The 179 close contacts of two travellers who boarded a Melbourne-bound flight will be released from isolation after the pair tested negative for coronavirus.
Almost 180 people forced into isolation after coming into contact with two international travellers who inadvertently skipped quarantine have been released.
The pair - a mother and son who travelled from Germany, via Tokyo and Sydney - on Monday night tested negative for COVID-19 for the second time.
Authorities are now contacting 179 close contacts, including 168 passengers on their flight from Sydney, four crew and two pilots, to inform them they can “end their current period of isolation”.
“The two international travellers are not showing symptoms of COVID-19 and have had no known contact with a positive coronavirus case,” Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton said.
“They will remain in mandatory quarantine for 14 days and will be tested again on day 11 of their quarantine. “
VICTORIANS BACK TO THE BAR
Victorians are again able to enjoy a beer at the bar under relaxed coronavirus restrictions that will deliver a boost to hospitality venues before Christmas.
Patron caps on pubs, restaurants and cafes have been lifted and venues are instead limited to one person per 2sq m, provided they keep electronic records.
Standing service will also return, allowing Victorians to walk in and drink at bars.
Masks will be ditched except for in shopping centres, on public transport or in taxis or Ubers — despite the face coverings not being mandatory in other states. There is still no clarity on crowds for major events.
It comes as the state recorded its 38th consecutive day without a new coronavirus case.
No new deaths were recorded in the past 24 hours and 4912 people were tested for the virus.
FIRST OVERSEAS FLIGHTS LANDS AT TULLAMARINE
The first flight carrying international passengers to touch down in Melbourne since June landed at Tullamarine on Monday morning.
Flight UL604 - a SriLankan Airlines Airbus A-330 - touched down at 7.48am from Colombo.
People were kept on the flight as they completed their incoming passenger cards.
Passengers disembarked via a skybridge at 8.30am.
Staff in PPE greeted the passengers at immigration and they underwent a COVID-screening before being escorted from customs onto SkyBus buses.
The passengers all wore face masks and accompanied by staff wearing PPE.
The flight was the first of eight landing at Melbourne Airport today.
It is understood there were about 30 people on the Colombo flight.
A second incoming flight from Tokyo touched down about 9am.
The last flight of the day is expected to land about 11.30pm.
Victorians have been assured the revamped hotel quarantine program is “gold standard” and they can have full confidence in the government to run it.
Police Minister Lisa Neville said she would take full accountability for the new program, after the first version was responsible for the state’s disastrous second wave.
“I am confident we have the best system we can, the most robust system we can, to minimise the risk of any significant outbreaks of this virus,” Ms Neville said at Tullamarine airport on Monday.
“We have the best standards in the country, to give the best assurance and best protections for Victoria.
“We have robust systems in the hotels with the staff to minimise the risk and a strong contact tracing system that will immediately get in action.
“I take responsibility for this program. I see it as a challenge.
“The Australian healthcare professionals gave it a gold standard the other day.
“We are very confident we have put in the most stringent risk management structures and oversight that we can possibly do.”
When asked if she would be upfront to the public should there be an outbreak: “I think it is absolutely critical that we are that (upfront). If that occurs, we will absolutely be upfront about that.”
On Monday 253 travellers are returning to Melbourne from overseas, up from the expected 160 “cap” per day, which is flexible across a 7-day period, meaning some days will see more return passengers.
Return travellers will initially be sent to two Melbourne hotels, the Pan Pacific and the Park Royal.
A third “health” hotel is available - the Novotel at South Wharf - for those with complex or specialist health requirements.
One person has been sent there today.
Ms Neville said day one had gone “according to plan”.
“Things have gone well, as we have been doing during the simulations,” Ms Neville said.
“They (Victorians) can absolutely be assured this program has been completely reset. This is a completely different program from the time someone boards a plane overseas right through to the day they leave hotel quarantine.
“Of course we have humans involved in this so there is always an element of risk.
“The risk is much lower than it was previously. It is our number one priority. We will continue to assess and upgrade it if needed.”
Corrections Commissioner Emma Cassar echoed that she was confident in the program.
“This morning has gone really well,” Ms Cassar said.
“The team have been been resetting this program for five months now. The team have left no stone unturned. We are very comfortable.”
After landing at Tullamarine, travellers undergo a lengthy process before being transported to hotels.
They will have to sanitise their hands, change face masks and undergo two levels of health screening where they will be questioned about their health and have their temperature checked.
Symptomatic travellers go through to a secondary health screening which will determine if they get sent to the specialised “health” hotel.
The others will move through immigration and customs, collect their bags and complete a registration form.
Deputy Commissioner Ross Guenther of Victoria Police said it was a “great day” for the state.
“Over the weekend we inducted a workforce of around 600 people including ADF, through a two-hour health program,” Mr Guenther said.
“It is about infection control, we want to assure the broader community we have put in place practices that will ensure the safety of this program and the safety of those going into the program, and those assisting on the program.”
Mr Guenther said police and PSOs would not have to self-isolate after their shifts, unless they were deemed a close contact of any coronavirus positive cases.
He said 350-400 officers were being used every 24 hours on the scheme but that number would gradually increase.
He denied it would take officers off the beat across a busy summer.
“We have spread the load across our workforce,” he said.
“This is community safety. We are very used to staging things like that for large events. That allows us to still respond to bushfire or flood threat, should that occur.”
Ms Neville addressed the denied request she had put in to the ADF for the floor monitoring role.
“I was disappointed about that,” she said.
“We were trying to get some assistance to offset Victoria Police playing solely that role in hotels.
“Unfortunately they came back - they made a decision not to proceed with that request for assistance.”
VICTORIA’S CREDIT RATING DOWNGRADED
Victoria and NSW have lost their prized AAA credit ratings, with ratings agency S&P Global downgrading both states on Monday in moves that put a cloud over the federal government’s own AAA rating.
S&P Global cut its long-term rating on Victoria by two notches to “AA/Stable” from “AAA/Watch Negative” citing a weaker fiscal outlook.
The prolonged lockdown in the state due to two coronavirus outbreaks this year has led to more significant effect on the state’s economy than elsewhere in Australia and the government’s path to fiscal repair would be more challenging, the international ratings agency said.
Read more on this story here.
GERMAN TRAVELLERS TO BE TESTED AGAIN
A MOTHER and son who flew into Melbourne from Germany, via Sydney, without quarantining will be tested for coronavirus again this afternoon, paving the way for almost 180 people in isolation to be set free.
The pair were picked up at Melbourne Airport on Saturday and returned negative results on Sunday.
They will be tested again this afternoon with the fast-tracked results expected “later today”.
Health Minister Martin Foley said on Sunday that if the pair returned another negative result “the incubation period and the chain of transmission will have been broken and we will release those close contacts from isolation”.
Four crew, two pilots, 168 passengers and five other staff have all been deemed close contacts and forced into isolation.
“Anyone who has been at the Melbourne Airport domestic terminal 3 on Saturday afternoon is advised to monitor for COVID-19 symptoms and to get tested if they develop symptoms, no matter how mild,” Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton said.
“Melbourne Airport is not a current risk to the public and you may continue to visit the airport, in line with current restrictions.”
WA CONFIRMS NEW TRAVEL RULES
Western Australia’s Premier Mark McGowan says the opening of his state border with NSW and Victoria will go ahead as planned.
As of 12.01am on Tuesday, residents from Victoria and NSW will be able to enter WA without having to undergo mandatory hotel quarantine.
Mr McGowan said that despite the border bungle that saw two German travellers skip hotel quarantine in Sydney and board a flight to Melbourne, the state felt it was still safe to reopen.
HOPES OFFICE WORKERS WILL REJUVENATE CBD
Business groups hope the increased number of people allowed in offices, as well as the scrapping of face masks for workers, will breathe life into Melbourne’s CBD.
Daniel Andrews on Sunday announced up to 50 per cent of office workers would be allowed back in from January 11, a doubling of current levels.
The Premier also announced the Victorian public service, currently working from home, would return to 25 per cent in mid-January before moving in line with the rest of the workforce in February.
Melbourne Lord Mayor Sally Capp said she hoped the changes would be a major boost to the city economy that relied on office workers.
“Each city worker that returns means another coffee bought in our local cafes, an after-work drink in our bars and pubs, and extra customers for our retail stores,” Ms Capp said.
“City workers make up a critical component to our economy and we know that the recovery will take time and will need ongoing support to be sustained.”
EVENT CROWDS STILL UP IN THE AIR
Victoria’s major events are still in limbo with the government facing calls to increase crowd numbers ahead of the Boxing Day Test.
Despite announcing a string of eased restrictions on Sunday, Premier Daniel Andrews failed to provide new details about crowd capacities at Melbourne’s major sporting events this summer.
The MCG is set to host just 25,000 spectators a day — 25 per cent of its capacity — for the Boxing Day Test in less than three weeks.
The timing of the Australian Open remains up in the air with the government yet to sign off on the tournament’s start date or quarantine arrangements for players.
MASK RULES RELAXED
Hairdressers will finally be able to see their clients’ faces after mandatory face masks inside salons were given the chop.
While people must still carry masks with them at all times, they can drop them in the salon chair while getting a cut and colour.
Premier Daniel Andrews said on Sunday that while customers could ditch the mask, “we expect staff to wear masks”.
Masks are still mandatory in shopping centres, department stores, electronics stores, furniture stores, hardware stores and supermarkets and on public transport.
Do you have questions about the new mask rules? Ask in our comments field below.
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2020-12-07 16:59:26Z
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