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Tokyo Olympics to be cancelled for coronavirus: report
Reuters is reporting the Japanese government has privately concluded the 2021 Tokyo Olympics will have to be cancelled because of the coronavirus pandemic.
The news agency quoted The Times newspaper citing a senior ruling coalition member.
The Japanese government's focus was now on securing the games for Tokyo in the next available year, 2032, the newspaper said.
Earlier, the London Telegraph had reported senior International Olympic Committee member Dick Pound said the Games might have gone ahead but without spectators.
Organisers had previously played down fears of an Olympic Games event with no fans, despite refunds being offered for the rearranged event. IOC President Thomas Bach stepped back from promising crowds on Thursday, saying organisers must be "flexible" amid COVID-19 surges.
What you can and cannot do now Brisbane's COVID-19 rules have changed
By Toby Crockford
As of 1am on Friday, mask-wearing and gathering restrictions are now eased for Greater Brisbane after they were resurrected in response to fears of an outbreak of the highly infectious UK virus strain.
Health Minister Yvette D'Ath said Queensland has returned to "having among the lowest restrictions in our economy in the country", by going back to the COVID-19 roadmap in place in December.
But what are the rules now?
At 1am on Friday, January 22, masks were no longer be mandatory, except in airports and on planes. But Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk recommends that masks still be worn on public transport and in places where social distancing isn’t possible, such as shopping centres.
Businesses, including cafes and pubs and restaurants, can return to having one customer for every two square metres. People are also allowed to stand to drink in licensed premises.
Weddings and funerals can have 200 guests, dancing can return indoors and outdoors, venues with allocated seating – such as outdoor stadiums, theatres and cinemas – can have 100 per cent capacity.
A maximum of 50 people can gather in private homes and up to 100 people can gather in public spaces, such as parks.
A recap of Victoria's COVID-19 update
By Melissa Cunningham and Ashleigh McMillan
It was a relatively short press conference from Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews this morning, but there was plenty to digest. Here's a recap of the major points:
- Victoria has opened to all but one Sydney red zone: From 6pm tonight, nine NSW local government areas, including Blacktown City, Burwood, Canada Bay City, Canterbury Bankstown, Fairfield City, Inner West, Parramatta and Strathfield, Liverpool will all be downgraded from red to orange zones. The Cumberland local government area, however, remains a red zone. People from Cumberland are not allowed to travel to Victoria without an exemption or essential worker permit.
- Brisbane is now a green zone: From 6pm tonight all of Greater Brisbane will also be downgraded to a green zone. Anyone travelling from Brisbane to Victoria still requires a permit and they must also watch and get tested if they have any symptoms at all. They do not need to quarantine.
- Larger home gatherings allowed ahead of public holiday: Victorians will be able to attend bigger home gatherings from Saturday, with the number of people allowed to visit across one day doubling from 15 to 30.
- Vaccine roll-out the "priority" for national cabinet: Ahead of today's meeting of the Prime Minister and state and territory premiers and chief ministers, Mr Andrews said he expected to be briefed comprehensively on the vaccine's distribution today, as the "vaccine and its roll-out is a key priority".
No new local COVID-19 cases for Queensland
By Lydia Lynch
Queensland has recorded another day of no locally acquired cases.
Three people tested positive in hotel quarantine.
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk tweeted out the case update on Friday morning, ahead of a national cabinet meeting in Brisbane.
More than 7000 tests were conducted in the past 24 hours and 23 cases remain active.
Changes to travel into Victoria from NSW and QLD announced
By Melissa Cunningham and Ashleigh McMillan
The Victorian government has announced that many areas in Queensland and New South Wales will have free travel back into Victoria, following low case numbers in those states.
All of greater Brisbane and regional New South Wales - except for Wollongong and the Blue Mountains - will change from an orange to a green zone.
The greater Sydney local government areas (LGAs) of Blacktown City, Burwood, Canada Bay City, Canterbury-Bankstown, Fairfield City, Inner West, Liverpool City, Parramatta City and Strathfield Municipality are now orange zones.
Travel from orange zones still requires people to self-isolate and get tested within 72 hours and remain in quarantine until they get a negative result, while travel from a green zone requires people to watch and get tested if they have any symptoms at all.
A travel exemption will no longer be needed from orange zones.
Premier Daniel Andrews said the change was "great news" for those wanting to come home, but warned that anyone returning to Victoria, even from a green zone, still need a travel permit.
"That is a very significant step," he said on Friday morning.
"It's based on public health advice and will be welcome news, I'm sure, for many, many people who want to get home and have had a summer that has been somewhat disrupted, and in some cases more than that."
The local government area of Cumberland in Sydney's western suburbs will remain a red zone.
The Premier spoke briefly to reporters before going to a national cabinet meeting, which is set to discuss the roll-out of the coronavirus vaccine nationally.
"The vaccine and its roll-out is a key priority," Mr Andrews said.
"We did pause a few things because of the UK strain and its emergence here, particularly in hotel quarantine with that breach up in Brisbane, so we have to make some decisions today ... but the item we will probably spend most time getting briefed on is the vaccine roll-out and where that is up to."
Mr Andrews said Prime Minister Scott Morrison would likely provide an update on the outcome of the meeting later today.
Opinion: A closed Australia has protected us, but our door must open sooner or later
By David Crowe
Brendan Murphy used the calm manner of a local GP to deliver bitter medicine this week when he told Australians they could not expect any widespread opening of the international border this year.
Murphy, the secretary of the federal health department and the former chief medical officer, was matter-of-fact about a forecast that is a painful jab for the economy and a big problem for Scott Morrison.
The health boss was not going off script with his remarks to the ABC’s News Breakfast program. The Prime Minister had no issue with his assessment. There is huge uncertainty about when the border opens.
But it has to open one day. And the debate is changing on how that happens.
The year has begun with the usual political dynamic on display: blame-shifting between federal and state leaders over returning Australians, farm workers and overseas students. This will lead to paralysis unless someone has the political will to attempt a bigger solution.
Tennis chair umpire suffers heart attack in hotel quarantine
By Scott Spits
Brazilian chair umpire Carlos Bernardes suffered a heart attack while in Melbourne hotel quarantine this week but the ATP says he is recovering well.
Carlos Bernardes is taken away in an ambulance from The View Hotel Melbourne where Australian Open tennis players are in quarantine.Credit:Joe Armao
Photos of Bernardes being wheeled from his hotel accommodation into an ambulance were posted on social media.
"Following admittance to hospital (non-Covid related) on Wednesday in Melbourne, we are pleased to report that ATP Umpire Carlos Bernardes is recovering well," said the men's tennis association.
"Carlos passes on his gratitude for all the well wishes he's received, and we wish him all the best for a full recovery."
Ambulance Victoria confirmed they were called to the hotel around 8.30am on January 20, with the patient taken to the Alfred hospital with a medical condition.
Larger indoor gatherings for Victorians from midnight
By Melissa Cunningham
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews has announced Victorians will be able to attend larger home gatherings from Saturday as health advice is downgraded further, with the number of people allowed to visit doubling from 15 to 30.
Changes to home gatherings will come into force from 11.59pm tonight.
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews on Friday morning.Credit:Joe Armao
“We thank Victorians for embracing that. I know it's been very inconvenient,” Mr Andrews said.
“It’s been a challenge for many people, but the reward is this long run of days without any community transmission, having run to ground that Black Rock cluster and having seen really significant testing numbers this couple of weeks and no additional cases for 16 days in the Victorian community.”
The change comes as Victoria has reached its 16th day without a locally acquired coronavirus case, but the Australian Open has its first positive case in a player that does not involve viral shedding.
While gatherings at homes has been increased the Premier warned the risk of coronavirus still lingered.
"It is a recognition of the very low risk, but there still is a risk. Any event, whether it's at your home, whether it's out at a venue, needs to be COVID-safe," he said.
Mr Andrews said he was grateful Victorians for embraced the 15-people cap for the past three weeks and said the "reward" was a continued run without new locally acquired cases.
Live: Premier Daniel Andrews gives Victoria's COVID-19 update
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews provided a coronavirus update at 9.30am on Friday, prior to national cabinet.
You can watch the full livestream here.
WA still waiting on health advice over when to drop hard border with Queensland
By Peter de Kruijff
West Australian Premier Mark McGowan is "very pleased" with the progress of Queensland's COVID-19 control but is yet to receive health advice on when he could drop hard border measures.
The Greater Brisbane area has gone 10 days without a community case and 14 days since the last positive case tied to the Hotel Grand Chancellor cluster - which involved the infectious strain of the virus ripping through the United Kingdom - went into quarantine.
WA Premier Mark McGowan is yet to receive health advice on whether Queensland can go from a "medium risk" to "low risk" classification.Credit:Peter de Kruijff
Brisbane residents will no longer have to wear masks everywhere and will be allowed to have more people visit their homes when restrictions are wound back at 1am on Friday.
Mr McGowan said the eastern states had been making inroads on virus control.
"I think New South Wales has had five or so days with zero cases and Victoria has obviously done very well as well," he said.
"We’ll obviously get health advice on all of those and make announcements in the future."
Queensland and NSW are currently considered "medium risk" states by WA, which means only exempted travellers are allowed to travel to the west.
Victoria was recently downgraded to a "low risk" state, which means anyone can come to WA but they have to do 14 days of home quarantine.
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2021-01-21 23:46:00Z
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