expense is l hush money , the paper shredding and video deleting is all done for free by the subjects

[Captain Stubing]

Originally Posted by Tickford.

If you hand over $400'000 to Gladys, she will let you skip hotel quarantine.

https://au.finance.yahoo.com/news/ma...214910698.html

This was 4th December, before the recent NSW outbreak. The strain is said to be a US based strain.

edit: Forgot to add, it was Wahlberg PLUS his entourage.


BTW, how's that "Gold Standard" contact tracing going? NSW is still unable to trace who case zero is.

I read the article you posted, and he didn’t skip quarantine. He paid extra to have the resources to quarantine elsewhere. That costs money to enforce. He paid extra to have law enforcement oversee his entourage during the quarantine period.

It’s not like Shazza coming back from Bali, “I promise I’ll stay at home for two weeks!” Next minute, “Just ducking down to Coles for some ciggies.”

[Citroënbender]

It would be makings, not ciggies. You clearly haven’t dated enough Shazzas.

One of the weaknesses in NSW’s current predicament is that it’s location driven, there is no adjunct of association with people from Greater Sydney. I’ll be meeting the gay nomads in a country town around Christmas, this saves them from quarantine on return to the ACT - which would be necessary if they came to Sydney.

[roKWiz]

Originally Posted by FairmontGS

People were calling in from Chiltern, Wang and beyond having not been stopped. Apparently the hard-border will be up by Wednesday night according to Victoria Police.

Considering I am staying in Chiltern and was in Wodonga when you posted what you said, saw the long queues first hand and later on the local border news, I think you are FOS.